The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-29

injuries she has sustained, and the character of
assistance che requires. Thousands of valuable
lives tnd millions of property have been, and
are destined to be, saved by means of this sys-
TEN. These signal codes are based upon the
funeral system; that is 70 say, tue flags are
numbe red from one TO nine, with cipher (0)
flag, and the signals are composed of one or more
rtpresentiug numbers, which, by reference to the
signal-book, indicate the name or sentence trans
mitted.
OBJECTIONS TO FORMER CODES.
The great objection to the codes inverted up 10
che time OF this one of Rodgers was that su6sti-
tntes were employed, and for ten numerals and
three repeaters, this code gave only nine thou
sand nine hundred and ninety nine Signals aud
the same number of numerals without the re-
peaters would give only five thousand eight hun
dred and sixty signals. IL is true, il the number
OF repenters had been increased the series could
have been multiplied; bat TO Increase the number
OF fags was not only deemed expensive but was
unsatisfactory, and rendered signaling too com.
plicated. From extended experience and various
experiments, the numerical system as then
used was found 70 be defective 10 such au extent
that all who used 10 felt the necessity for
change, inasmuch, also, as il was found that the
system was not capable Of making in a coosecu-
tive numerical series seventy thousand distinct
signals, without showing more than four Gags for
each signal made.
THE RonGERs' coDR.
The Rodgers alphabetical code was introduced
10 OOviae this difficulty. It was composed of
eighteen flags, each representing a letter of the
of the vowels was made for this reason that by
introducing them every questionable word com
posed OF four letters or less, not only in own
but in foreign languages, would appear on the
CODE 10 the course Of the Formulation of the
letters of the alphabet Previous 90 the Rodgers
code the MARRY att signals were in geuerai USE
ana Rodgers endeayortd TO adopt as many Of
Marry atts flags as he could a matter Of
economy. The English admiralty adopted these
signals after preparing a code to suit ther wants
and the French fell inco their plan, yet there
want OF unlsm 20 make the system universal
one, and, although much bet er than some of its
predecessors, it did not quite come up to the
demands OF navigation. It was and is still 20
some extent used in our navy, having been
fOisled upon IL by a chart house in this city, who
had an interest In its patenrright. AZ the
time it introduced the Navy Department
was unable 20 supply their private signal and
telegraph books 10 the purchased vessels nor
was II deemed eXpedient 10 trust such in-
tensely valuable book 10 persons who had no
true conc, pion of its value for il must be borne
in mind that the signal book of a man-o of-wAr is
kept hy the commander Of the vessel, and no one
save the signal officer has access 70 it, and he
under certain restrictions. Upon such grounds
the Rodgers code was furnished our navy, and
has been used 10 some extent.
CHARACTER OF THE NEW UNIVERSAL SYSTEM.
The new universal code bears a strong resem-
DlaDce 70 the American code, and Is composed "
eighteen flags joined two and two, three and
three, and four and four. By these flags there can
be obtained more than seventy weight thousand
COIDluduOub-d nllulDtr more tuan hun1Cient 10
express all the necessary communications at sea,
and 70 signal the names of war vessels aud the
merchantmen of all nations. For signaling at a
greet distance an equally sufficient number of
combinations are obtained by means Of three
balls and two flags. The ball system, II We for
get not, is the invention of Commander Edward
Simpson, United States Navy, and has been pre-
pared BY him for use In our monitor heet
t viii probably be some time before this new
universal code can be put in form for general
1lsulpatona but Il is the duty Of the Government,
as Meh as Cur merchants, 20 see 20 this important
matter, ana 70 take measures 10 adopt and aid in
Persslhs = ssAeom so useful and valuable to
maritime uses.
ARMY SIGNAL SYSTEM or TIE UNITED STATES.
tor army signaling, this country is far ahead
in its system, which Is very simple Vet a. nil
a. one eau well conceive, any sentence can he
transmitted refbatinl et heratinl, by thls ,e,IoS
and Ia some cases IL would be seryiceahle ~ s
but for the present lis value must renhinI Wis,
the OoYernment who own II. Il Is Impossible N
oYerestimate the value Of marine signaling and
Il Is the duty of every one Interested In the sab.
ject 20 do all in their power TO make Il perfect
and yet simple