New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-17

communicates with another. the system as a
whole is a sealed book to most people. AL times
when vessels overdue. or where couhu! IL
involved in war or revolution. the messages gwen
hv ona shin to another are looked for with anxi-
ety. not only 10y the passengers but by those VINO
await the arrival Of the ship with the message
When signal flags were first introduced for the
purpose Of giving messages each line OF ships
had its particular code. The various naval
Powers also had each a distinct and separate
code; and while there may have been some good
IN ,hc systems and some convenience to those
who ,muloved them their comparative worth
iossness on account of being so disconnected
was shown in 1850. when a committee was APP
pointed 10y the British Board of Trade TO IN
uure into and report upon The subject oi codc
OF signals 10 be used at sea"
The result Of the investigations Of the commit
tee was the adoption OF an international c"de
which has been in ever since iiit 'i'he'
With its adoption all prior codes. OF when '"e'e
were about twenty then in use, were oiscarueu
and the international code became the means
Of communication in the various navies the ner-
chant marine and the yachting or pleasure ma
rine Each country retained and still Keeps up
u urivatc code Of signals. These are used only
IN communicating with other ships OF the same
navy and the American naval officer knows as
little about the British fleet code as the fnsHS"
man knows about the code OF the Russian Navy.
But in addition to these private codes they all
use the international.
THE OBJECTS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
In framing this signal method the committee
wished 10 accomplish the following: The es'ap-
lishrncnt of a code clear. compr' hensiNe ana not
cso,nsjyc: PROVISION for not less than -1"Do
distinct signals. and the ability to designate not
less than 10000 ships. with power OF extension
If required: a signal should not consist OF more
than four flags or symbols at hoist slgna
should be mad. clear at one host. signals
should have the same meaning wherever shown.
and the code should bc 50 framed "A 10 be capa-
hlc Of adaptation for international colnrnun-
cation.
The means Of communication are Tags. oil |
which there eighteen. and these are known
ly letters but none OF these letters are VoWclS
This omission makes it impossible to use the
1aes To- spell words. Iut the compilrrS oi the /
system said that the letters were not used as
such. but rs signs charactcrz!ng The different
flags by the most familiar method and IN an I
order well known.
The signs are made with combinations in sets
of two three and four letters each. of the fol- |
lowing eighteen Consonants:
BC.D. i. q. H. J. X. l.. NJ. ~ l., g. Il. ). T.
and W.
The two-lDttcr sets are combinations Of Il and
the seventeen other letters. thus. 30. &C. DE- .
to WE. BD. etc.
The thrce-ctter sets are successive c"inhna-
lions II each set ~ two letters with the six |
tom ether letters. thus: BCD CHD. etc.
The four-lcttcr sets are succcssiy" cpinhna-
tons # each st Of three letters with ia" hf- !
teen other letters. thus. BCDF CEDF ct
In this manner sGi2 combinations can be
made II which BOG are - the two-!"ti"r sets.
ANgi ~ thu thr,c-lcttcr sets. and '3.ilo ~ the