LIGHTS THAT SPEAK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 470, 31 March 1909, Page 8

LIGHTS THAT SPEAK.

THE MORSE NICHT-SICNAL CODE. ADVOCATED FOR HARBOUR BOARD. "There's tho signal, sir I" said tho young third officer. '"Well, what do you niako of it?" askod the skipper. « " flashed the bright eye of the Morso lantern on tho wharf. "That's 'Q,' sir, for tho Queen's Wharf!" "Get them to repeat!" "Aye, aye, sir—that's right! "That's the number; did you got it?" questioned tho old man. "Yes, sir; number 21" answered the third. , „ "All right, check back!" "Aye, aye, sir I" . , "Slow ahead!" tho captain ordered. "Slow ahead it is, sir I" oven as the bell jangled below in the engine-room. Morse was almost Greek to tho "old man, though he could read it with tho aid of a chart, but tho slim "third" had recently takon his certificate entitling him to act as a chief officer in the Mercantile' Marineproviding someone would give him tho berth. The Board of Trade insists on many tilings —one old salt once said with a chuckle that it is the most awkward board to make in the five oceans—and it insists that all candidates for "papers" must have a knowledge of Morse night signalling, hence the little scone above, which may occur at any time in the case of a steamer coming into Wellington at night—if the Harbour Board adopts tho Morse codo to talk to those ships that straggle into port during the night hours. An elaborate system of coloured lights, with a certain combination for each berth, was prepared and duly printed on plans of the wharf some little timo ago for tho consideration of the Board. But since learning a little moro of tho Morse, the Board is wisely hesitating before committing itself to a system that might prove far moro expensive and less effective than the Morse. Added to this, tho latter system is not only more effective (as its bright white light is moro penetrating than coloured lights) in signalling the wharf and berth, but messages of any length may bo spoken and answered in the darkest night, always providing that tho weather is not too thick. On the subject of «the adoption of the Morse, Mr. C. W. Palmer has written to tho Harbour Board as follows:—

Tho Secretary, Wellington Harhour Board. Dear Sir—l would respectfully suggest, for the consideration of your Board, a very simple system of nightsignalling at the wharves. . A single lamp (Begbio or otherwise) worked from the central tower, Queen s Wharf, could be used; and by the sending of a letter sign, followed by an abbreviated numeral sign, the actual wharf and berth available could be readily indicated. For example: King s Wharf, Berth i, would be indicated by "dash dot dash" (K) followed, after an interval of a second or so, by four dots and a dash (tho abbreviated number sign 4). The whole arrangement could be worked by ono man, who need not necessarily be an expert signaller, unless he should be required to send or tako a special message to or from the incoming vessel. Neither need the shipmaster require to have any special knowledge of signalling to understand tho wharf ' numbers. L He would merely require to refer to the instruction card: to ho issued by tho harbour authorities. No doubt, however, many .of them, not already signallers, would find it greatly to their advantage to learn tho code, so as to be able to convorse with tho shore or with passing vessels. Only recently I submits ted suggestions to the Marine Department re Morso signalling at tho lighthouses. / The Board of Trade is now recognising tho importance of the matter, by insisting upon the' adoption of the Morse code at sea, "and I need scarcely point out that in the event of war, a rapid moans, of communication between trading vessels and H.M. ships, would bo of enormous advantage both to the Navy and to tho Mercantile Marine. I enclose a leaflet containing the Morso code. Yours obediently, C. W. PALMER, The Morse lamp is merely a bull's-eyo lamp with a shutter, operated by a pressbutton, and the letters are defined by a simple arrangement of dots and dashesone dot is called a unit, and a dash js three times tho length (time of exposure) of a dot. The pause between each letter or sign is three uhits, and between each completed word the length of six units or two dashes. With this system as a basis, a simple but very perfect system of night signalling has been arranged, and, as proof that it can be very easily learned, a squad of public school cadots became proficient enough in half-a-dozen lessons from Mr. Palmer to carry on conversations between, themselves.