SAFETY AT SEA

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1931, Page 5

SAFETY AT SEA

NEW STEERING COMMANDS. (United Prtsa Asuccmtion—Ry Electric Tblegtaph—Copyright). ;; LONDON, June IS. ' In the House of Lords, there was a discussion on the new International. Safety at Sen Convention. Lord Inehcape strongly opposed the proposal to alter the steering commands. The Convention, he said, pro. posed that the command “Starboard” or “Right” should be given only when tHfe head of the ship was to move to the right, and a similar command in regard to “Port” or “Left;”; whereas now the command “Port Your Helm” meant that the danger was on the port side, and that the ship must be steered to starboard, or vice wsisa. No fewer than 8,599 British officers opposed the change, which is contrary to present practice, and therefore likely to lead to accidents. Lord Jellicoe on the other hand supported the change. He said he had so often seen the helm put the wrong way under the present system that in every ship that he commanded lie had a hole cut in the compass platform in order to see the helmsman was carrying out the command correctly. He whs confident that the officers would soon become familiar with the Convention’s new and simpler system. The House ratified the Convention.