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

TT one places ones self In the position
of radio operator aboard passenger
ship one must answer a particular
question from passengers almost every
VOYAGE. They ask: You must be able
to read foreign languages, I suppose"
Your reply is: ut isn't necessary. And
they quiz again: We'll, how can you
communicate with foreign ship?' Then
YOU point to three-letter combination
in a code and the passenger exclaims;
"Oh, I see"
Those three letters meant the possibility
OF international communication "neli
enthusiastically came into universal use.
They meant that, although neither can
sneak the language of the other, an
American can communicate with a
Frenchman or a German with an Itanaii'
or a Norwegian. with an Englishman:
In other words, they mean system Oh
communication that is universal.
For instance, if the operator on an
American vessel wishes to talk Win Inc
operator on an Italian vessel. ne sehos
out the signal, "P. R. b. TRANSLATED
this means: IT wish to communicate ny
means of the international code OF Sig
nails The two operators have tnere-
fore only to secure their respective code
books from which they can select an
almost endless array of such comoiha-
lions to express their thoughts and I'M
derstand each other.
Prior to the universal use OF radio
biography, the international cooe u
signals was the mariners Esperanto VI
the universal means of commuhicalioii
at sea by flags of certain designs. Eacn
flag represented a letter Of the alphaoet'
and various combinations Of these let
ters. such as the "P. R. B." Represented
certain words or phrases by which the
thoughts of one person could De COIL
municated to another person OF oiiefeh'
nationality though neither coulo speaA
graphy has done is simply to Apply ule
two. three or four letter combinalons 10
IT'S own use so that 1t becomes also d
form of mariners Esperanto.
Thus with the advent OF radloteieeraphy
the international code has become dou-
hIe factor of safety Of life at sea- The
code itself was designed for that purpose
because the first of such signals displayed
nv vessels In distress called for aid ana
secured it by the acknowledged coihiiioii
law OF the high seas. Back In the Gays
of the galley slaves the pilots OF those
huge barges used flags Of various shapes
and colors with which to speak with pass.
ing vessels and the signaling system OF
today. while not built upon the same sys-
tenn. was founded upon the same idea.
In those days they used only eight hass;
today there are twenty-seven flags IN use.
When one considers that the uses to
which this code can be applied are almost
endless. it is not amiss to state that its
present perfected condition has come
only through a gradual succession Of
changes that have covered scores of
years in their steps of advancement
From the crude systems Of the earlier
mart of the nineteenth century the nucleus
or the present code was formed by the
Elder Brethren Of Trinity House. London,
and the British board Of trade in the
early flfties Both of these institutions
are considered authorities in merchant
marine matters in England and for years
were so considered by the world. These
man promptly discarded that which was