794 EEPOET— 1886. 



the number of buoys throughout the world, it has been found desirable, if such a 

 result could possibly be accomplished, that something approaching to a universal 

 system of distinctive individuality in these sea-marks should prevail ; and, in 1883, 

 a Conference was held at the Trinity House, under the presidency of H.R.H. the 

 Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., Master of the Corpoi'ation, at which were represented 

 the Board of Trade, the Commissioners of Scotch Lights, the Commissioners of 

 Irish Lights, the Admiralty, and the local authorities of the Tyne, Tay, Clyde, 

 Mersey, Thames, and Humber. The Conference met on several occasions for 

 deliberation, and for obtaining evidence from witnesses serving in various capacities 

 in the royal navy, mercantile marine, and lighthouse and pilotage service. Valu- 

 able information was also obtained from all the principal maritime States. Inas- 

 much as the need for uniformity of system was found not to be particularly pressing 

 until the number of buoys had become considerable, its adoption became, by the 

 same fact, more difficult, owing to the number of changes it would involve. The 

 first conception of the object to be attained by a buoy was one rather of warning 

 than of guidance, to indicate the hidden danger rather than to point out the path 

 of safety. Both these services to navigation are at present very efficiently rendered. 



Originally, one buoy to a shoal was thought sufficient ; by degrees a second and 

 third was demanded and laid, until each danger became hedged round with buoys 

 whose names denoted their positions with refei-ence to it. The Committee arrived 

 at the conclusion that, if practicable, a uniform plan was to be desired, and they 

 considered its application first in regard to harbours, rivers, and estuaries, and, 

 secondly, to general coast navigation. As a preliminary, it was found to be necessary 

 to determine the nomenclature of the various shapes and features common in all 

 our buoyage services, so that the same thing- should not be called by different 

 names in different parts of the kingdom, as had previously been the case. The 

 process of deliberation and inquhy led to the issue, that, with a uniform system, its 

 fundamental principle must be that one certain shape shall be used for starboard 

 and another for port invariably. The two forms most convenient for adoption as 

 contrasting shapes were found to be the ' conical ' and the ' can ' ; and, further, 

 that middle grounds occurring in a channel, or which may divide two channels, 

 should have at each end a spherical buoy ; also that outlying dangers or positions 

 requiring an extraordinary mark should be indicated by pillar or spar buoys. Con- 

 sidering, first, the application of a system to harbours : if all were approached by 

 a single deep-water channel, the adoption, 8ay, of ' can ' for starboard and ' conical' 

 for port, would appear as simple and practicable, but when large estuaries having 

 four or five channels of approach have to be dealt with, some distinction other than 

 mere shape is necessary. Important evidence was received by the Committee on 

 the wider question of coast buoyage in outlying roadsteads, highways of navigation 

 rather than approaches to any port, where warning is the first necessity, then 

 guidance, and where the limitations of shape acceptable in the case of harbours 

 might prove an injurious restriction unless a conspicuous mark in the open sea 

 were required. 



The primary distinction of form having been determined, the Committee pro- 

 ceeded to the deliberation of the subordinate or particular distinctions of colour, 

 surmounting beacons, names, numbers, letters, &c. 



With the uniform system, which is now being rapidly adopted throughout 

 England, Ireland, and Scotland, an important step has been taken towards identity 

 of practice throughout the whole maritime world. 



In 1878 the successful illumination of buoys was accomplished by Messrs. 

 Pintseh, with compressed oil gas, and since then the system has been very 

 considerably developed in this country and abroad, and thus these important aids to 

 navigation are being rendered eflicient by night as well as by day, thereby becoming 

 more perfect accessories to lighthouses and light-vessels. The Pintseh gas buoys 

 now in use are found to burn continuously for three to six months, according to 

 size, without any attention. Neither oil nor electricity has yet been successfully 

 applied to the lighting of buoys, but there now appears to be no reason why elec- 

 tricity from storage batteries should not be found efficient for the purpose, at a 

 reasonable cost. 



