The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-10-10
FLAG CODE
PLANNED
.Schemefor Signals
for Steamers
and Yachts.
t. W. Hebron Wants to
Follow Example of
Eastern Ports.
Yacht Club Members and Steamer
Captains Can Readily
Talk Ashore.

Following the plan adopted by the
New York and other yacht clubs, it is
possible that system of signals, US
ing the International Code flags, will
be adopted for use between the Ha-
wall Yacht Club and the steamers ply
ter-island sailing vessels as carry set
of signal flags aboard. By this means
steamers and yachts could report each
other and carry news of casualty or
other happenings to the nearest port.
Diamond Head Charlie would be
prominent go-between also in such cor
respondence.
Ex-Commodore 7. w. Hebron is the
man who has proposed the matter and
is endeavoring to carry it through.
While such code will be of great use
to the yachtsmen in their cruises and
races it should also be found valuable
W Tic SlSdlHSiS anu I1iCiC SCCiiio SOoN
prospect of the system being adopted.
Mr.. Kennedy of the Inter-Island Steam
Navigation Company has been APP
preached and is favorable to the idea
and Mr.. Wight of the Wilders Steam
ship Co. will, now he has returned, be
interviewed on the subject as soon as
possible.
The code of signals as proposed has
been drawn up by Mr.. Hebron and
consists of twenty-six messages made
plain by the display of a single flag
combinations Many of these pertain
principally to yachting but as many
more are available and valuable to both
commercial and pleasure vessels
For example A stands for Accident,
c. and D for Eyes. and No" Q calls
for a surgeon, S for a pilot, a
| launch, U a man overheard, while q to
the educated captain would tell him
| that he was running into danger.
The immediate presence of a doctor
| from shore in case of an accident to a
sailor or passenger could be procured
| by two flags reading B and q hoisted
| to the mast. The condition of the
weather, on the bar, in the channel or
| outside may all be similarly asked and
| tow, the question and answer of mail
ashore or the request Bring my mail,
or "Send a shore boat" are all easily
| told.
| Diamond Head Charlie, with the code
at his elbow, set of signal flags, a
| flag staff and halyards can ask Where
are you bound" Where are you from, -
| when did you leave such and such a
place. read the answers, wish "a
pleasant voyage" say 'Thank'you," or
receive it in short order as long as day.
| light holds.
| A hack can be ordered and he in
waiting, a residence telephoned just as
easily. With code books and flags at
| island ports the system should prove
very valuable where landings are diff
| ficult and sometimes prohibitive.
| Combinations relating to cargo can
| be readily made up. Two letter COM
| binations tell the days of the week, the
| hours and half hours, bells" through
out the day, while the various points,
bays, anchorages and ports are all
marked.
In case of adoption yachts would be
given numbers to save spelling out a
name at length and such steamers and
vessels as Joined the combine would
be similarly equipped. Compass sig
nails are provided for by three letter
combinations.
An answering pennant is used to ac-
knowledge the understanding of a sig.
nal, and is kept flying until the sig
nails are hauled down.
If ships intend to use the Interna
! tional Code in place of the H. Y. c
Code the regular signal of the ensign
hoisted over the answering pennant.
Night signals of combinations Of red
white and green superimposed in va
rious ways would be used to designat
a craft belonging to the Hawaii zach
, Club, the Wilders Steamship Co., tn
I Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co. o
) such agents of island going vessels a
} enter the agreement.
II -~%~