travels more rapidly than the storm's center. This precursory sign of the cyclonic swell is so valuable and so reliable for vessels on the eastern coasts of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, Dinagat, and Mindanao that its importance can not be exaggerated. From its direction the path of the typhoon north and south of the vessel may be predicted with almost absolute certainty, enabling a vessel to choose an anchorage if within reach, affording the best protection from wind and sea. This is only possible, of course, when the swell has an uninterrupted advance from the storm center, as on the eastern coast of the archipelago, and would be valueless west of the islands unless in the China Sea, with the storm center approaching from westward or southwestward. This swell has frequently been noticed 24 to 72 hours before the outbreak of the storm, giving good warning, especially if from a different direction than the prevailing wind at the time.

This swell is probably in part due to the heaping up of the water under the vortex of the storm, which is one of the destructive features of typhoons. In the typhoon of October 12, 1897, the water rose from 12 to 20 feet at points on the coast of Samar and Leyte.

The best and surest of all warnings, however, is given by the barometer. In every case there is great barometric disturbance. Any departure of the barometer from its usual movements in normal weather is an indication of doubtful weather, and the intensity of a typhoon will correspond to the amount of this departure. The weather may be regarded as very suspicious:

1. When the daily variation of the barometer is not normal. The highest readings of the barometer should be about 9 a. m. and between 10 and 11 p. m., and the lowest between 3 and 4 a. m. and about 3 p. m., the latter being the lower. The average daily range should be about 0.1 inch (2.5 mm.).

2. When the barometer rises barely 0.04 inch (1 mm.) during the daily oscillation.

3. When the daily fall of the barometer at its normal height exceeds about 0.15 inch (4 mm.), this limit varying somewhat with the season. If below normal, a less fall of the barometer may indicate a distant typhoon. The storm will pass near by and be violent

1. When the barometer remains stationary without rising any, or scarcely any, during the normal hours of ascent.

2. When the barometer continues to fall after the normal hours of the morning or afternoon minimum (when it should rise in normal weather) the condition is more alarming than the preceding.

3. When the barometer falls at the rate of more than 0.04 inch (1 mm.) per hour.

These signs are followed by the usual ugly and threatening appearance of the weather which forebodes most storms and the increasing number and severity of the gusts with the rising of the wind.

No positive rule can be given as to the amount of depression to be expected, but at the center of some of the storms the barometer is often 2 inches lower than outside of the storm field.

As the center or vortex of the storm is approached, unless the vessel be on the line of its advance, the changes of the wind become more rapid, till at length, instead of its direction altering gradually, as is the case on first entering the storm field, the wind flies around at once to the opposite point, the sea meanwhile breaking in mountainous and confused heaps. There are many instances on record of the wind falling suddenly in the vortex and the clouds dispersing for a short interval, though soon the wind springs up again and blows with renewed fury. Few vessels have ever passed through the vortex without losing either masts or rudder or meeting with some worse disaster, and therefore, at whatever cost, the central part of the storm field should be avoided.

When there are indications of a typhoon being near, vessels should remain in or, if possible, seek refuge in port, carefully observing and recording the changes in barometer and wind and taking every precaution to avert damage by striking light spars, strengthening moorings, and, if a steamer, preparing steam to assist the moorings. The waters of the Philippines are so limited in area and encumbered with islands and shoals that the practical rules for handling a vessel in a typhoon are not applicable within the archipelago. They may, however, be of benefit to a vessel when threatened with a typhoon in the China

Sea or Pacific and therefore are given below. Vessels unable to reach port and having sea room to maneuver should observe the following rules:

When there are indications of a typhoon near, sailing vessels should heave to on the starboard tack and steamers remain stationary and carefully observe and record the changes in wind and barometer so as to find the bearing of the center and ascertain by the shift of wind in which semicircle the vessel is situated. Much will often depend on heaving to in time.

To find the bearing of the center, face the wind, then the center of the storm will be 8 to 12 points to the right; when the storm is distant it will be from 10 to 12 points, and when the barometer has fallen for fo it will be about 8 points. A line drawn through the center of a typhoon in the direction in which it is moving is called the axis or line of progression, and looking in the direction in which it is traveling the semicircle on either side of the axis is called, respectively, the right-hand, or dangerous, semicircle, and the left-hand, or navigable, semicircle.

To find in which semicircle the vessel is situated: If the wind shifts to the right, the vessel will be in the right-hand, or dangerous, semicircle, with regard to the direction in which the storm is traveling, in which case the vessel should be kept on the starboard tack and increase her distance from the center.

