SIGNALLING AT SEA.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11663, 23 January 1902, Page 3

SIGNALLING AT SEA.

New Year's Day witnessed the universal employment, on all vessels flying the flags of the fifteen chief maritime Powers ot the world, of the new international code of signals. This code has been issued nearly a year, but its employment was not made compulsory for twelve months in order that shipmasters, by using it concurrently with the old one, might become accustomed to the new method. This maritime Volapuk is the result of thirteen years' labour and discussion, in which representatives of all the Powers that adopted the code of 1857, which it supersedes, have taken part. It is intended to provide a means for a system of communication between ships at sea far more adequate to the needs of modern shipping than the old compilation. One of the most important features ot the new method is the inclusion of code flat's representing not only all the consonants but all the vowels as well. By means of twentv-six flags, apart from the code pennant," no fewer than 375,076 signals can be made without using a single flag Jhan, pncs in the same hoist. The j .two-flag signals which intiie existing cede | ' number 306, are increased to 650, and the . three-flag signals from 4896 to 15,600. Many of the more important signals, for- | merly made by three-flag hoists, may m future be made by two-flag hoists, all the four-flag signals, except those rejoresntrng names of places and of ships; may be made with three-flag hoists, while a large numberof new signals may be made by hoists ot not more than three flags. This rearrangemnt and enlargement will permit of a system of correct spelling of proper names <ind places, which will -prove much less cumbersome than the alphabetical spelling 5 table. In the case of flags already well known to seamen, the fewest possible ehanges have been made, while the number of urgent signals that can be made with two-flag hoists has been greatly increased. Provision is made for the limited adoption of light and sound signals which supply I a means of signalling at night, but the j most important feature of all is the introduction for the first time of signalling by J means of balls, cones, and drums, which j will allow of signals being distinguished I at greater distances than hoists of flags, I and are less affected by weather. The

apparatus consists of three balls, two cones, and one drum, and these permit of all the signals on the international code, -while there is added a table of thirty-seven important ones which can he made by single hoists of not more than three symbols. These special distant signals include the equivalents of distress and pilot signals, and many others of an urgent character. In every way the new code is immeasurably superior to the old, and by its means ships of all nations can now make themselves understood to each other, whatever may be the language of the crews.