The morning news., 1894-11-11

over the head and brought down in a cir
cular motion to the side each fag would
describe a semi-circle and letter 90"
would be described.
Hold the left flag out horizontally from
the body and describe a semicircle with
the right flag, then the right flag out and
circle with the left, and so on, combining
motions until every letter in the alphabet
is represented by a motion. a person
soon becomes so skilled with the little
flags that he can "wig-wig" as fast as
one can write and taking message is
like watching the other person set up big
letters in trent of you to read. In all the
navies Of the world the small bsys taken
as APPRENTICES are trained as signal boys,
not only for the "wig-wag," but all other
modes.
The flag system Is the most universal
and satisfactory of all codes, both ma
tionally and Internationally The differ
ence between the "wigwag" and the nag
system is the ''wig-wag" represents the
letters themselves, but the large flags rep
resent net only words, but sentences.
These are recorded in a book which every
vessel has. and, by referring to the num-
ber In the beck that the flags represent
the message Is interpreted, according to
George w. Cruselle. When large 6ags
are used they are hoisted to the masthead
by an ordinary halyard, to which the
AdBS are AdHNNntQ WIN Aub hilAAn nus "a
the desired number at the bottom, tens
next. and so on. Leng triangular shaped
flags (pennants properly called, Of differ
ent eolors and combinations of colors
make the numbers. This Is easy, as only
nine digits are used, the zero being ex-
cluded, end one flag over another can
give any number wanted. Each nation
has its own combination. OF numbers, so
that they can signal among themselves,
while OF rs can see and not understand.
Then re Is an international code by
which any two nations may communicate
inasmuch as figures are the same in all
nations, and though they might not UNDER
stand one word in common they can in
terpret the flag numbers.
Every vessel that floats, whether mer-
chairman or man-of-war, has a number
which is recorded In the international
list Of vessels which gives the name Of
! the owner, master, and port or country 70
| which 1t belongs. Vessels passing at sea
always exchange numbers as a salute,
the same as we exchange salutations with
| persons on the street, whether strangers
| or friends. The flag OF the country from
which the vessel halls Is hoisted astern
/ and II a merchantmen meets a man-of-
/ war at sea she dips her countrys flag IN
honor 70 the other country, which, OF
/ course, Is answered In a similar manner,
/ and for the merchantmen not TO dip Is
] an insult government NfanNAo hiN ~
| WAYS distinguished from other vessels By
| the long, narrow pennant flying from the
| malnmast. This pennant is not over two
/ inches broad and ordinarily about mr.
teen feet long. H. however, The vessel De-
homeward bound from "A cruise. II puts ON
a "homeward- -bounder" which gives one
foot OF pennant for every man on board.
making II anywhere from one hundred 90
three hundred feet IN length, and trails
astern as she goes ahead. The pennnnt
/ Do broken ON 20 government vessel when
. she goes into commission and Is never