QUEEN'S WHARF "TALKS."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 564, 20 July 1909, Page 4

QUEEN'S WHARF "TALKS."

IN WINKSOF LIGHT.

It may. not be very long now twiorVever} '■; steamer on the coast and,'every port in the Dominion will bo equipped with the Morse signalling apparatus. The- Wellington Hot-... hour Board has taken the question in hand, and lamps are installed at various va-htagoj points in th-o harbour,-- while already . the ''' board's employees have acquired considerable knowledge-m the dash and dot business.'- ' A '.-;•.' raostct mariner, speaking to a DoiimioK/re- - • presontativo. recently,' said that very great' interest was being manifested in the night-; signalling'throughout'-the merchant service. -While operators oa merchantmen, were not t as skilled as those in tie British Navy, some, of them had dono very well. ThoSnor points - of the system, however,' hod not been mas-: tered in tho merchant service yet.' It seemed- '. to be general that one ehip, in calling up an : other, delivered a succession of: "dots" which ;. were replied to with : a succession of "dashes." But according to the British Signalling Man-' ual, the "call" was a. succession of "d's," ' : and the reply a succession of "w's."' Then,' after being answered, if, the message was to ■ be srjellod out in detail;; the letter, "f" should bo otherwise.: tho message, is sup-, posed to be in code, and the'receiver looke ■■'" up his flag signals to seo what tho .. present. Then, again, the receiver should keep nis light showing while he is taking the message, mstoad of keeping the shutter closed, as.;'. : is usually done. ■ r -.'.] .-'•'-.• ,■■■;".; [>'.... Referring to the electric lamp on Queen's , Wharf, tho officer stated that at: present'.-it ; would be impossible:to send a fast message:; with it, as'it would not extinguish between a'.':■,-' rapid succession of "dots." This can'bo it*.; tilled, 'howevor, by. n special resistance coil< : li'or improving one's hand, ho add«d ( nothing; ■ is better than practifo with a Ayarship, wlios* : sicnalleis are as well versed as tlie ordinarj telegraph operator. ■':'.■.■"■'•>■ ."■':■■ ■■':' .- '-.. :■-..' v■':'■ ■■