LOCAL NAVIGATION RULES BEFORE 1841.
4. RIVER HUMBER.
The navigation rules for the Humber were so far the last local code coming into operation but in terms of lights they were quite a-head of other areas.
The first notice of regulations I could trace was that of the 10th November 1836. As the preamble said this code was drawn up and agreed to by a meeting of masters and commanders of steam and sailing-vessels in the Trinity House, Hull two days previous and afterwards approved and ordered by the Elder Brethren of that House.
Steam-vessels shall keep to the larboard side of the River Humber and all connected rivers (clause (1.)). They shall pass on each other’s starboard side when on contrary courses (2.). Steam-vessels shall go out of the way of sailing and rowing- vessels (3.) and reduce their speed or stop their vessel when passing a rowing or sailing-boat so as to cause no alarm (4.). Steam-vessels under steam even when assisted by their sails have to obey the above orders, and consequently count as steamers (5.). Clause (6.) regulated the exhibition of a lantern with three glasses: the starboard side being red, the front being clear, and the larboard side being green. This lantern had to be displayed at the mast between sunset and sunrise together with a bright lantern at the end of the bowsprit. The last clause ordered a light ready for exhibition for vessels at anchor in case of emergency situations.’"^
Edward Rheam, of the Humber Union Steam Company, Hull, said in his answer in the Report on Steam-Vessel Accidents, 1839 that there were not many serious collisions between steam-boats and other craft on the River Humber due to the requirement of cariying this mentioned lantern under the forecross-trees. In some
See chapter on Steering Regulations for Open Waters Before 1840; H.L., 1839 (181.), p. 191;
cases when the river was crowded blue lights were occasionally burnt when passing through that part.’^
The masters and commanders of steam-vessels did not agree to having a triangle of lights displayed, they might not even have considered such arrangement. It was perhaps too early yet for it was not practised by many masters or even owners. The City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, D.W. Evans, and the General Steam Navigation Company were exemptions.
Four years later, on 25th November 1840, the Trinity House, Hull published a new code of regulations.’^ The Preamble stated that the first and second clause were similar to those which were already adopted by H.M. Vessels and recommended by the Admiralty in a notice of Trinity House, London of 30th October 1840 for general use.’^ In fact they were word by word copies of those from London but made for the Rivers Humber, Ouse, and Trent only.
Compared further the two Humber regulations had several important differences. In the regulation of 1836 clause (1.) ordered steam-vessels to keep on the larboard side of the river. This was changed in two ways for the new regulation of 1840. While in that of 1836 it was the side of the fairway to which the vessels had to keep when meeting the new rule was loosened as it now only required the vessels to pass at a certain side of each other wherever the were in the river. This side had now to be the larboard side.
In the regulation of 1836 the steam-vessels shall starboard their helm “if their courses shall lead them near each other”. But in that of 1840 they only shall obey the port-helm rule if they “must unavoidably and necessarily cross so near that by continuing their respective courses, there would be a risk of coming in Collision”. In other words a risk of collision had to be established first to justify the porting of the helm. This was the other important difference as it reduced action to properly defined cases and therefore gave more safety. On the other hand the port-helm rule was very objectionable as long as it was compulsory.’^ This new code of Trinity House, Hull now fitted the nationally recognised code of Trinity House, London made four weeks
H.C., 1839 (273.), pp. 114-15;
National Maritime Museum, Library, 342.537 627.72(427.4);
The London Gazette, November 3, 1840, pp. 2410-11 ;
See chapter on Steering Rules Before 1847, but also that on Steering Rules Before 1840, and on the Admiralty Regulations of 1848;
before. All other five clauses of 1840 were nearly word by word copies of the earlier regulations. The final one repealed the regulation of 1836 and demanded the persons in charge of steamers and sailing-vessels to strictly obey the new regulations.
Numerous witnesses recommended in reports a triangle of three lights which was also already confinned through experience as a model to avoid collisions and already established practice for some shipping companies and individual vessels. But the Trinity House, Hull renewed the order of having a single tricoloured light, may be because it did not want to change established custom or because it did not want to be responsible for some structural changes and expenses for the shipping companies before it was so ordered from a higher authority. A single light, already in use, could easily be hoisted and exchanged against other lights for other local requirements.
As it was quite usual to take the local light arrangement further into coastal waters, as long as the lights were not extinguished for expense reasons, it seems not suiprising that this three coloured lantern combined with the bright light at the end of the bowsprit was in use also along the east coast on steam-vessels working between the Humber, the Firth of Forth, and the Firth of Tay. May be also along the coast towards the South. Another regulation that steam-vessels when passing deep draughted vessels shall reduce their speed was sent from Kingston-upon-Hull to Leith
in 1842. This was said so by William Brown, Mate of the steamer Pegasus, which
carried these lights, then of the Hull & Leith Steam Packet Company.’^
B.C., 1843 (581.), p. 18; Bain, 1996, pp. 303-04;