210
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
for international purposes are brought within
the limit of the three-flag signals.

The nature of a signal told by the form of the
hoist.

The character of a signal may generally be
distinguished by the form of the hoist, whether
composed of two, three, or four flags, and by
observing whether a burgee, pendant, or
square flag is uppermost in the hoist.

Mode of distinguishing ship's names by signal.

One of the most important elements in the
new Code is the opportunity afforded of distin-
guishing every vessel, by a separate signal
exclusively appropriated to itself, and always
composed of four symbols-the uppermost
symbol being always a square flag.

Hitherto it has been found very difficult to
make known the identity of passing ships to
each other, or to signal stations, in order that
they may be reported in the Shipping Lists,
for the information of those concerned, not only
because many vessels, even those belonging to
the same port, bear the same name (there are
upwards of two hundred " Mary's" for instance),
but because ships are continually changing
their character with change of ownership; and
it has always been necessary to follow up the
signal denoting a vessel's name, with some
further particulars, such as port of regis-
try, name of master, destined port, &c.
This of course necessitated the exhibition of
two or three successive signals, of perhaps five
flags in a row, the lower one often obscured or
unintelligible. Henceforth every British
Registered ship may make her number by one
display of four flags, in the following manner.

Signals for ships names

Under the provisions of the Merchant Ship-
ping Act, every vessel has an appropriated
special number, which, together with her
original name, remains invariable, through all
changes of port or of ownership.

These official numbers are placed in order in
the shipping lists, against the vessels to which
they belong, together with their four signal
letters corresponding with four of the code
flags, the numbers being successively, and the
signal letters alphabetically arranged, after the
manner of a dictionary. Any number, or the
letters appropriated to it, can be easily found;
and there is besides an alphabetical list of
vessels, with their official numbers, for reference.

Mercantile Navy List.

This voluminous shipping list, which enume-
rates upwards of thirty thousand British ves-
sels, and is intended to include foreign vessels
also, will be annually revised, so as to keep it
correct, by adding new vessels and striking out
those which cease to exist. For this reason it
is published apart from the Signal Book, being,
in fact, its necessary yearly appendage under
the title of "The Mercantile Navy List."

And in order that new vessels proceeding on
voyages between the periods of annual publica-
tions may have the benefit of the new system
at once, monthly supplements will be issued,
the contents of each preceding supplement being

included in the subsequent supplement, and the
whole incorporated in the annual book at the
end of the year. Another practical use of this
regulation for identifying individual ships by
four letters, will be the means it affords of
reporting this information correctly, concisely,
cheaply, by electric telegraph-a consi-
deration of no small importance.

N O T I C E.

Colonial Secretary's Office,...
Auckland, December 29th, 1857.

WHEREAS there is reason to apprehend
danger to the Trees in the Govern-
ment Domain from the lighting of fires therein,
all persons are hereby cautioned against lighting
fires in any part of the said Domain.

By command,
W. GISBORNE,
Under Secretary.

Treasury,
Auckland, December 30th, 1857.

IT is hereby notified that all applications,
elsewhere than at Auckland, for Licenses
to sell fowling pieces to Natives must be made
through the Resident Magistrate of the Dis-
trict in which the applicant resides.

C. W. RICHMOND.

Treasury,
Auckland, December 30th, 1857.

HIS Excellency the Governor directs it to
be notified for general information that
has been authorized and empowered to lay com-
plaints and informations in accordance with the
terms of the 1st clause of the "Native Land
Purchase Ordinance" Sess. 7, No. 19.

C. W. RICHMOND.

P R I N T I N G.

Treasury,
Auckland, December 31st, 1857.

TENDERS will be received at the Native
Secretary's Office, until noon of Friday,
the 15th January prox., from persons desirous
to contract for the bi-monthly printing of
the Maori Messenger, for the twelve months
commencing the 1st January, 1858.

Security will be required for the due perform-
ance of the contract, and the Tender should
be accompanied by a notification of the consent
of two parties who may be proposed as sureties.
Further particulars may be obtained on
application at the Native Secretary's Office,

C. W. RICHMOND.

Treasury,
Auckland, December 31st, 1857.

THE following Returns are published for
general information.

C. W. RICHMOND.