The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-21

know not word OF French, would quick
lv read the message since their own tooe
hooS. while having the same meanings 10
the different letter combinations, "ouia
be i'm their own Language.
Even the japanese have adopted and
adaptcd this code and almost every snip
that sails the seas OF the world has sig
nal number in the code book, 80 that she
fnav enter any port with her signal lying
and bc Immediately recognized by the
p.oulc there regardless OF the diherenct
in language by reference 10 the signal
book.
Of course each separate navy Of toe
world has it's own peculiar set Of signals,
bat when. as in the case OF q great COM
blncd naval review. the ships and squad
rons Of different nations come 20 act TO-
..cfher they use this international system
with the result that the senior admiral
can give his orders and have them quick
ly followed. even by a people whose Ian
guagc he does not speak.
There are many other signals commonly
used by ships al sea and I'm harbor. such
as the hlastr on the whistle % indicate
which way one Ship intends TO pass an-
other. as. whom one vessel meeting an-
Other blows one sharp blast, 81 means,
81 am going 20 staThcarl.' and the Sec
ond vessel answers with one blast if it
Is all right Then two blasts mean going
10 port" and three blasts "Tdll speed
astcrn." which may can much when
collision 81 imminent
TLon by night every sailing and steam
ship under way carries "a red light on the
port bow and a green one on the star
board bow. ana the steam vess carries
white light 20 the fore masthead in adj
ciiiCn. "a vessel towing; another carries
Two white lights al the masthead ana
disabled vessel carries three
AS ARRAY OF LIGHTS.
Then am vessels at anchor sh)w one
white light twenty feet above the deck,
and there are separate lights Tor fishing
vessels. and vessels laying s3oi g. ana tle
narc-up lights from TIC pilot boats ana so
many different lights and signals that
tho uavigators memory must be lasting
AMI quick 10 use Thorn AN in shaping his
course 90 avoid ihe danser Of collision
squadron of mcn-of-war at sea- mt
nipht. with the usual running lights, and,
beside. speed lights position Lsnts, ana
the red and white 'gnai lights, presents
a very startling and gay appearance. and
one can hardly blame the Norwegian
sailor on a merchant steamer who was
aloft al the masthead ON the lookout ana,
suddenly seeing such squadron loom up,
sung out. Light. h0.' Where away
came from the officer ON the bridge, and
then. "Cau you make it outI' The be-
wNdcr.l lookout had never seen so many
blazing lights OF many cOlors except ~
thc shop windows of Shorthand. so hc an
sworCd. NO sir, / am not sure whether
it's I'd droOc store or saloon.
ln the merchant marine there are the
usual international signals. and some
times. the navy signals. where the vessel
may belong 10 the naval reserve OF a
country. Then there are line flags TO
! show the linc the ship belongs to- the
port flag" at the foremost, or the nag
| of the country 10 which She is bound, and
often tho official mail flag of the country
| whose mail is carried flying at the main
mast.
I'm port during fogpy or thick weather
/ all vessels at anchor ring their bells al ih-
tcrvals Of several minutes 10 warn any
/ vessels under way from running them
! down. There is. hoWeve~. one curious ok
/ ccpt,n 10 this otherwise general rule Io
/ the Turkish people the bell is sacred as
! an implement $50 90 speak )f religion. $50
/ thov have asked other countries 10 aio"
them To use a horn instead of neh on
/ their vessels. and 10 has been allowed
! though Otherwise they follow all the uni'
/ vtrsal rules of the road at sea.
All these signals arc 10 prevent disasltl
/ and make navigation easier. but when
I'm spite Of All Of them, disaster does
come. and a good ship strikes on rocky
or stormy shore there are still a IT,"
signals TO use that may bring what hell
is near ono is the discharsius AT inter
walls of large rockets and another the mr.
ing of the minute guns, which have 81.
often been used ana misused i'm The roc
nance and poetry of the sea.
The sigllIs may seem many 10 ih'
"landlubber." Ibut the necessities that
arise ON The Gcde seas mler uncertain
! skies are many. and must an be met
! and conquered If possible or ships coul'
not-as they DO now-rn from New Noir
to Liverpool and southampton averaging
| as close AN Observance 10 th@r scheduled
time ass the travel between New Nori
| and san Francisco Washington Star.