TREASURY DEPARTMENT, TO COLLECTORS OF CUSTOMS. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., November 1, 1880. The following decisions for the month of October, 1880, upon the construction to be given to acts of Congress relating to the tariff, navigation, and other subjects, are published for the information and guidance of officers of the customs and others concerned. J. K. UPTON, Acting Secretary. (4673.) Common carriers—Approval of the bond of the Illinois Railroad Company. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, October 1, 1880. SIR: You are hereby informed that the Department has this day approved the bond, dated the 22d ultimo, of the "Illinois Central Railroad Company" as a common carrier for the transportation of unappraised merchandise in bond, under the act approved June 10, 1880. One copy of said bond is herein inclosed, to be placed upon the files of your office. Under their bond, the company named is authorized to transport unappraised goods in bond from the port of Chicago, Ill., to the ports of St. Louis, Mo., and New Orleans, La., in suitable cars owned or controlled by them, and running over the route hereinafter described, viz: First. From Chicago, Ill., via the Illinois Central Railroad and the St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute Railroad, to St. Louis, Mo. Second. From Chicago, Ill., via the Illinois Central Railroad, to Cairo, Ill., from which place the cars are transported to a point opposite Cairo by a ferry-boat, owned by the said Illinois Central Railroad Company, and thence, via the Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad, to New Orleans, La. In every instance where other cars than those owned by the said company are used, such cars shall be distinctly marked "Illinois Central Railroad Company." Steering and Sailing Rules, and Lights, Torches, and Fog-Signals. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, October 7, 1880. In order that all persons concerned, and especially the masters of sailing-vessels, may be apprised of their duties in the premises, you are directed to place a copy of this circular in possession of the master of every vessel clearing from your port. The instructions herein contained will be observed in the navigation of vessels of the mercantile marine of the United States; and, by the provisions of the Revised Statutes, the following rules, from one to twenty-four, inclusive, are made applicable to the navigation of vessels of the Navy. (Collectors will notice the modifications of the circular of February 17, 1877, which is hereby superseded.) Every sail-vessel of the mercantile marine navigated without complying with the instructions of this circular will be liable to a penalty of two hundred dollars, for which sum the vessel may be seized and proceeded against. STEAM AND SAIL VESSELS. RULE ONE. Every steam-vessel which is under sail and not under steam shall be considered a sail-vessel; and every steam-vessel which is under steam, whether under sail or not, shall be considered a steamvessel. LIGHTS. RULE TWO. The lights mentioned in the following rules, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers between sunset and sunrise: Lights for ocean-going steamers and steamers carrying sail. RULE THREE. All ocean-going steamers, and steamers carrying sail, shall, when under way, carry (a.) At the foremast-head, a bright white light, of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least five miles, and so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, and so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the vessel, namely, from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side. (b.) On the starboard side, a green light, of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles, and so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, and so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on starboard side. (c.) On the port side, a red light, of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles, and so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, and so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on her port side. The green and red lights shall be fitted with inboard screens, projecting at least three feet forward from the lights, so as to prevent them from being seen across the bow. Lights for towing-steamers. RULE FOUR. Steam-vessels, when towing other vessels, shall carry two bright white mast-head lights vertically, in addition to their sidelights, so as to distinguish them from other steam-vessels. Each of these mast-head lights shall be of the same character and construction as the mast-head lights prescribed by Rule Three. Lights for steamers not ocean-going nor carrying sail. RULE FIVE. All steam-vessels other than ocean-going steamers and steamers carrying sail shall, when under way, carry on the starboard and port sides lights of the same character and construction and in the same position as are prescribed for side-lights by Rule Three, except in the case provided in Rule Six. Lights for steamers on the Mississippi River. RULE SIX. River-steamers, navigating waters flowing in the Gulf of Mexico and their tributaries, shall carry the following lights, namely: One red light on the outboard side of the port smoke-pipe, and one green light on the outboard side of the starboard smoke-pipe. Such lights shall show both forward and abeam on their respective sides. Lights for coasting steam-vessels and steam-vessels navigating bays, lakes, and rivers. RULE SEVEN. All coasting steam-vessels and steam-vessels other than ferry-boats, and vessels otherwise expressly provided for navigating the bays, lakes, rivers, or other inland waters of the United States, except those mentioned in Rule Six, shall carry the red and green lights as prescribed for ocean-going steamers, and in addition thereto a central range of two white lights, the after-light being carried at an elevation of at least fifteen feet above the light at the head of the vessel. The head-light shall be so constructed as to show a good light through twenty points of the compass, namely, from right ahead to two points abaft the beams, on either side of the vessel, and the afterlight so as to show all around the horizon. The lights for ferry-boats shall be regulated by such rules as the Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam-Vessels shall prescribe. (See "Additional rules," below.) Lights for sailing-vessels. RULE EIGHT. Sail-vessels, under way or being towed, shall carry the same lights as steam-vessels under way, with the exception of the white mast-head light, which they shall never carry. (See Rule Three, b and c.) Exceptional lights for small sailing-vessels. RULE NINE. Whenever, as in case of small vessels during bad weather, the green and red lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept on deck, on their respective sides of the vessel, ready for instant exhibition, and shall, on the approach of or to other vessels, be exhibited on their respective sides in sufficient time to prevent collision, in such a manner as to make them visible, and so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side nor the red light on the starboard side. To make the use of these portable lights more certain and easy, they shall each be painted outside with the color of the light they respectively contain, and shall be provided with suitable screens. Lights for steam-vessels and sailing-vessels at anchor. RULE TEN. All vessels, whether steam-vessels or sail-vessels, when at anchor in roadsteads or fairways, shall, between sunset and sunrise, exhibit where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding twenty feet above the hull, a white light in a globular lantern of eight inches in diameter, and so constructed as to show a clear, uniform, and unbroken light, visible all around the horizon, and at a distance of at least one mile. Lights for pilot-vessels. RULE ELEVEN. Sailing pilot-vessels shall not carry the lights required for other sailing-vessels, but shall carry a white light at the mast-head, visible all around the horizon, and shall also exhibit a flareup light every fifteen minutes. Lights for coal-boats, trading-boats, rafts, and other like craft. RULE TWELVE. Coal-boats, trading-boats, produce-boats, canalboats, oyster-boats, fishing-boats, rafts, or other water-craft, navigating any bay, harbor, or river, by hand-power, horse-power, sail, or by the current of the river, or which shall be anchored or moored in or near the channel or fairway of any bay, harbor, or river, shall carry one or more good white lights, which shall be placed in such a manner as shall be prescribed by the Board of Supervising Inspectors of SteamVessels. Lights for open boats. RULE THIRTEEN. Open boats shall not be required to carry the sidelights required for other vessels, but shall, if they do not carry such lights, carry a lantern having a green slide on one side and a red slide on the other side, and, on the approach of or to other vessels, such lantern shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision, and in such a manner that the green light shall not be seen on the port side nor the red light on the starboard side. Open boats, when at anchor or stationary, shall exhibit a bright white light. They shall not, however, be prevented from using a flare-up, in addition, if considered expedient. Lights on vessels of the United States Navy. RULE FOURTEEN. The exhibition of any light on board of a vessel of war of the United States may be suspended whenever, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Navy, the commander-in-chief of a squadron, or the commander of a vessel acting singly, the special character of the service may require it. FOG-SIGNALS. RULE FIFTEEN. Whenever there is a fog or thick weather, whether by day or night, the fog-signals shall be used as follows: (a.) Steam-vessels under way shall sound a steam-whistle placed be |