If the wind shifts to the left the vessel will be in the left, or safe, semicircle. The helm should be put up and the vessel run with the wind on the starboard quarter, preserving the compass course, if possible, until the barometer rises, when the vessel may be hove to on the port tack. Or if there is not sea room to run the vessel can be put on the port tack at once.

Should the wind remain steady and the barometer continue to fall, the vessel is in the path of the storm and should run with the wind on the starboard quarter into the safe semicircle.

In all cases act so as to increase as soon as possible the distance from the center, bearing in mind that the whole storm field is advancing.

In receding from the center of a typhoon the barometer will rise and the wind and sea subside.

INSTRUCTIONS TO MARINERS IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD SERVICE

GENERAL INFORMATION

Life-saving stations and houses of refuge are located upon the Atlantic and Pacific seaboard of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and the lake coasts. All stations on the Atlantic coast are manned annually by crews of experienced surfmen; upon the lake coasts the stations are manned from the opening until the close of navigation, with the exception of the one on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, which depends on a volunteer crew; and upon the Pacific coast they are open and manned throughout the year.

All life-saving stations are fully supplied with boats, wreck guns, beach apparatus, restoratives, clothing provided by the Women's National Relief Association for the shipwrecked requiring it, etc.

Houses of refuge are supplied with boats, provisions, and restoratives, but not manned by crews; a keeper, however, resides in each, who is required to make extended excursions along the coast after every storm, with a view of ascertaining if any shipwreck has occurred and finding and succoring any persons that may have been cast ashore.

Houses of refuge are located exclusively upon the Florida coast, where the requirements of relief are widely different from those of any other portion of the seaboard.

The life-saving stations are provided with the International Code of Signals, and vessels can, by opening communication, be reported; or obtain the latitude and longitude of the station, where determined; or information as to the weather probabilities in most cases; or, where facilities for the transmission of messages by telephone or telegraph are available, requests for a tug or Coast Guard cutter will be received and promptly forwarded.

All services are performed by the life-saving crews without other compensa. tion than their wages from the Government.

Destitute seafarers are provided with food and lodging at the nearest station by the Government as long as necessarily detained by the circumstances

of shipwreck, and, if needed, with clothing provided by the Women's National Relief Association.

The station crews patrol the beach from 2 to 4 miles each side of their stations between sunset and sunrise, and if the weather is foggy the patrol is continued through the day. A continuous lookout is also maintained at every station night and day.

Each patrolman carries Coston signals. Upon discovering a vessel standing into danger he ignites one of these, which emits a brilliant red flame of about two minutes' duration, to warn her off, or, should the vessel be ashore, to let her crew know that they are discovered and assistance is at hand.

If the vessel is not discovered by the patrol immediately after striking, rockets, flare-up lights, or other recognized signals of distress should be used. If the weather be foggy, some recognized sound signal should be made to attract attention, as the patrolman may be some distance away at the other end of his beat.

Masters are particularly cautioned, if they should be driven ashore anywhere in the neighborhood of the stations, to remain on board until assistance arrives, and under no circumstances should they attempt to land through the surf in their own boats until the last hope of assistance from the shore has vanished. Often when comparatively smooth at sea a dangerous surf is running which is not perceptible 400 yards offshore, and the surf when viewed from a vessel never appears as dangerous as it is. Many lives have been lost unnecessarily by the crews of stranded vessels being thus deceived and attempting to land in the ship's boats.

The difficulties of rescue by operations from the shore are greatly increased in cases where the anchors are let go after entering the breakers, as is frequently done, and the chances of saving life correspondingly lessened.

RESCUE WITH THE LIFEBOAT OR SURFBOAT

The patrolman, after discovering your vessel ashore and burning a Coston signal, hastens to his station or the telephone for assistance. If the use of a boat is practicable, either the large lifeboat is launched from its ways in the station and proceeds to the wreck by water or the lighter surfboat is hauled overland to a point opposite the wreck and launched, as circumstances may require.

Upon the boat reaching your vessel, the directions and orders of the keeper (who always commands and steers the boat) should be implicitly obeyed. Any headlong rushing and crowding should be prevented, and the captain of the vessel should remain on board, to preserve order, until every other person has left.

Women, children, helpless persons, and passengers should be passed into the boat first.

Goods or baggage will positively not be taken into the boat until all are landed. If any be passed in against the keeper's remonstrance, he is fully authorized to throw the same overboard.

