The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

March, 1917 The types of purification apparatus in use on vessels of the Great Lakes at the present time are woefully in- efficient. There is not a method in use that can be depended upon to deliver a safe water at all times. The route and docking place of the vessel play some part in the character of the water supply. It is impossible, without treatment, to obtain a drinking water for boats directly from the lakes through the present piping systems that will at all times conform to the — standard THE MARINE REVIEW established by the treasury department. Therefore, to comply with the law, it will be necessary for every vessel on the Great Lakes to install a meth- od of water purification which shall be so constructed that it cannot under any conceivable circumstances deliver a water which will not conform to the government requirements. This will necessitate an apparatus that will be entirely automatic in action and proof against carelessness, indiffer- ence, and forgetfulness, as well as dependable in every stress of weather. How to Avoid Accidents HE annual report of the Great Lakes Protective Association points out that “the aim of the association, as navigators know, is principally toward the elimination of the avoidable accident. To this end we have proceeded quite satisfactor- ily during the seven years the asso- ciation has been in operation, but it is a prominent fact that we have not yet reached our goal as the reports of masters covering damages sus- tained by their vessels during the past season would indicate. It is, there- fore, pertinent that we should refer in a general way to the different classes of avoidable accident, calling attention to those which are most fre- quent and from which correspondingly heavy losses result. Accordingly we have selected for comment the fol- lowing: How to Prevent Collisions “In the examination of damage re- ports received, we find a number of instances relating to collisions in channels which, in our judgment, are due to the careless handling of ships and to not keeping at a sufficient dis- tance behind the leading vessel in narrow and congested channels and in many cases through attempting to pass ships going in the same direc- tion where the maneuver is more or less dangerous. “Quite serious losses have occurred ‘through collisions between vessels coming to anchor in channels in thick weather. Particular care must be ex- ercised in such situations to avoid col- lision. “In our circular No. 26, of May 25, 1911, we recommended to masters not to attempt passing other boats going in the same direction between the lower end of Port Huron Middle Ground and Corsica Shoals light ship; also between the upper end of Russell island and the lower end of St. Clair Flats canal. We believe that this suggestion has saved many an acci- dent, but is not heeded by all masters, which is apparent from the accident reports received. The rule should also apply to the meeting and pass- ing of vessels in other similar dan- gerous places. _ “Other vessels have caused acci- dents through passing at too high a rate of speed, their suction forcing the other vessel into collision. Such disasters we believe are entirely avoidable. “We have examined the circuin- stances as related in a number of te- ports of collisions at sea and in no case do we believe that the collision was not preventable. Colliding with the stern of another vessel meving through the ice with attendant fogs in the spring of the year appeals to us as gross carelessness. We _ have had altogether too many cases under this heading each year. “Frequent collisions in fogs have eccurred and considering the _ state- ments of the masters concerned there is no doubt in our minds but that practically every one of them could have been eliminated by properly fol- lowing the pilot rules and the sug- gestions of this association. “There have been cases also of ac- cidents through not following the de- fined courses appointed for Lakes Huron and Superior. rious accident has occurred during the past year this is merely a fortunate result in some of the cases related and we cannot too strongly impress upon our navigators the _ necessity, for the safety of all concerned, to follow these courses according to the rules adopted by the Lake Carriers’ Association and endorsed by the Great Lakes Protective Association. “Other collisions have resulted when passing vessels collide before they are clear of each other. This suggests the result of suction from the passing ship, and as the following vessel is While no se- 105 generally held for damage done, which is usually serious damage, navi- gators should use all precaution to see that these collisions do not take place. “We have a great many reports this season of vessels moored at load- ing or unloading docks when other vessels navigating in the immediate vicinity, either going to dock or leav- ing dock, collide with the vessel so moored and it seems to us that the proper precaution to avoid such ac- cidents is not always taken by the master of the moving vessel. It would seem safer and cheaper to all concerned, if a landing or departure cannot be safely made, to have the assistance of tugs in the operation, so that these vexatious and seemingly unnecessary small accidents may not occur, and especially in the busy sea- sons when vessels are more or less congested in harbors due to the rush of business. Such conditions demand extraordinary caution, and it is ex- pected that masters will not fail to have the assistance of tugs when in their judgment safe movement can be assured thereby. It is much better to invest a few dollars for protection in these situations than to damage the ship, and create loss to both the owner and underwriters. Strandings and Groundings “During the season numerous re- ports have reached us of strandings and groundings on account of foggy weather and through such similar conditions, and in noting the master’s comment in the various reports, we are impressed with their lack of judg- ment in many cases. It should ever be in the mind of the navigator that taking unnecessary chances to make a little time is a very poor investment and generally results in exactly an opposite result by laying a ship up for repairs and costing his owner a great deal in anticipated profits and creating a correspondingly heavy loss to the underwriters. This statement, of course, does not apply to the ma- jority of masters whom we find are very careful in this regard, but there are a few who do not fully realize the result of such careless navigation. “We judge from the comment of the masters in the various accident reports received, that more particular attention should be paid to the action of currents and to the velocity of the wind existing at the time such land- ings are attempted. It is also known that currents exist at many docks at all times and masters should acquaint themselves with these facts so that these dangers may not be _ proved with the side of their ship. It is much