While in port, merchant ships, except the larger liners, do not indulge in the luxury of an officer of the watch, in fact such a gentleman would be out of place with his telescope under his arm, dodging drafts of cargo, and listening to the repartee of the stevedores. Everything in its place, and as common sense rules in the long run, the formalities of the merchant service have settled down to the more simple courtesies of life. A quartermaster should be on gangway watch, cleanly dressed, or in uniform, if it is worn, to see that only those who have business on board are admitted to the ship. He should salute the officers, who will return it. On Sundays, and Holidays, when cargo is not being worked, and when the ship is at rest, an officer should be told off to stand day's duty. He should see that the vessel is in shipshape order, falls neatly coiled, decks clean, Irish pendants all removed, awnings hauled out taut, flags closely mast headed and kept clear, and that everything is kept in immaculate order about the gangway. He should not allow loitering about the gangway. [1] Three toots vessel (or light) ahead. CHAPTER XVIII THE RULES OF THE ROAD INTERNATIONAL RULES: I. ENACTING CLAUSE, SCOPE, AND PENALTY Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following regulations for preventing collisions at sea shall be followed by all public and private vessels of the United States upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith, navigable by seagoing vessels. ARTICLE 30. Nothing in these rules shall interfere with the operation of a special rule, duly made by local authority, relative to the navigation of any harbor, river, or inland waters. PRELIMINARY DEFINITIONS In the following rules every steam vessel which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a sailing vessel, and every vessel under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a steam vessel. The words "steam vessel" shall include any vessel propelled by machinery. A vessel is "under way," within the meaning of these rules, when she is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground. INTERNATIONAL RULES: II. LIGHTS, AND SO FORTH The word "visible" in these rules when applied to lights shall mean visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere. ARTICLE 1. The rules concerning lights shall be complied with in all weathers from sunset to sunrise, and during such time no other lights which may be mistaken for the prescribed lights shall be exhibited. Steam vessels—masthead light.