The conditions of this test shall be as follows:

1. The ship is to be upright and in smooth water;
2. The time is the time required from the beginning of the removal of the
boat covers, or any other operation necessary to prepare the boats
for lowering, until the last boat or pontoon raft is afloat;

3. The number of men employed in the whole operation must not exceed the total number of boat hands that will be carried on the vessel under normal service conditions;

4. Each boat when being lowered must have on board at least two men and its full equipment as required by the rules.

The time allowed for putting all the boats into the water shall be fixed by a formula to be determined by the Government of each High Contracting Party, each Government undertaking to communicate its decision to the Governments of the other Contracting Parties.

ARTICLE XLII.

Additional Boats and Pontoon Rafts.

If the life boats attached to davits do not provide sufficient accommodation for all the persons on board, additional lifeboats of one of the standard types shall be provided. This addition shall bring the total capacity of the boats on the ship at least up to the greater of the two following amounts:

(a) The minimum capacity required by these Regulations;

(b) A capacity sufficient to accommodate seventy-five per cent of the persons on board.

The remainder of the accommodation required shall be provided either in boats of Class 1 or Class 2, or in pontoon rafts of an approved type.

ARTICLE XLIII.

Minimum Number of Davits and of Open Boats of the First Class.-Minimum Boat Capactly.

The following table fixes, according to the length of the ship:-
(A) The minimum number of sets of davits to be provided, to each of which
must be attached a boat of the First Class in accordance with Chapter
VI. Life Saving Appliances, Article 47, of the Convention, and
Article XLI. above.

(B) The minimum total number of open boats of the First Class, which must
be attached to davits, in accordance with Article XLI. above.
(c) The minimum boat capacity required, including the boats attached to
davits and the additional boats, in accordance with Article XLII.
above.

When the length of the ship exceeds 314 metres (equivalent to 1,030 feet) the Government of the State to which the ship belongs shall determine the minimum number of sets of davits and of open boats of the First Class for that ship; full particulars of its decision shall be communicated to the Governments of the other Contracting Parties.

ARTICLE XLIV.

Handling of Boats and Rafts.

The arrangements for launching boats on either side of the ship may be made either by means of appliances for transferring the boats or rafts from one side of the deck to the other, or by stowing some of the boats not under davits or rafts, in rows across the deck or by any other equally satisfactory

means.

The davits and other appliances for lowering the boats shall be placed on one or more decks in such positions that the handling of the boats can be satisfactorily carried out. They shall not be placed in the bows of the ship or in places where the proximity of the propellers might constitute a danger to the boats at the time of launching.

Boats may only be stowed on more than one deck on condition that proper measures are taken to prevent boats on an upper deck damaging those stowed below them.

If several boats are served by the same set of davits arrangements shall be made to prevent the falls fouling when they are recovered.

ARTICLE XLV.

Life-Jackets and Life-Buoys.

1. A life-jacket shall satisfy the following conditions:-
(a) It shall be of approved material and construction;

(b) It shall be capable of supporting in fresh water for 24 hours 6.8 kilogrammes of iron (equivalent to 15 pounds avoirdupois). Life-jackets the buoyancy of which depends on air compartments are prohibited.

2. A life-buoy shall satisfy the following conditions:

(a) It shall be of solid cork or any other equivalent material;

(b) It shall be capable of supporting in fresh water for 24 hours at least 14 kilogrammes (equivalent to 31 pounds avoirdupois) of iron. Life-buoys filled with rushes, cork shavings or granulated cork, or any other loose granulated material, or whose buoyancy depends upon air compartments which require to be inflated, are prohibited.

3. The minimum number of life-buoys with which ships are to be provided is fixed by the following table:

4. All the buoys shall be fitted with beckets securely seized. At least one buoy on each side shall be fitted with a life-line of at least 27.5 metres (15 fathoms) in length. The number of luminous buoys shall be not less than one-half of the total number of life-buoys, and in no case less than six. The lights shall be efficient self-igniting lights which cannot be extinguished in water, and they shall be kept near the buoys to which they belong, with the necessary means of attachment.

5. All the life-buoys and life-jackets shall be so placed as to be readily accessible to the persons on board; their position shall be plainly indicated so as to be known to the persons concerned.

The life-buoys shall always be capable of being rapidly cast loose, and shall not be permanently secured in any way.

ARTICLE XLVI.

Exemptions applicable to Existing Ships.

The exemptions allowed in the case of existing ships, as provided by Article 52 of the Convention, are as follows:

(a) Until the 1st January, 1920, boats and rafts which have been accepted by the Administration of one of the Contracting States on board an existing ship may be accepted, respectively, in lieu of the life-boats and pontoon life-rafts prescribed by this Convention.

