telephone talk with you. He told me that you wanted my assistance.

CAPTAIN. Yes, Mr Charles told me that you could be very helpful. We have to settle the trouble we faced here quite unexpectedly.

MR DOBSON. I suppose you mean the damage caused to the quay while you were getting moored. Am I right?

CAPTAIN. Yes, you are. I just meant that. You see, it isn't just the fact of damage itself. The point is that the port authorities require too big an amount to cover that damage.

MR DOBSON. Do they give any reason for that? CAPTAIN. No, they just say that we have to pay. MR DOBSON. How did it happen?

CAPTAIN. We were nearing the quay keeping at some angle to it. The weather was windy and the gust of wind pressed our ship against the quay's robbing piece. The timbers were evidently rotten and they broke at once. Now they say they have to replace the wooden robbing pieces all along the quay.

MR DOBSON. I see. Have you called for a surveyor?

CAPTAIN. No, we haven't yet. We are the first time in your port and we don't know anybody here.

MR DOBSON. Well, I think I'll do it myself. As soon as we get the surveyor's report I'll contact people in the port office. I hope we shall be able to manage that business.

LABORATORY EXERCISES

I. Listen to the text of the lesson again and answer the following questions:

1.Do accidents often occur at sea? 2. What may a ship sustain in collision?

3.What responsibility do we make the guilty party bear? 4. What do the captains do when the damage is insignificant? 5. What do they do in more embarrassing cases? 6. What is the usual court procedure? 7. Whom is the captain to report to of

212

the accident? 8. Who brings an action against the opposing party? 9. What do the majority of accidents at sea result from? 10. What should the young officers thoroughly study to minimize the risk of collisions? 11. What should they perfectly understand? 12. Why should the actions prescribed by the Rules be taken in ample time? 13. Are the Rules of the Road adopted only in some parts of the world? 14. What ships should obey these Rules? 15. What may the knowledge of these Rules help a mariner to do? 16. What should an intelligent seaman know about these Rules from the juridical point of view?

II. (a) Change from direct into indirect speech using the model.

Model: He said to us, "Will you pay for the damage?"

He asked us if we would pay for the damage.

1.They said to him, "Will you arrange that business?"

2.He said to them, "Will you choose the firm yourselves?"

3.The agent said to us, "Will you call in a surveyor?" 4. We said to the engineer, "Will you see to the repairs yourself?/" 5. The surveyor said to us, "Will the captain look through the statement?"

(b) Combine the following pairs of sentences using the model. Model: He will arrange that business. It will save us much time.

If he arranges that business, it will save us much time.

1. The engineer will come here. We shall fix the cost of repairs. 2. He will call in a surveyor. We shall draw up that document. 3. You will not mind that. We shall report to our owners. 4. Water will penetrate into the hold. The bags of rice will get soaked. 5. He will not pay the money in time. We shall bring an action.

III. Listen to the short dialogues, repeat each sentence during the pause and learn the dialogues by heart:

"Am I to understand that the case should be referred to arbitration?"

213

"Well, it's up to you to decide."

"For my part, I would rather have it settled in an amicable way." "I am of the same opinion."

***

"If you can make them pay, it will save us a lot of trouble." "I'll do my best, of course, but I am not sure I can do it." "Try to, anyhow. If they won't pay, we shall go to law."

***

"I am sorry to have caused you so much trouble".

"Well, never mind that. We understand that it was through no fault of yours."

IV. Listen to each of the long dialogues again and retell briefly their contents from the point of view of: (a) one speaker, (b) the other speaker, (c) an onlooker.

Make your partner ask you about some details which you missed.

V.Write the dictation;

Now and then accidents including collisions occur to ships. Sometimes they are inevitable because they are beyond the control of man. In the majority of cases, they result from negligence or disregard of the Rules of the Road. More often than not, violation of the Rules may come from lack of experience. Collisions lead to some material damage to the ship or cargo. This damage must be paid for by someone. It is but logical to make the guilty party pay for the damage. Under the laws of many countries the vessel guilty of collision may be sued for the damage caused. When the damage is not great and it is quite evident which of the ships is guilty, the captains of both vessels usually settle the matter amicably. They agree as to what repairs should be done or how much money should be paid. But if the

214

damage is considerable and the circumstances of the collision are not quite clear, a dispute between the two parties may arise. To settle this dispute, it is either referred to arbitration or brought before the court. The court calls in the witnesses, hears, examines and cross-examines them, inquires into the ship's log books, collects evidence and passes a decision.

Deck officers should perfectly understand and intelligently apply the Rules of the Road or, as they are officially called, the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. They should also know how these Rules are interpreted at the court.

VI. Practise in pairs enacting the following situations. You act as the captain of one vessel, your partner — as the captain of the other vessel in (a), you — as the captain and your partner — as the agent in (b), (c). Then you change your parts.

(a)Accidentally when berthing your vessel caused some damage to a foreign vessel, which had been moored next to your berth. You have come aboard that vessel and are talking with the captain. You apologize for the trouble caused and you want to know in detail what should be repaired. He shows you what was damaged aboard the vessel. You are arranging with him how and by whom the repairs should be done.

(b)You are talking with your agent. You are explaining to him that a shore crane carrying a big box caused your ship some damage. It struck your ship's starboard side with the box. As a result of the impact several portlights were broken, the gangway was crumpled, the jib boom was bent. You claim that this damage must be repaired. The agent recommends you to write an official letter to the port authorities. He will deliver this letter to the port office and will make arrangements with the Harbour Master about repairs. He also suggests you to call in a surveyor to hold a survey and to draw up an official report.

(c) You are discussing with your agent what documents should be prepared to bring the suit to the court. You have to bring the case against some foreign ship

215

which collided with your vessel and caused much damage to you. The agent is asking you about all the circumstances of the collision and recommends you to prepare extracts from your ship's log book and engine-room book. So far as you have already noted a sea protest you should call in a surveyor and enclose his report to your brief to the court.

VII. Translate into English:

Мы вынуждены потребовать от вас ремонта повреждений, которые вы причинили нашему судну. Я имею в виду следующие повреждения: несколько иллюминаторов разбито, трап помят, выстрел трапа погнут, обшивка правого борта сильно вмята, часть фальшборта деформирована. Как мы договоримся с вами о ремонте? Понимаю, вы хотите точно знать, что должно быть сделано. Нам нужно, чтобы была сделана следующая работа. Три листа обшивки нужно отрихтовать. Я боюсь, что в одном месте придется вырезать и заменить новым один лист обшивки. Его нужно приварить. Деформированную часть стрингеров нужно отрихтовать или вырезать и заменить новыми. Разбитые стекла в иллюминаторах надо заменить новыми. Нужно изготовить новый трап. Выстрел трапа надо отрихтовать. Замененные листы обшивки нужно загрунтовать и закрасить. Кажется, я ничего не пропустил. Это я назвал основные статьи ремонта. Второстепенные позиции ремонта указаны подробно в акте сюрвейера. Я думаю, что нам придется пригласить представителя ремонтных мастерских. Пусть он все тщательно осмотрит и выскажет свое мнение. Вы ничего не имеете против, если мы пригласим инженера фирмы, с которой мы связаны вот уже несколько лет? Вы согласны с этим? Хорошо. Кстати, мы сможем сразу же договориться с ним о стоимости ремонта и об оплате счета. Если вы не возражаете против этого, будем считать, что все урегулировано.

216