Regulations for navigation in Gulfs of Baltic Sea, May 13, 1918.

Principal Hydrographic Board.—Circular of May 13, 1915, No. 42, 8. Published as information for navigators "Rules concerning navigation of merchant ships in Gulfs of Baltic Sea in 1915, approved by Commander of Baltic Fleet."

A. FINNISH GULF.

1. According to Government notice of 1914, the Finnish Gulf is closed for exterior navigation during the period of the war, and sailing of merchant ships westward the route Helsingfors-Reval is prohibited with exception for coasting and fishing vessels as follows:

2. Eastward of the line Soederskaer-Unamunde beacons are in their places, lights are kept burning (but may be extinguished without special warning), and navigation is permitted between ports of the gulf either day or night for all vessels of Russian commercial fleet.

3. Vessels on the way to Reval, Helsingfors, or places between these ports and line Soederskaer-Unamunde, must observe the following conditions: Near the southern coast to enter bay of Monvik, and near the northern coast to enter the skerries near lighthouse Soederskaer and roadstead Tzarevna.

After delivery of documents (ship papers) to the guard ship and after revision, these ships will be forwarded in clear weather to designated ports or may sail alone, according to orders of the guard ship.

Vessels after having been visited by the guard ship in Monvik and taking route toward Reval, must, for the second time, pass the guard ship near island Wulf for delivery of permission of the previous mentioned guard ship and then continue their route, according to orders of this guard ship.

4. Vessels sailing between Reval and Helsingfors (only permitted by day and in clear weather) may go from Helsingfors to Reval by the following route: At the time fixed by the interior guard ship they go under pilots by the skerries through Soederskaer Channel and approach the guard ship near island Wulf (in clear weather) to show their papers. From Reval, after receipt of permission of the guard ship, they pass Soederskaer and approach the roadstead Tzarevna, and they will be forwarded to Helsingfors.

5. Within district of Helsingfors, exterior roadstead, the sailing of private small vessels, motor boats, and yachts is prohibited; in interna] roadstead only in clear weather, according to order of the port guard.

6. Within skerry district of Helsingfors (from harbor Sundvik to town Ekness), continued sailing of vessels serving as communication between skerry inhabitants is permitted only by day and they must follow the shallow-water route, according to directions and permissions of the sail and lighthouse directions at Finland (Helsingfors).

7. Similar directions and permissions for sailing in interior waters of Aobo and Aoland skerries must be obtained from naval authorities at Aobo.

8. Within the western district of Finland and Aobo skerries, the sailing of amateur yachts and motor boats is permitted only by day— the issue to the sea is prohibited at places where foreigners are permitted to live. (r. circular of the commander of fleet of April 7, 1915.) 9. Navigation of vessels of any kind in main channel along shore and in all approaches from Helsingfors to Aolandshaff is prohibited. 10. Entrance and departure from the skerries in the eastern part of the gulf is permitted in fairways forming approaches to Bjoerk-Oe, Pitkopas, Asp-Oe, Oeregrund, and Soedersaker.

11. Sailing within skerry district is permitted in all fairways from Bjoerk-Oe to roadstead Tzarevna, although near Bjoerk-Oe (island) and within district of Viborg, fortress, only in clear weather, according to rules, published by the commandant of Viborg Fortress.

NOTE.-Small vessels, serving as communications between the rocky islands eastward of Helsingfors, may by day pass the channel Oestnen, and approaching on the route to Helsingfors the guard ship of the roadstead Tzarevna.

12. Vessels going to Kronstadt must approach the guard ship located 71⁄2 miles west from lighthouse Tolbuchin, therefrom they will be forwarded by a pilot to Kronstadt roadstead only during clear weather. In leaving Kronstadt they must observe requirements established by local patrol of these water districts. For entry at Bjoerk-Oe they pass the guard ship in clear weather and then continue their route according to orders.

B. GULF OF BOTHNIA.

13. Some harbors of the Gulf of Bothnia will be open for vessels of neutral powers. Directions concerning these ports and rules for entrance and leaving of them may be obtained from pilot and lighthouse stations in Finland and from commandants of landing places of these ports.

14. Movements through the approaches in the skerries in the eastern part of the Gulf of Bothnia for small vessels serving for needs of local inhabitants is permitted by day, but at their own risk, because beacons will not be in place.

15. Within western-northern and northern-eastern districts of Aoland Islands to castle Lek-oe all navigation along shore is prohibited.

C. GULF OF RIGA AND MOONSUND.

16. The Gulf of Riga is closed for exterior navigation.

17. Within the gulf the navigation is permitted on own risk by day; beacons withdrawn. Permission may be obtained from the office of commandant of port Emperor Peter the Great and Dunamunde.

18. Navigation from the parallel lighthouse Worms to parallel of lighthouse Laidunen is permitted in clear weather. Permission may be obtained from the office of commandant of port Emperor Peter the Great (Reval).

C. GENERAL NOTES.

20. On all places closed for navigation in general the inhabitants of islands are not prohibited from communication between themselves and the nearest landing places; exclusively on small row and canvas boats and during clear weather.

21. Eastward of meridian 25° 30′ (line of Soederskaer-Unamunde) fishery is permitted by day and night under usual conditions.

Within districts of Kronstadt and Viborg fortresses on basis of instructions of commandants of these fortresses.

Westward of the indicated meridian along the southern coast, according to regulations concerning fisherers by the commandant of port Emperor Peter the Great.

Westward of this line along the northern coast fishery is only permitted within skerry district, not entering the gulf and only in clear weather. Within district of Sveaborg and Dunamunde fortresses according to orders of their proper commanders.

Along the remaining coast of Baltic Sea only by day, not exceeding 2 miles from the coast.

