This note commences with the adoption by the newly invented steam ships, of the sailing ship's custom of referring helm orders to the direction in which the tiller was to be shifted. It records something of the early resiling of the non-English speaking nations from this counter intuitive custom and draws attention to the confusion which the lack of an international approach created, especially for a ship under pilotage. The note concludes with the international uniformity achieved for helm orders by Convention in 1929.
