SIGNALS ON MOUNT VICTORIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1938, Page 26

SIGNALS ON MOUNT VICTORIA

There are, no doubt, many people who, during the day, look up at the signals displayed on the flagstaff at the Mount Victoria Signal Station without knowing just what they mean. Most know, probably, that the signals indicate the approach to the harbour of a ship of some sort but that is about all.

The time is not far distant when those signals meant much to the citizens of Wellington, for news of an approaching ship was news indeed. Practically everyone knew what they meant and their display must often have been the end of much anxious waiting.

Although the value of the signals has diminished (as far as the man in the street is concerned, anyway) they still tell, their story to those who are interested. Every ship nearing the harbour is announced from Mount Victoria and the signals make interesting reading.

Th« signals used on the yard-arms of the flagstaff are "descriptive signals"—a parallelogram for a steamer or power vessel and a square for a sailing yes-

sel. These, in conjunction with various flags, show from what direction the ship is coming and what company she is'owned by or consigned "to. When the ship is inside the Heads a pennant is hoisted below the descriptive signal. For vessels anchored outside/ the descriptive signal is lowered half-way down.

When the signal is hoisted on the southern yard-arm the ship is approaching the harbour from the south or east; when on the northern yardarm from the north or west. The signals are lowered when the ship has rounded Point Halswell.

With the descriptive signal is hoisted another, generally a letter-flag, which denotes the company who owns the approaching ship or to which it is consigned. For British warships the White Ensign is hoisted, for foreign warships the White Ensign and a white pennant, and for Government vessels the Blue Ensign. Each company has its own flag-letter or sign. These flags and signals are hoisted half-mast when the ship is approaching from the east

coast of the North. Island and for all foreign and intercolonial vessels coming through Cook Strait; and at the masthead when the approach is from the east coast of the.South Island and for all coastal vessels when coming from the west coast of -either the North or South Island.

It can.be seen, therefore, that with the descriptive signal and the. company signal a ship can be identified fairly accurately before she enters the harbour. The -average person* probably cannot identify the flags, but this is not necessary to tell from which direction the ship is approaching.