Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-15
NAVAL SIGNAL SERVICE
Arrangements Made for a Complete Line
Along the Coast
Interesting Report Of the Special
Board Having the Matter
in Charge.

Arrangements have been made for a COM
plete coast line signal service extending
from Marie to Port Leads. La, connected
throughout with telegraph and telephone
lines In direct communication with the
Navy Department at Washington. The
special board having the matter in charge.
Commander Schouler president, has sub
mitted a plan which has been approved
by the Navy Department subject to the
approved by the Treasury Department.
According to the report:
THE board regards the question Of COM
munication as divided under two general
heads-serv1ce from sea to shore and that
from shore to sea- Considering the i'm
portance Of receiving Information from a
distance beyond the range Of visibility.
there seems to be but one method which
has already had sufficient success to war
rant the board recommending it as the
best method for communicating with a
fleet. scouting vessel. or picket boat at a
distance ranging from ten to fifty miles,
with a possible extension Of 100 miles;
that Is, homing pigeons This. Of course,
Is limited entirely to daylight, but mas
much as the same difficulties which mill
tate against the successful use Of the hon.
Ing pigeon are present with the fleet or
scouting vessels in obtaining Information.
the board Is of the opinion that this serv-
Ice. which already exists In the Navy De-
partment. should be 50 extended as to cover
such points of coast as are within the
control of the Treasury Department or
the various state naval militias. At night
the use of searchlights for distances of
perhaps ten miles, and the Very's night
signals within fifteen miles, have been ex-
perimented with to such degree of sue
cess as to warrant its recommending these
two methods for communicating from the
sea to the shore after nightfall. 1t Is not
believed that any system of flags. in itself
can be relied upon with any certainty,
considering the difficulties which calm or
shore wind. hazy atmosphere and the pc
culiar character of a shore background
present. The board Is, therefore. of the
opinion that some system based on the use
of shapes or semaphores Is the only one
which can be relied upon. There already
exists in the International code of signals
with which all life saving stations are
either supplied or can easily be supplied
system of distant signals requiring ball,
pennant and square flag, or three-armed
semaphore. The semaphore, however.
should he fitted with four elements instead
of three, and 1t is believed that the hold
ing of the display for any appreciate
length of time Is of much greater value
than the temporary transient display which
1t Is necessary to make with any sema-
phore having less than four elements.
1T Is believed that the means of trans
mission of intelligence from such stations
as may be selected to the main telephone
and telegraph wires either already exist or
can, with the assistance of the naval mi
htta, quickly be installed and afford a GER
tain method of transmitting intelligence
to headquarters. Having these systems in
mind, the board has so subdivided the
coast that the important centers, such as
naval stations or strategic points, shall be
amply protected by the methods, and 1T
submits charts showing points at which.
In its opinion. homing pigeon cotes and
semaphOre apparatus should be installed
and steps be takeE to instruct sufficient
number of men at each one of them in the
use Of these appliances SO that the sys-
tenn may be carried on. at least experi-
mentally, until more specific arrangements
can be made for their care and mainte-
nance.
THE board is fully Of the opinion that
the general supervision of this system of
coast signal stations for naval defense
should be under the direction of the Navy
Department. each state having control
of such subsidiary stations as may exist
or be established within its limits. 1t is
suggested tina, the naval militia can very
properly take charge of all the lines of
communication within their districts: keep
In touch with the men and prepare plans
for the rapid connection of all stations
with the long-distance telephone and tele-
graph system of the country: further.
that they make such arrangements with
the different telegraph companies as will
enable them to keep their Information up to
date and be able to report all changes to
the Navy Department. Any scheme of this
Iature Will. of course, require the coop
Grafton of the Treasury Department.
1t Is believed as essential to the Sic
cess of this scheme that some extra COM
rensation should be awarded to the men
that may be called upon to take charge
of and manipulate the plant at the va
rious stations The board does not deem
IL within its province to go into the de-
tails of either pigeon cotes or other meth
DDS of signaling. The cost of the system
will be comparatively light. Pigeon cotes
now exist at Portsmouth,, Newport, New
York, Norfolk. Key West and Mare Island
1t Is proposed by the board to utilize the
following life-savipg stations for signal
purposes: Machias. White Head. Me-: the
Highland lights. Cape Cod. Chatham Shin
necock. L. L.. Fire Island and the U. S. S.
New Hampshire. headquarters of the LIST
Battalion. New York Naval Militia. Also
the stations OF Barnegat. Atlantic City
Assateague, Cape Hatteras, Wilmington,
Tybee Island. St. Augustine Jupiter Inlet
Tampa bay. Pensacola. Port Eads Calves
ton. San Diego. Fort Candy and Cape Flat
terry"