TREATIES Helm orders. Misuse of distress signals. Alarm, distress, and urgency signals. 45 Stat. 2871. Distress, etc., mes- sages. Speed of transmis- sion. Procedure. ARTICLE 41. Helm Orders. The Contracting Governments agree that after midnight on the 30th June, 1931, helm or steering orders, i. e., orders to the steersman, shall on all their ships be given in the direct sense, e. g., when the ship is going ahead an order containing the word "starboard" or "right" or any equivalent of "starboard" or "right" shall only be used when it is intended, on ships as at present generally constructed and arranged, that the wheel, the rudder-blade and the head of the ship, shall all move to the right. ARTICLE 42. Misuse of Distress Signals. The use of an international distress signal, except for the purpose of indicating that a vessel is in distress, and the use of any signal which may be confused with an international distress signal, are prohibited on every ship. ARTICLE 43. Alarm, Distress and Urgency Signals. The alarm signal and the distress signal may only be used by ships in serious and imminent danger which require immediate assistance. In all other cases in which assistance is required, or in which a vessel desires to issue a warning that it may become necessary to send out the alarm signal or the distress signal at a later stage, use must be made of the urgency signal (XXX) established by the International Radiotelegraph Convention, Washington, 1927. If a ship has sent out the alarm or distress signal and subsequently finds that assistance is no longer required such ship shall immediately notify all stations concerned as provided for by the Radiotelegraph Convention in force. ARTICLE 44. Speed of Distress Messages. The speed of transmission of messages in connection with cases of distress, urgency or safety, shall not exceed 16 words per minute. ARTICLE 45. Distress Messages. Procedure. 1. The master of a ship on receiving on his ship a wireless distress signal from any other ship, is bound to proceed with all speed to the assistance of the persons in distress, unless he is unable, or in the special
�
