The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1910-01-07
THE ATLANTIC LINERS
Signs, Signals and Flags Used by
the Various Companies.
c0LoRS OF THE BIG TUNNELS

In Come Cases They Are Very Mu:h
Alike, but the Night Lights Used BY
| the Vessels CT the Different Lines
Are Quite Distinctive.
1t is said that but comparatively few
| Of the many thousands of persons that
each year patronize the various lines
of steamships crossing the Atlantic
are familiar with the various distin-
gushing signs and signals employed by
the vessels of the respective compa-
MES. Yet it Is very easy thing to
tell at glance to what line any given
ship belongs-the American line, for
instance.
About all that one must remember in
the case of the vessels of our own line
is that the tunnels are black, each with
its white band. When you see an At
lantic liner at night with blue light
forward, red light anlidships and a
blue light aft you know at once that
she is of the American line.
All Cunarders show a red funnel
with black rings and black top,
while the night signals consist of a
blue light and two roman candles.
each throwing out six blue balls.
There are but two of the leading
transatlantic lines the ships of which
carry cream colored funnels-the North
German Lloyd end the Holland-Amer-
lea lines. The first employs perfect
ly plain funnel without any other
color than cream, and the latter shows
a cream funnel with white band and
green borders. Signals displayed at
night by these lines are in the case of
the North German Lloyd, two blue red
lights, one forward and one aft, and, in
the case Of the Holland-America line,
green light forward and aft, with
white light under the bridge.
Two lines use buff tunnels, the White
Star and the Hamburg-American, the
difference between the two being that,
while the former shows black top,
the latter is plain buff throughout.
White Star night signals are two green
lights flashed simultaneously.
Quite O number of lines carry black
funnels-the American with white
band, as mentioned above; the Anchor,
which is entirely black; the Bristol,
with a variegated and fancy touch, the
black smokestack being relieved by q
white band in the center and blue
star in the middle of the white band.
In the regular service of the Hamburg
American line, as distinguished from
the express service, we find that the
color Is plain black, while the Red
Star is black with a white band and
a black top.
The Scandinavian-American and the
Wilson lines have red and black fun
nels, black in the first case with red
top and red funnel with a black top
inthe second.
The red funnel of the French line
has black top similar to the tunnels
Of other lines, but with different pro-
portions of color. On this line the
night signals are blue light forward,
white light amidshlps and red
light aft, forming the French tricolor.
At night the Anchor line of vessels
shows a white light, then q red. The
Bristol displays a green light only.
The Hamburg-American ships for both
services, regular and express, show
two red-white-blue lights in quick sue
cession at the stern. The Red Star
displays three red lights, one forward,
one aft and one amidships, all flashed
together. The Scandinavian line en-
ploys one white-red, followed by one
red-white light, and the Wilson puts
out two red lights about sixty feet
apart.
1t will be observed from the fore
going that the night signals of all the
different lines vary, while the tunnels
in some cases are very similar. This
however, does not lead to confusion,
for III determining the line to which
vessel belongs one must also take
into consideration the flag or pennant
she flies. Every line, of course, car.
ries a different "house flag" as it is
called.
The flag Of the Cunard line is red
with q golden lion in the center, while
that Of the White Star vessels is OF
the same color, but swallowtail in
shape and containing a white star
The house flag Of the Red Star line Is
| exactly the same as that of the White
Star company with the colors reversed
flag white, star red
The flag of the Hamburg-Americar
line is an elaborate affair-white and
blue diagonally quartered with black
anchor and a yellow shield in the cen
ter. The North German Lloyd flag Is
q handsome one, showing design OF
key and an anchor crossed in the
center of laurel wreath In blue on q
white field
The Atlantic Transport line flies q
pretty flag of red, white and blue hori
zontal bars. with stars.-Edwin Tor
| risse in Cincinnati Commercial Trib