Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-11-14
SEA SIGNALS.
HOW VESSELS COMMUNICATES
WITH ONE ANOTHER.
Methods Used by Sailors I'm Ancient
Times and tho Earlier Signal
Codes-Thc System In Use
ut Present.

success for hundreds of years, but not I'M
til 1856 was n code of signals devised
which met with universal approval-the
same being known us the International
Code.
Before going into details regarding
this latter system it may be well to re-
view the various earlier methods of COM
munication. History informs us that the
fleets of ancient Greece, Persia and the
Roman Empire used their sails us II
means of conveying messages; special
significance being attached to them when
set, lowered or partially lowered. During
the day they could thus be used to nd
vantage, but ut night fires or flaming
torches were customary. These rude
methods, with others equally ms simple,
were in vogue for centuries, but no at
tempt to formulate system appears to
have been made until about the year
1865, when King James of England is
sued signal code applicable to the fleets
of the kingdom and for partial uso on
land
Flags of different colors were used,
each representing letter of the alpha
bet, and when shown in different combi-
nations expressed sentences already de-
tcrmincd upon, being especially adapted
to the mancuvering of ships. Without
celebrating, it may be said that the sys-
ten, in the process of development, be-
came so complicated with the many
changes that radical improvement was
deemed necessary. Nevertheless it con-
tinued in use, and it was not until about
1900 that new code was adopted in
England, known as Lord Howc's code, al
though devised bya MIR. Macarthur. 1t
contained but thirteen flags, but by differ
cnt combinations it was possible to make
nearly 20, 600 signals.
The first United States code was adopt
cd in 1875, and consisted of twcnty-six
flags, representing each letter of the
alphabet. Several pcnnnnts for use in
special cases were also provided. y
dictionary to accompany this code and
explanatory of it, was not issued until
1916, and then was quito faulty in
having no definite and Determined
method. No change for the letter,
however, was made until 1876, when
Mr.. Rogers, then Superintendent .sTclc-
graphs, offered the navy dcpa;; tmcnt
well devised system, by which, with
fourteen nnus nnorlv Id 0OO e0pnje co,je;
he made The signol look }or J;ct;on.
orv. which fully cxn,o;noJi thc coJc
followed II regular method and ,hc systcn,
spranr into favor Tn tbn meantime
the Enolish Govorrmont bod tr;od and
abandoned many codes. among which
may be mentioned the ADMIRALTY codes
of iSOS and 1926. Ranss code of 1923
and that of PhAyS- ~op1836. After our
7sS{--tmcnt Mad adopted Mr.
nnG.rs,s c0or EuglaINa 6coanizcd lis
s,,,sor;or;tv and it was jta ,,so there until
thr ndnntion of Marry code in 1854.
TI;s latter code was Generally used. not
on,v NV British vessels; but by those of
other nations. S5f7
n was ON the I'd sofS July, 1855. that
the British Board Of Trade opp tinted n
committee "to inquire into ana lreport
Tnon the subject of n CODE OF sig9aA to
l,c used Mt sea-" This committee, afAr
s;ttinp over year, examining uh rrcA
y;ouslv published codes, receiving sul
acst;ons and making changes, hhai}
eeorccd upon and urged the adoption 49, ~
tic present international code oil sfGnals
,rb;s code. rs its name imX15cs Is n
tended for use by INC s'ii Ps of all nations
II contains the clcmenirs" of universe
maritime language, and has been adopted
translated and published by all princip:
nations for the use of their war ships an
merchant mnrinc
The original arrangement of the cod
signals being strictly adhered to in n
cases. and an entirely similar set of sig
nal flags or other symbols being nlway
used, it is quite practicable for : any tw
vessels of different nationaltics, whethc
war or merchant, to communicate intel
lightly by precise signal equivalents i
their different languages, even who
neither understand the language spoke
by the other. For symbols, eightee
consonants of the alphabet are used, cacl
being represented by flag. OF tn
tlags, one is burgec or swallow ta
standing for the letter b, while four men
nnnts renresnnt q II IL and q. tho ro