The Banner-Democrat., 1898-08-13

q xarh1 used 0l1aeGy = 1ees<eu = ~
II BeoaEo Glezsa,d o!osel llzlles1
ea6nsls ~ M5er W4sSa aex1eslas
1 Il ! naval battle, th6 snccees a
in{lure Of feet may depend on keep
tne open communication between The
| different vessels Of the pqnGdron en-
gagged. Owing ~ t4G iact that the
surface q The aea w661d dften be OBJ
scurad 81 III smoke ol battle, the diff
l.66ult4 81 MS IL apparent and naval
l,experts have been kept busy devising
some method by which the flagship
lean communicate with the other yes
sells Of squadron at all times and un-
| der all conditions. So far, nothing
| has been put in general service which
meets this demand, but lately there
lhaye been experiments with tele
phone which, it is said, can be used
without wires, by which signals can
be projected by vibrator on one ves-
sci against receiver on another. The
Navy Department is keeping the de-
tails of this new system carefully to
itself, as it desires to have the inven-
d lion for the exclusive use of our own
ships in battle.
The present method of communica-
ton is by the use of flags representing
numerals, which are displayed in the
rigging; by the use of the Ardois sys-
tenn Of lights for night work, by the
Myer code of wigwag signals, and by
the use of the heliograph. As it is OF
the utmost importance that the enemy
should not read the message, the sig
nal books on board q vessel are pro-
tected with the greatest care, and
are destroyed along with the cipher
code whenever it is seen that capture
is inevitable. The semaphore system
in use in the British Navy was tried
for time aboard some of our vessels,
but it never became popular, and has
been abandoned.
In signalling by the navy code the
sentence to be sent is looked up In the
code book and its corresponding num-
; ber is obtained. This number is never
more than four figures, on account OF
the necessity of setting the signal with
: the least delay. The number having
been obtained, the quartermaster in
charge of the signal chest proceeds to
bend the flags representing the numer.
ais to the signal halliards, 80 as to
read from the top down. These flags
8 represent the numerals from l to
: and 0, and there is triangular pen.
nant termed repeater, which is used
in o combination where one or more
numerals recur. The numbers refel
to those found in the general sigma
book, in which are printed all the
!. words, phrases and sentences neces
,. sary to frame an order, make an in
. quiry, indicate geographical position
! or signal compass course. Answer
: ing, interrogatory, preparatory, an.
geographical pennants form part o
!. this code; also telegraph, danger, des
: patch, and quarantine flags.
: The signal, having been prepared
= Is hoisted and left flying until th
: vessel to which the message has beel
: sent signifies that it is understood b,
hoisting what is called the answerin
II pennant. If the number hoisted b
8. the flagship is preparatory order 10
te q feet movement it is left flying Unit
Is all the vessels of the feet have an
swered and then is pulled down, th
act of pulling the signal down bein
20 understood as the command for th
10 execution of the movemant just con
~ municated.
It is often necessary for man-o
= war to communicate with merchal
,. vessel or with some other warshi
belonging to foreign country. F.
this purpose the international code
y also carried in the signal chest. The
signals are those In general use by 9
the merchant navies of the world +
communication by day at sea. The
is are eighteen flags and code pennan
re corresponding to consonants Of the Q
to phabet, omitting x and 2. The CO..
pennant is always used with the
:" signals.
1T. If message is to be sent at mig
al the ardois system Of night sigma
ng with which all our vessels carrying
ds electric plant are fitted, is employe
zee These signals consist, essentially,
five groups of double lamps, the t.
cir lamps in each group containing
Ia CanQeSc6Qt eleCbTlC ldlupc, ouu oAo
to ing white and red respectively.
or the combination of these lights Il
ire tors can be formed, and so letter
mt letter word and thence an order c
Is be spelled out for the guidance of
ships of o squadron. These lamps
RTE suspended on Stay in the riggiI
lat and are worked by keyboard fr
rs. the upper bridge.
On the smaller ships Of the servi
! I those which are not fitted with elect
The lighting, Very's night signals
nv used. This set includes the imI
led ments for firing and recharging
vas signals. The latter show as green {
hat red stars on being projected from
NV pistols made for them. The CON
onr nation of red and green in vari
,er- ways is used to express the numb'
ote from to 9 and 0. SO that the numb'
ice to four digits, contained in the sig
ms book, may be displayed.
as The tMyer wigwag system is I
8 ployed either by day or night. Fl
ave and torches are employed. The
a a. cial flag is red field with 81
white square in the centre; the III
- ficial flag is the same with the col
reversed. The operator, having
~ tracted the attention Of the ship wi
~ is to be signalled by waving the
RI or torch from right to left, transl