The rules for preventing collisions prescribed by R.S. § 4233, as amended, formed the basis of this chapter. Those rules as enacted were not limited in application to the navigation of any waters. But they were superseded as to navigation on the high seas and in all coast waters of the United States, except such as were otherwise provided for, by the adoption of “Revised International Regulations” by [act Mar. 3, 1885, ch. 354], [23 Stat. 438]; and these regulations were superseded by the adoption of the subsequent regulations of act Aug. 19, 1890, set out as section 61 et seq. and section 1051 et seq. of this title. The rules prescribed by R.S. § 4233 were further superseded, as to navigation on the Great Lakes and their connecting and tributary waters as far east as Montreal, by the rules applying to such navigation prescribed by act Feb. 8, 1895 (section 241 et seq. of this title). The provisions of R.S. §§ 4233, 4412, and 4413 and regulations pursuant thereto were adopted as special rules for the navigation of harbors, rivers, and inland waters of the United States (except the Great Lakes and their connecting and tributary waters as far east as Montreal) by act Feb. 19, 1895. R.S. §§ 4412 and 4413 were classified to section 381 of former Title 46, Shipping. But thereafter the rules prescribed by R.S. § 4233, were further superseded as to navigation of all harbors, rivers, and inland waters except the Red River of the North and rivers emptying into the Gulf of Mexico and their tributaries, by the rules applying to all such waters other than the specific exceptions, of act June 7, 1897 (section 151 et seq. of this title). The rules prescribed by R.S. § 4233, therefore, remained in force only as to the navigation of the Red River of the North and rivers emptying into the Gulf of Mexico and their tributaries.
