The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-21
SIGNALS IN SEA FIGHTS.
Means of Communication Used by Our
Warships.


open communicated between the dine
rent vessels OF the squadron engaged.
Owing 10 the fact that the surface Oh
the sea would often be obscured by tho
smoke OF battle, the difficulty OF this Is
apparent. and naval experts nave peeh
kept busy devising some method Dy
which the flagship can communicate
with the other vessels Of squadron at
all times and under all codaltiohs' %
far nothing has been put In general
service which meets this dtmand, but
latelv there have been experiments with
a telephone which, Il is said, can be
used without wires, by which signals
can be projected by a vibrator on one
vessel against a receiver on another
Tho Navy Department IS keeping the
details OF this new system carefully 10
itself, as II desires 10 have the invention
for the exclusive use or our own shlps
IN battle.
The present method OF communication
Is by the use OF flags representing num-
erals. which are displayed In the rigging;
by the use OF the Adds system or llghts
for night work: by the Myer code or
wigwag signals. and by the use OF the
heliograph. AS II is OF the utmost i'm
nortance that tho enemy should not
read the message. the signal books on
board vessel are protected with the
greatest care. and are destroyed along
with the cipher code whenever IL is seen
that capture is inevitable. inc soma
phore system in use in the British Navy
was tried for a time aboard some OF
our vessels. but Il never became popular
and has been abandoned.
In signaling by the navy code tne sen
tence TO be sent IS looked up In the code
book and its corresponding number is
obtained. This number Is never more
tina four figures, on account OF lle
necessity of setting the signal with the
least delay The number having peeh
obtained. the quartermaster IN charge
Of the signal chest proceeds TO Dend the
flags representing the numerals 10 inc
signal halhards, so as to read from the
ton down. These flags represent the
numerals from / to and 0, and there Is
a triangular pennant termed repeater
which IS used I'm n combination where
one or more numerals recur. me num-
hers refer TO those found in the general
signal book IN witch arc printed an
tho words phrases and sentences heces-
sary 10 frame an order, make an inquiry
Indicate a geographical position or sis-
nal a compass course Ans" ei'iis, -,
terrocatory, preparatory, and geosraph-
ical remnants form part OF this code:
also telegram, danger, despatch ana
quarantine flags. T.
The signal having been prepared, Is
hoisted and left flying until the Nessel
TO which the message mas been sent
signifies that II Is understood by holaI-
ing what IS called the answering PEN
nant. Ii the number hoisted by the nag
ship Is a preparatory order lot a meet
movement II is left flying until all the
vessels of the fleet have answered ana
then is pulled down, the act or pulling
the signal down beng UNDERSTOOD as lue
command for the execution OF the move
ment just communicated.
II IS often necessary for man-ot-War
10 communicate witt merchant Neaaei
| or with some other warship belonging 10
a foreign country For this purpose une
international code Is also carried IN lIls
SIGNAL chest. These signals are those IN
general use by aE tho merchant navles
OF the world for communication py Jay
| at sea. There are eighteen hags ana a
| code remnant. corresponding To conson-
| ants of the alphabet, emitting y and H.
| The code pennant Is always used WIN
| these signals. ,.1s. a..
II "a message IS to be sent at night The
| Ardois system OF night signals Win
which all our vessels carrying an e4ec-
| trio plant are fitted, IS employed Ihe9o
| signals consist. essentially, OF hNe groups
! al double lamps. the two lamps In eacn
!
! lamps. and showing white ana red tespoc-
| tiveiv. Nv the combination OF these Hghls
! letters can be formed. and 50 letter oy
/ letter a word and thence an order can
be spelt out for the guidance Oh the sh'ps
| 81 "a squadron. These lamps are sus-
| ne,ded on a stay IN the rigging, and are
worked by a keyboard from the upper
| bridge. ,,...,s
The Meyer wigwag system IS employed
! either by day or by nlght' rags anu
| torches are employed. The oflclal nag
~ red 0eld with a small white square
| Z, The center. the unofficial fias Is the
! same with the colors reversed. Inc
onerator. having attracted the attention
| Of the ship which IS 10 be signalea py
waving the flag or torch from rlsnt 20
| loft transmits his message by motions
| right. left and front, each motlon re-
presenting an element Of a letter OF ths
| alphabet. the letter bsng mace UP u
| from one TO four motions
! When circumstances permit, the memo
Fraph is sometimes used. Inc rays oil
| the sun are thrown by system or mir
rors 10 the point win which 1t is desired
10 communicate. and then interrupted by
means of a shutter. making dots and
| dsshes as used in the Morse telegraph
| code This system is used only when
( onerations ashore are going on, as the
| rolling OF the ship WOulu prevent NAe
| concentration OF the suns rays.
The present system Of Nag signaling
are products OF experience In the past
| and are the natural growth OF the cruder
| Gag system I'm use in the war or lsl2 anc
| in the civil war. There have been some
! cbonees In the construction OF flags, anc
| the scope OF communication mas beer
| enlarged but otherwise our foretathers
| talked al sea In much the same way tnal
we do now. OF course the Ardois hgh'
! signal is something very modern. IL
old times they communicated at night
elmer with colored lights or by torches
but as there was no alphabetical code
I'm those days the process was by means
| of flashes representing numbers In th'
signal book and II was long and tedious
How well the present flag and wigwae
signals will work during an engagement
remains to be discovered; but II they
fail attempts can still be made TO com
| municate by the ships whistle or by
written messages displayed on black
boards II occasion offers. In case OF an
enemy appearing on our coast, arrange
! ments nave been made 10 notify the
nearest body OF troops or the com
mander OF whatever ships may be al
hand. For this purpose towers have
been erected at intervals. and telegraph
wires leading from one 10 the other have
been strung.-Nsw York Sun.