S.I. No. 277/1936 - The Merchant Shipping (Distress and Urgency Signals) Order, 1936.


STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS. 1936. No. 277.

THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (DISTRESS AND URGENCY SIGNALS) ORDER, 1936.

MERCHANT SHIPPING.

In pursuance of the powers conferred upon him by Section 25 of the Merchant Shipping (Safety and Loadline Conventions) Act, 1933, and of all other powers in this behalf him enabling, the Minister for Industry and Commerce hereby orders as follows:—

1. This Order may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Distress and Urgency Signals) Order, 1936.

2. The Interpretation Act, 1923 , applies to the interpretation of this Order in like manner as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of the Oireachtas.

3. The following signals shall be deemed to be Signals of distress:—

(a) In the day-time—

A gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute.

The International Code signal of distress, that is, the signal NC.

The distance signal, consisting of a square flag, having either above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball.

A continuous sounding with any fog-signal apparatus.

The Morse group S.O.S. (· · · — — — · · ·) made by radiotelegraphy or by any other distance signalling method.

The spoken word "Mayday" sent by radiotelephony.

The Alarm Signal, that is, a signal made by radiotelegraphy consisting of a series of twelve dashes, sent in one minute, the duration of each dash being four seconds and the duration of the space between each consecutive dash being one second.

(b) At night—

A gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute.

Flames on the vessel (as from a burning tar-barrel, oil-barrel, etc.).

Rockets or shells, throwing stars of any colour or description, fired one at a time at short intervals.

A continuous sounding with any fog-signal apparatus.

The Morse group S.O.S. (· · · — — — · · ·) made by radiotelegraphy or by any other distance signalling method.

The spoken word "Mayday" sent by radiotelephony.

The Alarm Signal, that is, a signal made by radiotelegraphy consisting of a series of twelve dashes, sent in one minute, the duration of each dash being four seconds and the duration of the space between each consecutive dash being one second.

4. The following signal shall be deemed to be an Urgency Signal:—

A signal consisting of several repetitions of the group XXX in the Morse code sent by radiotelegraphy with the letters of each group and the successive groups clearly separated from each other.

Given under the Official Seal of the Minister for Industry and Commerce this 5th day of October, 1936.

JOHN LEYDON,

Secretary,

Department of Industry and Commerce.