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A vessel arriving off Taku, whose agent has given the necessary notice as laid down herein, will, if conditions permit, find an ice-breaker in the position of the light-vessel. The ice-master will inform the master of conditions. If the master decides to proceed, a pilot will, if desired, be placed on board from the ice-breaker. At a suitable time the ice-breaker will, if necessary, lead the way in, and, in doing so, will make such instruc- tive signals concerning the steamer's action as the ice-master considers desirable.
It should be understood that when the ice-master makes such a signal the master of a following steamer is free to use his discretion as to obeying that signal so far as considerations concerning the safety of his own vessel are concerned. It would, how- ever, be well for him to consider what would be the effect of disregarding the signal if that disregard affected the safety of a third vessel.
It should be clearly understood that the Harbour Authority, under whose authority the ice-breakers operate, and the Haiho Conservancy Board, who own the ice-breakers, incur no responsibility in respect to accidents which may happen in the process of following an ice-breaker. A vessel accepting the services of an ice-breaker in the above conditions does so at her own risk.
Particulars.
Tee-breaking Signals.
An ice-breaker leading the way and steamers following shall make use of the follow- ing signals:-
One short blast
Two short blasts
Three short blasts
meaning
I am altering my course to starboard.
>
port.
My engines are going astern.
One long blast
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(a.) Can I pass ahead of you?
requested to pass ahead of me.
(b.) (From an ice-breaker ahead) You are
Three long blasts
7
Come on.
Five long blasts
""
Keep back.
A vessel requiring the assistance of an ice-breaker should make the following signals:--
By day. A pennant with two balls beneath it; also a succession of one long
and three short blasts on the whistle or siren.
By night. Three lights in a vertical line one over the other not less than 6 feet apart, of which the highest and lowest are white and the middle one red; also a succession of one long and three short blasts on the whistle or siren.
Pilots and masters should make a special point not to call upon an ice-breaker to perform any work in connexion with vessels under their charge except such as is actually needed. The ice-breakers will otherwise be unduly hampered in the carrying out of their general routine work.
Ice-breaker acting as Light-vessel.
When acting as a light-vessel the ice-breaker will show
By day.A black ball at her masthead,
By night.-Five minutes of flashing with her searchlight every 15 minutes.
During foggy or thick weather a gong will be sounded at intervals of one minute when the fog signal of a vessel in the neighbourhood, showing that she is under way, is heard.
Pilots.
Masters are warned against the danger of taking their vessels over the Taku Bar during the winter season without a pilot. They should realise that the spar buoys replacing the summer floating aids are necessarily liable to be ineffective and that the wreck of the Guthrie forms a special danger.
Inward-bound vessels may obtain a pilot from the ice-breaker acting as a light-vessel.