(b) Until the 1st January, 1920, the requirements that pontoon life-boats should have the bottom and deck made in two thicknesses with textile material between, and that they should have the minimum freeboard specified need not be insisted upon in the case of pontoon boats accepted in accordance with the preceding paragraph (a).

(c) In the case of ships between 75 metres (245 feet) and 140 metres (460 feet) in length, the minimum number of sets of davits may be reduced by one, below the figure given in column B. of the table in Article XLIII. above. In the case of ships of 140 metres (460 feet) or more in length this number may be reduced by one on each side. These reductions shall only be allowed if proper provision is made for launching the boats.

(d) The provisions of Articles 42 and 49 of the Convention, respecting the launching of boats, shall not be applicable to existing ships.

ARTICLE XLVII.

Certificated Lifeboatmen.

In order to obtain the special lifeboatman's certificate provided for in Chapter VI., Life Saving Appliances, Article 54, of the Convention, the applicant must prove that he has been trained in all the operations connected with launching lifeboats and the use of oars; that he is acquainted with the practical handling of the boats themselves; and, further, that he is capable of understanding and answering the orders relative to lifeboat service.

There shall be for each boat or raft a number of lifeboatmen at least equal to that specified in the following table:

and, thereafter, one additional certificated lifeboatman for each additional 50 persons.

ARTICLE XLVIII.

Manning of Boats.

An officer, petty officer, or seaman shall be placed in charge of each boat or pontoon raft; he shall have a list of its crew, and shall see that the men placed under his orders are acquainted with their several duties and stations. A man capable of working the motor shall be assigned to each motor boat. The duty of seeing that the boats, pontoon rafts, and other life-saving appliances are at all times ready for use shall be assigned to one or more officers.

ARTICLE XLIX.

Fire Detection and Extinction.

1. A continuous patrol system shall be organized so that any outbreak of fire may be promptly detected.

2. Every ship shall be provided with powerful pumps operated by steam or other means. On ships of less than 4,000 tons there shall be two, and on larger ships three of these pumps. The pumps shall be capable of delivering a sufficient quantity of water in two powerful jets simultaneously in any given part of the vessel, and shall be available for immediate use before the vessel leaves port.

3. The service pipes shall permit of two powerful jets of water being simultaneously directed on any given part of a deck occupied by passengers and crew, when the watertight and fireproof doors are closed. The service pipes and hoses shall be of ample size and made of suitable material. The branches of the pipes shall be so placed on each deck that the fire hose can be easily coupled to them.

4. Provision shall be made whereby both two powerful jets of water and a sufficient supply of steam may be conveyed to every space filled with cargo. Provision for the supply of steam need not be required in ships of less than 1,000 tons.

5. A sufficient number of portable fluid fire extinguishers shall be provided, at least two being carried in each machinery space.

The Governments of the High Contracting Parties may accept other types of extinguishers, provided that it is evident after trial that such extinguishers are as effective as the type referred to above. A Government which accepts a new type of extinguisher shall send a description of the apparatus and particulars of the trial to the Governments of the other Contracting Parties.

6. Two equipments, consisting of a smoke helmet and a safety lamp, shall be carried on board and kept in two different places.

7. All the fire-extinguishing appliances shall be thoroughly examined at least once each year by a surveyor appointed by the Government.

ARTICLE L.

Muster List.

The muster list shall assign duties to the different members of the crew in connection with:

(a) The closing of the watertight doors, valves, etc.

(b) The equipment of the boats and rafts generally.

(c) The launching of the boats attached to davits.

(d) The general preparation of the other boats and the pontoon rafts. (e) The muster of the passengers.

(f) The extinction of fire.

The muster list shall assign to the members of the stewards' department their several duties in relation to the passengers at a time of emergency. These duties shall include:

(a) Warning the passengers.

(b) Seeing that they are dressed and have put on their life-jackets in

a proper manner.

(c) Assembling the passengers.

(d) Keeping order in the passages and on the stairways, and, generally,

controlling the movements of the passengers.

The muster list shall specify definite alarm signals for calling all the crew to their boat and fire stations, and shall give full particulars of these signals.

ARTICLE LI.

Musters and Drills.

Musters of the crew at their boat and fire stations, followed by boat and fire drills respectively, shall be held at least once a fortnight, either in port or at sea. An entry shall be made in the official log book of these drills, or of the reasons why they could not be held.

Different groups of boats shall be used in turn at successive boat drills. The drills and inspections shall be so arranged that the crew thoroughly understand and are practised in the dutics they have to perform, and that all the boats and pontoon rafts on the ship with the gear appertaining to them are always ready for immediate use.