The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-10-28
sUEz CANAL SIGNAL SYSTEM.
The Devices. save In Exceptional Cases.
Mork Perfectly.

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In the large office at Terrepleln there
Il almost perfect silence. though tho
employees are working steadily. each al
bis especial task Sometimes there are
na many NJ forty ships In the canal az
one time and the slightest mistake Ia
signaling between the stations might
lead to serious consequences. declares
tho New Haven Register. All these
vessels. whether they are In the mar
rOweat cutting. whether they are NOV
Ing along at full steam through the
twenty-threo miles Of deep water In
the Great Bitter lakes. or whether they
are leaving the canal at Port Said. are
under the direction Of the man who sits
at his desk In the ONCE AZ Terrepiein.
The method Of working the canal II in
genioua, yet comparatively simple. At
ono side Of the room against the wall
IL a narrow shelf. along which runs a
groove. At intervals this groove has
deep receaaes. which In two places are
much larger than they are elsewhere
The groove represents the canal and
the rocesaea the sldlngs. the two large
ones being the Great Bitter lakes and
Lake Tlmsah when vessel has
been signaled and d about to enter the
oanal-at the Suoz end. Tor example
toy boat or model about four inches
long IL chosen 20 represent her. A
group OF those little models stand
ready near the model canal and each
one Ia furnished with a Tag to denote
ita nationality The English nag IA
naturally the prcdominaiing enaigu.
though all countries are provided for.
As the real steamer approaches and her
name becomes known II ~ written on a
slip of paper and placed on the toy
boat The number Of ships actually In
the canal can thus be- seen At a glance.
and also the exact positions In which
they are situated Tor. ~ the telo-
graphic signals give notice Of each YES
sells progress. hcr toy representative
u moved along placed IN a siding or
shown crossing one Of the lakes. Sig
nails are sent from this Office 10 the
various "EarcH," or stations. naming
the siding at which each chip must
stop and walt to let another pass n.
The Official on duty moves the models
according TO his dispatches. and when
two vessels going In opposite dlrec-
lions are nearing tho SHINE siding he
warns their pilots by means OF the sig
nal balls and nags at each station,
which he controls from the ohice. and
indicates which Of tho two IN 10 give
way TO the other. The arrangement.
except IN the case OF occasional aecl.
dent, works perfectly. The clerk can
tell In moment tho name. nationality, /
tonnage. draught ana precise position
Of every ship In the canal. he knows
who her pilot H.. how fast she Ii NOV
ing her breadth Of beam and various
other details, and he has absolute con.
troll Of her every movement. Most Of
the suez pilots are Of Greek origin.
though Engllahmcn aud men Of other
nationalltlos are occasionally met The
pilots chief duty ~ TO prescribe the
rate Of speed no the officers Of YES.
sci would have really no difficulty In
taking her through the canal without
guidance. In the narrow cuts the speed
Ia limited 10 ak miles an hour. but
vessels may proceed much faster In the
lake sections Two pilots are always
employed for ono goes on aud a sec,
ond comes ON at lsmallia. on Lake
Timsah.