At Night.—The following signals, numbered 1 and 2, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be signals for a pilot at night:—
1. The pyrotechnic light, commonly known as a blue light, every fifteen minutes, or
2. A bright white light, flashed or shown at short or frequent intervals, just above the bulwarks, for about a minute at a time.
And “Any master of a vessel who uses or displays, or causes or permits any person under his authority to use or display, any of the said signals for any other purpose than that of summoning a pilot, or uses, or causes, or permits any person under his authority to use any other signal for a pilot, shall incur a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds.”
CHAPTER XII.
INSTRUMENTS OF NAVIGATION NECESSARY FOR COASTING.
Mercator’s chart—The mariner’s compass—The spirit compass—Variation—Deviation—The log ship and line—The lead line.
As soon as the amateur leaves the bay or river with whose features he is well acquainted and ventures to take his vessel along a coast unknown to him, he must provide himself with the necessary instruments for finding his way and make himself familiar with their use.
As the management of large yachts is not within the scope of this book, it will be unnecessary to treat here of navigation properly so called, that is, the art of guiding a vessel across broad seas, out of sight of land, by observation of the sun
and stars and by dead reckoning. But we may remark that an educated man will find no difficulty in rapidly acquiring the art of navigation if he wishes to do so. It is the seamanship that will give him trouble; for to acquire that a long apprenticeship and considerable natural capacity are necessary.