Nov. 6.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3405

Notice to Mariners.—No. 82 of 1919.

USE OF MINE PROTECTION GEAR.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 4th November, 1919.

THE following order, which has been issued by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty under the Defence of the Realm Regulations, is published for general information.

W. H. HERRIES,
Minister of Marine.

CIRCULAR TO SHIPOWNERS AND MASTERS OF THE BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE.

I.

THE following order has been issued by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty under the Defence of the Realm Regulations :—

ADMIRALTY ORDER.

In exercise of the powers conferred upon them by the Defence of the Realm Regulations and all other powers thereunto enabling them, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty hereby make the following order with a view to protecting British merchant vessels, when navigating within certain areas, from the risk of damage by mine :—

Part I.—Use of Mine Protection Gear.

A. Passenger Vessels.

1. British passenger vessels equipped with the “Otter” protection gear are to stream their Otters on all occasions in the following waters :—
   (a.) Baltic Sea: East of the meridian of Cape Arkona (long. 13° 28′ E.).
   (b.) Mediterranean:
   (i.) Aegean Sea.—North and east of a line Thaso-Lemnos-Tenedos extended both ends to meet the nearest point on the mainland.
   (ii.) Adriatic.—North of parallel of latitude 40° 10′ N.
   (c.) Black Sea: In depths of less than 180 fathoms.
2. Otters are to be streamed by British passenger vessels if uncertain of position (i.e., in doubt as to being in approved tracks, channels, and fairways), in an area in the North Sea—Bounded on the west by the meridian of long. 4° E.
   ,, north by parallel of lat. 56° 30′ N.
   ,, east by land.
   ,, south by land.
3. In all other waters Otters are not required to be used by British passenger vessels, provided that the approved tracks, channels, and fairways are adhered to.

B. Other Vessels.

4. British merchant vessels, other than passenger vessels, equipped with Otter gear are to stream their Otter gear on all occasions in—
   (a.) The Baltic Sea, east of Cape Arkona (long. 13° 28′ E.).
   (b.) The Black Sea in depths of less than 180 fathoms.
5. Otter gear is not required to be streamed by these vessels in any other waters, but it is of the greatest importance that the approved tracks, channels, and fairways shall be followed upon all occasions.

C. All Vessels.

6. Senior naval officers at ports from which ships are sailing may modify or add to these orders as demanded by local conditions.
7. To secure the efficient working of the Otter gear, it must be properly adjusted, actually running, and adequately manned.
   The master or other person in command or charge of any British vessel who neglects to see that the apparatus is so adjusted, running, manned, and worked as required by this order will be guilty of a summary offence against the Defence of the Realm Regulations.
   Entry is to be made in the ship’s log regarding the streaming and taking inboard of Otters.
8. Masters of vessels carrying deck cargo are to ensure that sufficient space to enable Otters to be handled efficiently is always left when loading.
9. Application must be made in respect of all vessels proceeding to the Baltic to have Otter gear fitted, if it is not already installed.
10. The Admiralty Order dated 9th May, 1919, and published in the London Gazette of 13th May, 1919, is hereby cancelled.
    Given under our hands this 28th day of July, 1919.

J. A. FERGUSSON.
A. E. M. CHATFIELD.

Admiralty, S.W. 1.

Part II.—Special Masthead Lookouts.

11. The special masthead lookouts ordered to be carried and employed in ships of 2,500 gross tonnage and upwards, under Admiralty Order of the 16th November, 1917, are still to be employed in the areas mentioned in paragraph 1 hereof, and in the entire Black Sea, and, in addition, in the English Channel to the eastward of the meridian of Greenwich, and in the entire area of the North Sea to the southward of latitude 62° north, and east of the meridian of Cape Wrath. The special masthead lookouts are to be paid only while the ship in which they are borne is navigating in these areas, and vessels which trade entirely outside these areas should cease to carry and pay these lookouts.
12. This order is to apply to all ships to which Admiralty Order of 16th November, 1917, in regard to masthead lookouts applied, whether fitted with Otters or not.
13. The Admiralty Order dated 16th November, 1917, and published in the London Gazette of the 20th November, 1917, is hereby cancelled.

II.

1. Correspondence on all matters relating to the fitting of Otters in merchant vessels should be addressed to the Director of Trade Division, Admiralty, and marked “D.A.M.S. Section”; or, in the various seaports, to the local D.A.M.S. officer.
2. Telephonic inquiries should be addressed to Telephone No. Admiralty Extension 874; or, in seaports, to the local D.A.M.S. officer.

III.

1. Passenger vessels which trade permanently outside the areas mentioned in paras. 1 and 2 of the above Admiralty Order, and vessels other than passenger vessels which trade permanently outside the areas mentioned in para. 4 of the above Admiralty Order, may have their Otter gear and all fittings connected with it removed, on a certificate being furnished by the ship’s owner that the vessel concerned will not be employed in the waters referred to in the respective paragraphs quoted.
2. Shipowners desirous of taking advantage of this arrangement should apply to the Officer in Charge, D.A.M.S., at the port where it is desired that the work of removal should be effected.
3. Should any ship from which Otters and their fittings have been removed be ordered subsequently to go through the waters at that time scheduled, shipowners will be responsible that the Otters and all fittings connected with them are reshipped and made ready for use before the ship enters the waters in question. The cost of this work will be a charge against the owners.

IV.

This circular cancels Sections I to III, inclusive, of Admiralty Instructions for British Merchant Ships, June, 1919, and will be embodied in Addenda to that publication in substitution of those sections.

ALAN HOTHAM, Captain, R.N.,
Director of Trade Division.

Naval Staff, Admiralty, 1st August, 1919.

Notice to Mariners.—No. 83 of 1919.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 4th November, 1919.

THE following Notices to Mariners, which have been received from the Governor, Panama Canal, and the Hydrographic Office, Washington, are published for general information.

GEORGE ALLPORT,
Secretary.

PANAMA CANAL.

LIGHT EXTINGUISHED, RONCADOR BANK, CARIBBEAN SEA.
Roncador Bank Light U was struck by lightning and installation damaged. Light will be repaired and relighted as soon as possible.

TORO POINT LIGHTHOUSE, COLOUR OF TOWER TO BE CHANGED.

On or about 1st October, 1919, the colour of Toro Point Lighthouse tower will be changed from “white and red” to “white.”

Owing to the dark background it is believed that white will show a greater contrast in colours.

CHINA.

HONG KONG HARBOUR ENTRANCE.—BOKHARA ROCKS BUOY MOVED.

The black and white checkered buoy marking Bokhara Rocks has been moved about 400 yards eastward and re-