be it English, or German, or Norwegian, or what not, "I am short of provisions." He knows immediately that the signalling ship is in want of provisions of some sort, and he can act accordingly.

THE NEW CODE.

The International Code of Signals, first issued in 1854, has been continually undergoing revision in a small way by a Committee of which the Registrar-General of Seamen was the chairman; but in process of time the blanks in the Signal Book became filled up, and suggestions were made by some foreign Governments which were not altogether acceptable to other countries. The questions involved thus became too large to be dealt with by a small inter-departmental Committee, and a larger Committee was appointed, to carefully consider the whole matter. In January, 1889, this Committee issued their first report with a revised edition of the Code, but no change of any importance was made, the Committee confining themselves to excising obsolete signals, and replacing them by other signals which were demanded by modern requirements. No addition was made to the number of the Code flags, which still remained at eighteen. This revised edition was forwarded to the foreign maritime powers, and to the British Colonies, and a statement showing the nature of the replies received was printed with the second report, which was issued in July, 1892.

In April, 1897, the third and final report of the Committee was issued. The most important suggestion received by the Committee originated with the French Government, who applied a most careful examination to the Committee's work, and printed a very valuable pamphlet embodying their views upon the subject. This suggestion, which was that two new flags representing the letters "X" and "Z" should be added to the existing number of Code flags, was supported by some of the other maritime nations. It was found that the addition of two new flags would necessitate re-writing practically the whole Code, and it was then resolved to go still further, and to add, not only flags representing the letters "X" and "Z,” but also flags to represent all the vowels of the alphabet. This,

66

therefore, has now been done. Vowels were not introduced originally, for the reasons stated in the original report upon the existing Code.

The increased utility of the proposed new Code through the addition of eight new flags is astonishing. The possible permutations of 18 flags is 78,660; the possible permutations of 26 flags is 375,076, or nearly five times as many as can be made by 18 flags. The number of two-flag signals may be more than doubled, and three-flag signals trebled, whilst five times as many signals can be made with four flags. The advantages of the proposed additional flags were deemed so important that the Committee have not hesitated to adopt them, although the step involves the abandonment of the Code suggested by them in 1889, and the preparation of an entirely new Signal Book. The great advantage of the new Code, therefore, will be that no general signal will contain more than three flags in a hoist, and that there will be an extensive addition to the number of two-flag signals. All the two-flag signals are now Urgent and Important Signals, the letter "N," which is so well known all over the world as a distress signal, being still retained specially for vessels in distress. Compass Signals in the new Code are given in degrees, instead of in points and half-points, as in the present Code, and the bearings are true instead of being magnetic; but the bearings in points and half points are, however, still given besides, with magnetic bearings, should they be preferred.

Several important signals can be made by one flag between vessels towing and vessels being towed, the flag being held in the hand, and only shown just above the gunwale. Otherwise the one-flag signals have not been extended, from the fear that they might be mistaken for house-flags; but the Code pennant has been utilized to make a large number of two-flag signals, and such flags as have a special meaning by themselves, as B (the gunpowder flag), or L and Q (the quarantine flags), with the pennant over them, will retain the meaning that they have at present. The Spelling Signals have been very much improved and enlarged, as also is the case with the Geographical Signals. The new Burgee flag "A" has been utilized, together with the present "B" Burgee, as the distinguishing flag of the signal.

The very large number of places on the coasts of the various countries of the world which have sprung into notice during the last few decades is so great that there was probably no part of the old Code which more required revision than that containing the Geographical Signals, and although additions had from time to time been made, yet they entirely failed to render the list of names of places even approximately complete. The Geographical Section of the new Code contains something like 10,000 names of places, or about three times as many as appear in the present Code, and includes the name of practically every sea-coast place of any importance; and, following a suggestion of the Danish authorities, a special sign is to be added to the names of places at which life-saving stations have been established.

No change has been made in the colours of the flags in the existing Code, except "F," which it is proposed shall have a white cross instead of a white ball, as at present, and "L," which is to be changed from blue and yellow squares to black and yellow. This change will, doubtless, be appreciated by seamen generally, as L and K are constantly mistaken for each other.

Under the heading of "Distant Signals," at the beginning of Part II. of the new Code, three different modes of signalling are given, viz. by balls, cones, and drums; by balls, flags, and pennants; and by the semaphore. Of these three systems the only one which is new to the Signal Book of the International Code is the first-balls, cones, and drums-and this is the system which in the opinion of the Committee is the most likely to prove of immediate use to the Mercantile Marine. Signals made by balls, cones, and drums cannot only be distinguished at much greater distances than those made by hoists of flags, but they are much less liable to be affected by atmospheric conditions and the absence or direction of the wind. Three balls, two cones, and one drum, are all the apparatus that is required, and the gear is both less expensive and far more durable than flags. This system, although given under the heading of "Distant Signals," being equally applicable at close quarters, will probably meet with the approval of owners of small craft who might very naturally be afraid of the

additional cost of the new and more extensive code. Although the new Code will mean an additional cost at first for all concerned, yet in the long run there is not likely to be much difference, since there will be less wear and tear in doing the same amount of work, as the signals will be made with fewer flags.

The arrangement of the Signal Book has been well thought out and planned. To facilitate rapidity in looking out a signal in the general vocabulary, all the principal words in sentences are given, even at the expense of repetition; and not only do the various words in that vocabulary which form headings follow one another in alphabetical sequence, as in the old Code, but the different words and phrases coming under the various headings are also arranged in alphabetical order.

The Committee recommend that the use of the new Code shall come into operation on January 1, 1900—a date sufficiently remote as to admit of the Code being translated into foreign languages. From the commencement of the year 1900 no further copies of the existing Code will be issued; and after December 31, 1901, it is proposed that the old Code shall be considered as obsolete, and that signals from it should be disregarded.

THE RULE OF THE ROAD

379

shifting; and if these precautions have not been taken, the master of the ship and any agent of the owner who was charged with the loading of the ship, or the sending of her to sea, is each liable to a fine not exceeding three hundred pounds.

No one may send by any British vessel any dangerous goods, that is to say any aquafortis, vitriol, naphtha, benzine, gunpowder, lucifer matches, nitro-glycerine, petroleum, or any kind of explosives, without distinctly marking the nature of the goods on the outside of each package, under a penalty not exceeding one hundred pounds. In the case of a person who was merely an agent in the shipment of any such goods, and who was not aware of the dangerous nature of the goods, and who did not suspect, and who had no reason to suspect, that they were dangerous, that person is liable to a fine of ten pounds.

THE RULE OF THE ROAD.

Many regulations have been laid down with a view to preventing collisions at sea, and the aggregate of these regulations form what is technically known as the "Rule of the Road"-a subject fraught with a certain amount of difficulty even to the mariner, and probably with considerably more to the lay reader. Speaking broadly, under ordinary circumstances, when two stcam-vessels pass in close proximity to each other they should pass each other on the port (or left) hand, precisely as on shore when pedestrians meet, they pass each other on the left. But if our pedestrian, whenever he met another had to consider on which tack the other man was—whether he had the wind on his right hand or his left, or whether it was at his back, and had also to take into consideration a variety of other conditions, a large amount of complexity would be imported into a proceeding which we now perform intuitively. Happily, with the man in the street the direction of the wind is of no possible moment, but in the case of approaching ships-that is to say, of approaching sailingships-it has much to do, and necessarily enters largely into the consideration of the subject, and very materially affects the course to be pursued by either vessel.

The rules at present in force are prescribed by an Order in