SIGNALS OF DISTRESS. 



275 



it would seem strange that our light -ships on dangerous sands, and our lighthouses on 

 dangerous rocks, are almost entirely without the means of proper communication with the 

 nearest shores. From the light-ship, indeed, rockets and guns are constantly fired, as we have 

 seen in many preceding examples, but fogs and heavy weather often prevent either from 

 being of service. The expense of connecting all of them with the coasts by means of 

 submarine cables might be sufficient to frighten any Government ; but some such com- 

 munication, however costly, should be made with many of those exposed and dangerous 

 spots where shipwrecks are of constant occurrence. 



Excellent authorities on maritime matters have strongly advocated the necessity for 

 the establishment of a sound system of day and night signals from all outlying lighthouses, 

 light-ships, and coastguard stations, and the laying of submarine cables to many of the 

 more prominent stations. A formula of " signals of distress " was included in the new 

 " Merchant Shipping Act of 1873," which came into operation on the 1st of November 

 of that year. Prior to that time such signals were too vague and too indiscriminately 

 used to have much value, and sometimes were calculated to mislead. Thus, in the case of 

 the Northfleet already cited, 400 of those on board were drowned, "although she was sur- 

 rounded by other ships, and the rockets which she discharged as signals of distress were 

 seen by the coastguard and life-boat men ashore, but were unheeded, it being a common 

 custom for homeward-bound ships to discharge rockets for pilots, or as feux de joie on 

 their safe return from distant lands." The following signals of distress are now required. 

 In the daytime the following signals, when used together or separately, shall be deemed 

 sufficient and proper. 1. A gun fired at intervals of about a minute. 2. The International 

 Code signal of distress. This is a square flag with chess-board pattern, blue and white, 

 having beneath it a long triangular white pennant, with a red ball in the centre. 3. The 

 distant signal, consisting of a square flag, having above or below it a ball or anything 

 resembling a ball. At night the following signals : 1. A gun fired at intervals of about 

 a minute. 2. Flames on the ship, as from a burning tar-barrel or oil-barrel, &c. 3. Rockets 

 or shells, of any colour or description, fired, one at a time, at short intervals. And " any 

 master of a vessel who uses or displays, or causes or permits any person under his authority 

 to use or display, any of the said signals, except in the case of a vessel being in distress, 

 shall be liable to pay compensation for any labour undertaken, risk incurred, or loss sus- 

 tained, in consequence of such signal having been supposed to be a signal of distress, and 

 such compensation may, without prejudice to any other remedy, be recovered in the same 



lanner in which salvage is recoverable." 



The signals for pilots are also definitely fixed as follows : By day, the " Jack " or 

 )ther national colour usually worn by merchant ships, having round it a white border, is 

 be displayed at the fore ; or the International Code pilotage signal, this consists of 



TO square flags, the upper of which is a blue flag with a white square in its centre, and 

 the lower of which is a striped flag, red, white, and blue, similar to the French flag. At 

 light, " blue lights," or bright white lights, are to be flashed at frequent intervals, just 

 ibove the bulwarks. If these signals are used for any purpose other than that for which 

 they are intended, a penalty, not exceeding twenty pounds, is incurred. Residents at, 



id visitors to, seaports and sea-side resorts will, from .the above description, be able to 