RESCUE WITH THE BREECHES BUOY OR LIFE CAR

Should it be inexpedient to use either the lifeboat or surfboat, recourse will be had to the wreck gun and beach apparatus for the rescue by the breeches buoy or the life car.

A shot with a small line attached will be fired across your vessel. Get hold of the line as soon as possible and haul on board until you get a tailblock with a whip or endless line rove through it. This tailblock should be hauled on board as quickly as possible to prevent the whip drifting off with the set or fouling with wreckage, etc. Therefore, if you have been driven into the rigging, where but one or two men can work to advantage, cut the shot line and run it through some available block, such as the throat or peak halyards block, or any block which will afford a clear lead, or even between the ratlines, that as many as possible may assist in hauling.

Attached to the tailblock will be a tally board with the following directions in English on one side and French on the other:

66

'Make the tail of the block fast to the lower mast, well up. If the masts are gone, then to the best place you can find. Cast off shot line, see that the rope in the block runs free, and show signal to the shore."

The above instructions being complied with, the result will be as shown in Figure 1.

As soon as your signal is seen a 3-inch hawser will be bent onto the whip and hauled off to your ship by the life-saving crew.

If circumstances permit, you can assist the life-saving crew by manning that part of the whip to which the hawser is bent and hauling with them.

Figure 1.

When the end of the hawser is got on board, a tally board will be found attached, bearing the following directions in English on one side and French on the other:

"Make this hawser fast about 2 feet above the tailblock, see all clear and that the rope in the block runs free, and show signal to the shore."

These instructions being obeyed, the result will be as shown in Figure 2. Take particular care that there are no turns of the whip line round the hawser. To prevent this, take the end of the hawser UP BETWEEN the parts of the whip before making it fast.

Figure 2.

When the hawser is made fast, the whip cast off from the hawser, and your signal seen by the life-saving crew, they will haul the hawser taut and by means of the whip will haul off to your vessel a breeches buoy suspended from a traveler block, or a life car, from rings running on the hawser.

Figure 3 (see p. 347) represents the apparatus rigged, with the breeches buoy hauled off to the ship.

If the breeches buoy be sent, let one man immediately get into it, thrusting his legs through the breeches. If the life car, remove the hatch, place as many persons therein as it will hold (four to six) and secure the hatch on

the outside by the hatch bar and hook, signal as before, and the buoy or car will be hauled ashore. This will be repeated until all are landed. On the last trip of the life car the hatch must be secured by the inside hatch bar.

In many instances two men can be landed in the breeches buoy at the same time by each putting a leg through a leg of the breeches and holding onto the lifts of the buoy.

Children, when brought ashore by the buoy, should be in the arms of older persons or securely lashed to the buoy. Women and children should be landed first.

In signaling as directed in the foregoing instructions, if in the daytime, let one man separate himself from the rest and swing his hat, a handkerchief, or his hand; if at night, the showing of a light and concealing it once or twice will be understood; and like signals will be made from the shore. (See also Signals, below.)

Circumstances may arise, owing to the strength of the current or set, or the danger of the wreck breaking up immediately, when it would be impossible to send off the hawser. In such a case a breeches buoy or life car will be hauled off instead by the whip, or sent off to you by the shot line, and you will be hauled ashore through the surf.

Figure 3.

If your vessel is stranded during the night and discovered by the patrolmanwhich you will know by his burning a brilliant red light-keep a sharp lookout for signs of the arrival of the life-saving crew abreast of your vessel.

From one to four hours may intervene between the burning of the light and their arrival, as the patrolman may have to return to his station, perhaps 3 or 4 miles distant, and the life-saving crew draw the apparatus or surfboat through the sand or over bad roads to where your vessel is stranded.

Lights on the beach will indicate their arrival, and the sound of cannon firing from the shore may be taken as evidence that a line has been fired across your vessel. Therefore, upon hearing the cannon, make strict search aloft, fore and aft, for the shot line, for it is almost certain to be there. Though the movements of the life-saving crew may not be perceptible to you, owing to the darkness, your vessel will be a good mark for the men experienced in the use of the wreck gun, and the first shot seldom fails.

IMPORTANT

Remain by the wreck until assistance arrives from the shore, or as long as possible. If driven aloft, the inshore mast is the safest.

If not discovered immediately by the patrol, burn rockets, flare-up, or other lights, or, if the weather be foggy, fire guns or make other sound signals.

Make the shot line fast on deck or to the rigging to prevent its being washed into the sea and possibly fouling the gear.

Take particular care that there are no turns of the whip line round the hawser before making the hawser fast.

Send the women, children, helpless persons, and passengers ashore first.