The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-14
HOW SHIPS TALK AT SEA.
AL SAILORS UNDERSTAND THE
SIGNALS USED.


The use of signals between SHIPS at
sea must have originated with the 4oi
nation of sduadrons and fleets or poa'S
or vessels sailing in company, and DOUBT
less the first devices made use or We're
exceedingly crude. developing SIduudllg
with the lapse OF time anu eNO.u tIOir rf,
naval architecture. The origin OF ma. al.
signals is buried IN oDscutt y, al t,t of
is stated that the anclents maze use VI
columns and puts of smoke 10 con-
vsv their ideas 1t Is well authenticated
that the Greek and Persian neeJs tA-
changed messages by means OF lheIL Sdtts,
certain meanings being conveyed 70 tIS
}opsinE or partly furled state OF ny
material Groups of men-at-arnls, "I,h
shields ana pennants n&ed 10 in" f.b
had certain significance. rag siSh'ia l.n
an existence in the thirteenth century,
and the tact is mentioned in the laws
Of Oberon. which provide that VessJii
desiring TO tow or receive a plIot shah
hoist her ensign. .to 90 q
regular signal code used by the Brltish
navy is found in the lighting Instructions
for the English fleet, htted out ui!Iei
Queen Elizabeth In the eXpeuIuoh de@l.Si
Cadiz. The plain red ensign Vl ne n't1i'esf
appears 10 have been one OF the edII.tHN
symbols made use of in marllpue NJ
tory TOR the double purpose Oh ucH o.''.'5
the presence Of the chief ana uHGtIIu5
me conduct of his Meet, Tor We rtau mat
q was boisted TO the right or lett sac,
as the admiral wished the vessel 10 en-
gage in either dlrecuon' 1870 a.,
ne Dags OF the British navy We're al
one time seyerally on a red, wnite OF
Eins held. and were displayed from the
top OF the royal pole OF the man, 10Y
or miZzeu mast, according 10 lhe ram
of the admiral. This diversity OF COior
has long been done away with. Inc
vIi,e tsld. with the red cross, -.
G.orres cross. and the sinister upper
corner occupied by the union, is u'N
alone used In the British naHy-the D..e
being assigned to the reserve ana tAe
"a 70 the mercantile navy. An admiral
displays his flag exclusively al the mann
truck, a wee admiral at the core Ied.
admiral at the mzZen. Inc hrsi nag %
inheritance is the royal Stdnudld OF
Great Britain and Ireland, hoisted only
when the King or queen is on BOARD
the second is the anchor of hope, FOR Inc
lord hign admiral or the l0rd cpiHiula-
siouCrs OF the admiralty. lhls Is en-,
biazoncd with an anchor argent, Sorttd
In the arm with cOTOnet, ana a cane
through the ring, and fretted in true
lovers knot with the ends pendant lhuS
II was carried by the Earl OF SOuthdtHp-
ton In the reign o. King Henry VIII. Inc
last time IL was displayed ahoat was on
the occasion OF Sir George Rookie com
manding the combined fleet of England
and Holland in 1903.
When a council Of war is held at sea,
II IL be on board the udmlr3lS SHY,
flag Is hung in the main shrOuds; II the
vice admirals, on the fore shrouds, and
If the rear admirats. ON the mtzzen
shrouds. In IW .he Union Jack at the
main was the Distinguishing flag OF the
admiral o. the fleet. 1t was thus carried
by Lord Howe on The LIST OF June, and
by Earl st, Vincent in 1909 and 1896. The
term Jack" il derived from the abrevi-
ated name OF the reisning sovereign, und-
CT whose direction the flag was con-
stYucted. and whose signature ran. Jac-
qUCs The piazon OF the Prince OF Wales
standard is the royal arms, diiferenced by
"A label OF three points and an esCutcheon
OF pretence for SaXony. The account
usually given in regard 10 the three
feathers called the Prince OF Wales
feathers Is that they were Won by Ed
ward the Black Prince Of Cressy, from
the old King Of Bohemia, on whose ban
ner they were borne. II Is provided that
any merchant vessel displaying colors
resembling those designated for tae navy.
except The Union JACK, which must have
a white border, or using pennant with
OF $500 and any military or naval officer
has authority 10 board and seize such
coiors.
IN THE 7. s. NAVY.
Until 1852 there were no officers in the
United States navy OF gher rank than
captain, except in 1889, when Charles
Stewart was commissioned senior flag
OnIccI.' On july 10. lsb2 David G.. Far
Tagut was made a rear admiral ana
the act provided Tor tine tnree ser or
rear admirais TO wear a square blue
flag at the mainmast head. the next three
at me foremast head and all others at
the miZzeB," IL was with his plain blue
square nag a. the mainmast head Of
the Hartford that Farragut passed the
forts on the Mississippi and captured
New Orleans Farragut received his com
mission August II, 1862 and the next
morning on me hosting or the co.orS h IS
nag was run up for the first time at the
main. when II was saiuted by the whole
squadron This was the first salute ever
received by Farraguts flag Subsequently
farfaSut carried his flag at the mlzZen.
as wee admiral il flew at the fore. and
on July 70, 1866, as fun admiral. IL hoated
from this man.
When the president OF the United States
visits man ot-war the American ensign
IS holSted at the main, and remains I'M
Gil the DISTINGUISHED guest takes his
departure The president also has
standard, consisting Of the coat-of-arm6
was first displayed at che main by fresi-
dent Arthur on the presidential yacht
Despatch The standard was adopted in
1862 The Secretary OF the Navy has a
distinctive flag OF blue. with a white foul
anchor and foJr white stars On July 4,
1890. i've great American flags were dis
played on the center Of DE dome Of The
under the feet Of the statue OF Liberty.
In l6I Mr.. Macarthur, who had been
secretary 10 Admiral Lori Hood, de-
vised code OF signals which was In
troduced into the British navy as Lord
Howc's code In 1872 -Four colors were
used-red, blue, yellow and white
there being but two colors to each flag,
ana the code provided for twenty thou
sSna signals. II was by means Of this