193950-1932-Supplementary-Notices-to-Mariners — Page 2

1907

The following notice has been issued by the Board of Trade and will come into force in Hong Kong on 1st January, 1933.

G. F. HOLE,

Harbour Master

Hong Kong, 1st December, 1932.

NOTICE.

MOST IMPORTANT.

HELM OR STEERING ORDERS. Change to Direct System-1st January, 1933.

Under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1932, which comes into force on the 1st of January, 1933, the present indirect system of helm or steering orders will no longer be per. missible, and all helm or steering orders are to be given in the direct sense as explained below.

The various associations representing ships' officers, seamen, etc., who have been consulted by the Board of Trade are all of the opinion that the words STARBOARD and PORT should continue to be used for giving helm or steering orders in the British Mercantile Marine, but that in order to emphasise the change to the direct system the warning word "wheel" should be used with the order for a short period after the change comes into operation.

"PORT"

On and after 1st January, 1933, the order “STARBOARD" must only be given when it is intended that the wheel, the rudder blade and the head of the ship should go to starboard. must only be given when it is intended that the wheel, the rudder blade and the head of the ship should go to port. The orders to be used teinporarily during the period immediately after the 1st January, 1983, would be:- "Wheel to starboard” and “Wheel to port"

or

"Starboard the wheel" and "Port the wheel"

(The former alternative is considered preferable by the Board of Trade.)

On vessels steered by hand-tiller the order "STAR- BOARD" must only be given if the rudder blade and the head of the vessel are to move to starboard, and the order PORT must only be given if the rudder blade and the head of the vessel are to move to port.

Mercantile Marine Department,

Board of Trade,

September, 1932.