22. Depending on circumstances, the navigation and fishering in the permitted districts may be temporarily stopped on order of proper authorities.

23. For information and explanations concerning these rules, apply either to the office of commander of port Emperor Peter the Great (Reval) or to pilot and lighthouse stations in Finland (to whom it may concern).

24. Vessels having a special permission for sailing or when sailing without it must absolutely observe all requirements of naval authorities or commanders of guard ships according to these rules.

(Signed)

LT. GENERAL ZHDANKO.
LT. COLONEL GLASOFF.

TRADE RESTRICTIONS.

Rules for making applications to export embargoed goods from Russia, May 4/17, 1915.1

SECTION 1. Owing to war conditions the export of goods abroad as per lists herewith is prohibited (I-III). Goods mentioned in List I are forbidden to be exported over any of the frontiers of the Empire, and those in the remaining lists are not allowed to be exported over the frontiers mentioned in said lists.

(NOTE. The export of goods in general is altogether prohibited via ports on the Baltic Sea, situated in the confines of the Governments (Provinces) of Petrograd, Estland, Lifland and Curland.)

A protocol of agreement for the exportation of embargced goods was concluded with the United States Sept. 23, 1915, U. S. Treaty Series, No. 618. For embargo regulations of other belligerent States, see Naval War College, International Law Topics, 1915, p. 57.

SEC. 2. The export of goods to Finland, such as mentioned in the lists, attached to section 1, is permitted. The export of goods from Finland to foreign countries is effected according to the special regulations in force in the Grand Duchy of Finland.

SEC. 3. Goods the export of which owing to war conditions (sec. 1) is not allowed, may, however, be exported by permission of the minister of finance to allied or neutral countries.

SEC. 4. Persons desiring to obtain permission for the export of goods abroad of any of such goods as are prohibited from export (sec. 1), must hand in a petition to the department of customs; in this petition must be stated:

(a) Calling (profession), Christian name, father's name and surname, as well as country of which the applicant is a subject or citizen, his permanent place of residence, as well as address to which the department is to send him the reply to his petition.

(b) The kind of goods for which the permission is desired, as well as quantity, also to which country the permission for export is wanted, to which point and for whom the goods are required.

(c) The place where the applicant expects to buy the goods or where (mention point, railway station, river pier or port) the goods, if already bought, are situated.

(d) Through which customhouse the applicant expects to ship the goods, and if he intends exporting them by sea, to which port the goods will be sent, also by which steamer and under which flag (should the applicant be in possession of this information).

(e) Will the goods be exported direct to that country to which they are addressed? And if transshipment is expected to take place, then should be stated via which countries and frontier points in such countries the goods in question are expected to be dispatched.

(NOTE.-Applicants with petitions as mentioned in section 4 concerning the export of prohibited goods abroad may refer to the department of customs only in connection with the export of such goods as are mentioned in the lists per section 1 and such additional lists as may be issued by the ministry of finance. But if at the points via which goods are to be dispatched abroad there are in force regulations or orders issued by the local military authorities concerning the prohibition of export of any or certain articles or goods, not mentioned in the lists referred to above and possible additional lists, then permission for their export must be obtained by applicants from the respective military authorities.)

SEC. 5. Persons acting on behalf of persons whose authority they have to do so, must hand in with the petition original notarial power of attorney from persons on whose behalf they are acting, or notarial copies of such powers of attorney.

SEC. 6. The quantity of goods, for the export of which permission is required, must be shown in the petition (sec. 4 b) by weights, numbers, or other measures, corresponding to the kinds of goods. The

indication of goods in measures or quantities not fully definite (bags, bales, barrels, wagons, etc.) is not permitted.

SEC. 7. In the event of the ministry of finance finding it possible, after examining the information given by the applicant (sec. 4), to permit the export from the Empire of the goods which it is desired to export, the applicant on being so informed by the department of customs must take steps to obtain a diplomatic guaranty to the effect that the goods in question whilst on the way to the country of destination will not be deviated en route and will not be forwarded to a hostile market either from the country of destination or from such neutral countries through which said goods may go or be transshipped. For the obtaining of such guaranty the applicant must refer direct to the corresponding embassy or mission. The submission of such necessary guaranty from an embassy or mission must be effected to reach the ministry of finance through the ministry of foreign affairs.

SEC. 8. On receipt of the guaranty (sec. 7), the ministry of finance gives its final decision in connection with the petition, and in the event of the petition being affirmatively granted the applicant receives a special certificate to that effect from the department of customs; said certificate may not be transferred to another person and may be made use of only during two months from the day of its issue.

(NOTE. For goods the export of which has been granted by the minister of finance previous to the present rules coming into force, the department of customs will give a certificate, as per section 7, on the respective persons interested taking the necessary steps, after preliminary examination as to what quantity of goods according to the permission granted have actually not yet been shipped abroad; without such certificate, on the expiry of two weeks from the day of receipt by the customs of the present rules, the export of goods will not be permitted. The certificate will be given by the department in such cases where steps have been taken for the issue thereof not later than two months from the day of the confirmation and coming into force of the present rules, but at the expiration of this period a certificate will only be granted after receipt of new permission obtained in the manner indicated in the present rules.)

SEC. 9. For goods the export of which is permitted on the basis of the present rules, must be given the fixed export and transport information (Law of 1914, No. 157, St. 1788), together with the certificate mentioned in section 8.

SEC. 10. In the event of the whole lot mentioned in the certificate being exported, the certificate submitted, together with the transport information, is taken away and immediately handed by the customs, to the department of customs, with an indication as to the time and date when the goods were dispatched, and, if shipped by sea, then with indication of the vessel and the flag under which same is.

SEC. 11. In cases where the goods are exported in lots, a remark is made by the customs on the certificate handed in with the trans