COMMERCIAL CODE OF SIGNALS. 395 ADAPTATION of the FRENCH SEMAPHORIC SYSTEM to the COMMERCIAL CODE for making DISTANT SIGNALS. N.B.-The Disc at top of the mast remains in the position indicated below whilst Signals are being made by this Code. EXAMPLES.-MDG. "Leave the Buoy or Beacon to port." BOAT SIGNALS. The Symbols to be employed are 1. Two square flags or pieces of cloth. 3. Two balls, bundles, or hats. By means of the above Symbols, all the Signals of the Distant Signal Code may be made as shown below. Handkerchiefs, Hats, Buckets, or Baskets may be used in making these Signals; and if no mast, pole, or spar is handy, these Signals can be made by holding the hat, bundle, or other symbol at arm's length. The Signals will be made from right to left, and be read off from left to right. "Stop" or Finish after each complete Signal. NOTE 1.-It is necessary, however, in using the proper means to attract attention, to avoid those which may occasion confusion. NOTE 2.-The rule for making Boat Signals will, perhaps, be better understood as follows: Boat Signals are made by the first man stretching his left arm out, the second man to stand at the left hand of the first, and so on in order. The Signals are to be read in the same order as a person would read his own name. EXTRACTS FROM THE MERCHANT SHIPPING Aст, 1873. Candidates will be questioned on the following subjects. “The record of the draught of water of any sea-going ship required under section five of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1871, shall, in addition, to the particulars thereby required, specify the extent of her clear side in feet and inches. “The term 'clear side' means the height from the water to the upper side of the plank of the deck from which the depth of hold as stated in the register is measured, and the measurement of the clear side is to be taken at the lowest part of the side. "Every master of a sea-going ship shall, upon the request of any person appointed to record the ship's draught of water, permit such person to enter the ship and to make such inspections and take such measurements as may be requisite for the purpose of such record, and any Master who fails so to do, or impedes or suffers any one under his control to impede any person so appointed in the execution of his duty, shall for each offence incur a penalty not exceeding £5. "Signals of Distress. "In the Daytime.-The following signals, numbered 1, 2, and 3, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be signals of distress in the daytime : “1. A gun fired at intervals of about a minute; "2. The International Code signal of distress indicated by N C; "3. The distant signal, consisting of a square flag having either above or below it a ball, or anything resembling a ball. "At Night.-The following signals, numbered 1, 2, and 3, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be signals of distress at night : "1. A gun fired at intervals of about a minute; 66 "2. Flames on the ship (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, &c.); 66 "3. Rockets or shells, of any colour or description, fired one at a time at short intervals. "Signals to be made by Ships wanting a Pilot. "In the Daytime.-The following signals, numbered 1 and 2, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be signals for a Pilot in the daytime, viz. :— "1. To be hoisted at the fore, the Jack or other national colour usually worn by Merchant ships, having round it a white border, one fifth of the breadth of the flag; or, "2. The International Code pilotage signal indicated by P T. "At Night.-The following signals, numbered 1 and 2, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be signals for a Pilot at night, viz. : "1. The pyrotechnic light, commonly known as a blue light, every fifteen minutes; or, "2. A bright white light, flashed or shown at short or frequent intervals just above the bulwarks, for about a minute at a time." 228.-THE LAWS OF STORMS. Cyclones are great storms which obey certain rules called the Laws of Storms. These laws can hardly be said to be fully established, there being certain difficulties connected with them which are not yet cleared up. FIRST LAW. The wind in a cyclone revolves round a centre, and describes a curve of a spiral, or circular, form; and the velocity of the wind increases as the centre is approached, until very near it, where there is a space subject to calms, and sudden and violent squalls. The direction of revolution is against the hands of a watch in North latitude, but with them in South latitude. An excellent teacher of Navigation gave the writer the following as "the simplest rule for remembering the direction in which a cyclone revolves, is to recollect, that the wind always blows from the West on the side of the cyclone nearest to the equator, whether the latitude be North or South.". See the annexed figure, where the arrows fly in the direction of the wind. N. LAT. S.LAT. EQUATOR. SECOND LAW. The cyclone has a progressive motion. An idea of this twofold motion may be obtained by observing a coach wheel, which revolves on its axletree as it rolls along the ground; but there is this important difference, that the part of the wheel farthest from the axletree has the greatest velocity, while the contrary is the case with the cyclone. To find the bearing of the centre of a cyclone. Turn your back to the wind; then, In the Northern hemisphere, the centre of the cyclone will be to your left hand; but in the Southern, the centre will be to your right hand. In both cases, at right angles to the direction of the wind. To find the path of the centre of a cyclone. The following instance will illustrate this problem :The writer was in command of a ship about 100 miles from the coast of Portugal, bound to Falmouth. The wind was light from the south, but it gradually increased to a gale, and sail was reduced accordingly. The wind still increased until it became a furious storm, still from the south; it then flew suddenly from the N.W. and took the ship aback, and in a few minutes did both vessel and cargo a considerable amount of damage. The writer did not, at that time, understand the laws of storms; but on thinking the matter over afterwards, he perceived that the damage might have been avoided by acting according to these laws; thus, The wind being from the south, then by the first law the centre bore west; and the wind increasing, the same law showed that the centre was coming nearer the ship. Hence the path of the ship being North, that of the storm would be somewhere between North and East; thus the two paths would cross each other and the centre would pass over, or near, the ship, and place her in great peril, which was the case. Had the ship been hove to, with her head to the E.S.E., she would have drifted from the centre, and would have come up and bowed the sea, instead of being taken aback, and falling into the trough of it, when the wind flew from the N.W. Take the following as another example:-Suppose a ship in North latitude be moving slowly, and the wind blowing furiously from the S.W.; then the centre will bear N.W. If now the wind change to W.; then the centre will bear N. Place a If the strength of the wind do not change, it may be assumed that the centre is at the same distance from the ship at both observations. parallel ruler over the extremities of the N.W. and N. points of a compass; then the edge of the ruler shows that the path of the cyclone is to the E.N.E. If the strength of the wind decrease, it may be assumed that the centre is further from the ship at the second observation, and thus the path of the cyclone is to the N. of E.N.E. In like manner, if the strength of the wind increase, it may be assumed that the path is to the E. of E.N.E. If the ship be moving rapidly, then her course and distance must be taken into consideration. Perhaps the best rules that can be given to meet this case are as follows:If the velocity of the wind and height of the barometer remain the same, the path of the cyclone is probably parallel to that of the ship. If the velocity increase and the height diminish, the paths of the cyclone and ship will probably cross each other. If the velocity decrease and the height increase, the paths will probably diverge from each other. In South latitude, with the wind in the same directions, the path of the cyclone will be to the W.S.W. |