applying these rules of the sea-road, as there is on land between the wheel traffic and the pedestrians in a crowded street. It is the duty of the small-boat skipper to avoid getting in the way of the big unwieldy vessels; but in order to do this let him take care to alter his course in good time, and so apprise the other vessel of his intention. If you stand on until you are just under a steamers bows before you go about, her pilot, unaware that it is your intention to tack, may alter her course so as to pass under your stern, in which case a collision will probably ensue for which you will be entirely responsible.
In short, common sense must be employed in the application of the rules, and Article 27 practically lays down that they must be construed in accordance with their spirit and not the strict letter, and that under certain circumstances the vessel having the right, according to the rules, to stand on her course, must give way to the other vessel in order to avoid collision. Remember, for example, when observing the course of an approaching vessel, that the winding narrow channel of the river may necessitate her changing her course the next moment. Here is a case in which, when calculating what you ought to do yourself, the hard and fast rule cannot apply, as it would on the open sea, where a vessel suddenly altering her course in this way would put herself in the wrong if there was a collision.
