Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29

appropriated that which promised to be
used with the least chance Of mistakes.
In fact, the present code is 80 solid in its
foundation that it is one of its remark
able features.
The first act of Trinity House in the
formation of this code was to select such
flags as could be best seen under all con-
ditions of light and weather. Under the
conditions they used only five colors, red.
yellow, blue, white and black. These
were arranged into various designs of
the most striking patterns and shaped
into flags of three different outlines. the
square, the pennant and the double-tailed
burgee.
At first only the consonant letters OF
the alphabet were used. one nag. pennant
or burgee representing a letter The
whole system numbered only twenty-one
flags, but the various combinations pro-
duced by two, three or four letter signals
enabled them to formulate code or
5000 different signals representing as
many words, phrases or sentences.
In later years many revlsions OF the
code were made The progress of the
shipping industry required them, for with
the improvements OF steam propulsion
new marine terms were coined and new
signals were necessary. When the total
combinations reached the 5000 mark and
a further revision became necessary the
Elder Brethren requested the maritime
nations of the world to send representa-
tiyes to Join them in conference look
ing to the enlargement and perfection of
the code.
1t was this and later conferences which
resulted in the present perfected code
which now covers all the needs OF any
conversation that might be desired. At
the present time there are flags repre-
senting every letter in the alphabet, both
vowels and consonants, which, when
placed In various combinations, show
list of 1O.5OO, representing that many
words and sentences.
1t was only the most careful study Of
the needs of the mariner by these au-
thorities that the present code has been
devised, and its perfected state has come
only by revisions and changes suggested
by actual practice. One glance through
such a book reveals to the most con-
firmed landsman simplicity of arrange
ment that enables him to take the code
at once and translate a message to or
from it. The book itself, comprising
about 4sO pages, Is printed In two col.
umns, one containing the combination OF
letters that signifies the code. the other
consisting of the translations opposite
each combina ton.
The book is divided into three parts.
consisting of two-letter. three-letter and
four-letter combinations. The first part
contains the urgent and important sig
nails. Just to indicate with what an eye
to thoroughness in detail this code was
constructed, the messages to be trans
lated in this section-that is, those re-
curing rapid action as a matter of life
or death-consist of the two-letter COM
binations, and therefore those which are
the easiest handled. For instance, the
combination of IN o. stands for the
translation: II am sinking. Send all
available boats to save passengers and
crew" These signals are mostly related
to vessels in distress. but portion of
them are also used to denote tables of
money, weights. barometric readings and
time reports.