RULES OF THE NAUTICAL ROAD

in September 1933 on a clear Moonlight night the steamer city of Rome was proceeding up the coast on her way to Boston at about 10:15 a few miles off Black Island the lookout shed a faint white light to starboard away brought on a sty bouncer coming on the bridge immediately the captain kept the light under continuous observation for 20 minutes during this time the bearing of the light remained almost unchanged finally having decided he was overtaking a small tug or fishing vessel he ordered the steamer's course Chang two points to the left to give the stranger a wider birth a moment later the lookout made out a dim red light slightly below and to the right of the white light realizing that the other vessel was not an overtaken vessel but was crossing the steamer's course the lookout shouted red light on the star ball sir the lights were those of the submarine s51 on a practice cruise out of New London look out run us down hard right p a turn reverse your engine back her down God she going to hit [Music] us the news flash throughout the country 37 drowned as submarine sinks then faint tappings were heard aboard the sunken craft and hopes ran high while howling Atlantic storms hampered their efforts divers worked frantically 180 ft below the tappings grew fainter and finally all was silent and now just why did 37 Navy men meet this tragic end let us analyze the causes of the Collision one of the principal causes was traced to the submarines the reason improper running lights it was found that the mass headlight was not the required minimum 20 ft above the hull but only 11 ft furthermore the red light was so constructed and in such close proximity to the mass headlight only 3 and 1/2 ft apart that the visibility of the relatively dim red light was blotted out at any considerable Distance by the greater Brilliance of the white light confident that the steamer would see her lights and respect her privilege to cross from right to left the s51 had proceeded steadily ahead in the subsequent court trials the Navy's contention was that the submarine was a special type vessel and therefore not subject to the ordinary rules of the road the decisions of both higher and lower courts disagreed with this point of view holding that it is apparent that the rules regulating lights were meant to apply to ships of war and finally the safety of navigation depends upon uniformity only so can Reliance be placed upon what Masters see at night however as in the majority of collision cases the other vessel also was seriously at fa equal blame was put on the city of Rome for failure to reduce her speed when indult as to the other vessel's movements and identity she was held at fault also for neglecting to Signal her change of course to the left with the required two short blasts and so because the rules of the road were disregarded a tragic chapter was written in the history of the United States Navy