APPENDIX D.

EXAMINATION IN SIGNALLING.

The examination in signalling should in all cases and for all grades commence with an examination in the International Code and be followed by an examination in the Allied Signal Manual, including Morse flashing, flag-waving, and Semaphore.

INTERNATIONAL Code.

Examiners are recommended to frame the examination in the International Code of Signals upon the instructions and illustrations given at the commencement of Parts I and II of the Signal-book. The information there given will be found sufficient to indicate all the characteristics of the code.

By the form of the hoist an observer can at sight understand the nature of any signal he sees flying; the examination should therefore tend to elicit a clear knowledge of all the distinctive features of the code.

With this object in view the Examiners should question the candidates as to the distinguishing forms of the respective hoists, which will be indicated according as a burgee, a pennant, or a square flag is uppermost; and also with regard to the number of flags and the position of the code flag when used in the hoist, making the one-, two-, three-, and four-flag signals with the flags supplied for the purpose, and varying the signals made, showing two- and three-flag signals, with and without the code flag included, or a geographical or a vocabulary signal, the name of a merchant ship or of a ship of war.

As the two latter signals would not be found in the Signal-book, the candidate should know where to find them and how to look them out.

The candidate should—(a) Be able to read a signal at sight, so far as to name the flags composing the hoist; (b) know the use of the code pennant and of the pennants C and D, “Yes” and “No,” also of the two burgees A and B, and the square flags S and P, and the flags used to indicate cholera, plague, &c., on board, and the quarantine flag; (c) be required to signal some word or words not included in the vocabulary of the code, either by letters or by the spelling table (page 516) or both; (d) have a knowledge of the distant signals, and of their object, and the different modes of signalling therewith; (e) know the special Morse signals indicated by certain letters as given on page 550; (f) have a good knowledge of the distress-signals, and understand the penalty which may be incurred by their improper use.

The International Code is used on board His Majesty’s ships, and it has been adopted by all the principal Maritime Powers for their public as well as merchant ships.

ALLIED SIGNAL MANUAL.

Candidates will be expected to know the meaning of any or all of the single-flag signals given therein, and the signification of the Pilot Jack when incorporated in a hoist. They should also be required to make or read from the Pilot Jack table a hoist given by the Examiner. Candidates need not be expected to commit the Pilot Jack table to memory, but there should be no hesitation whatever in making or reading a signal. They should also know how to recognize any of the special signals given in the Allied Signal Manual.

MORSE FLASHING, FLAG-WAVING, AND SEMAPHORE.

Candidates for the extra master's certificate and for the voluntary examination in signalling will be required to attain a minimum speed of twelve words a minute in Semaphore, ten words a minute in Morse flashing, and six words a minute in Morse flag-waving (the average length of word being taken as five letters)

Candidates for other certificates will only be required to attain a speed of six words a minute in Morse flashing and five words a minute in Morse flag-waving, and ten words a minute in Semaphore.

In the ordinary examination it will be sufficient if in Morse flashing a candidate is given a test-card and a spelling-message of ten words, in Morse flag-waving a spelling-message of ten words, and in Semaphore a spelling-message of twenty-five words.

In the extra master's examination, and in the voluntary examination in signalling, the Semaphore test will be a spelling-message of fifty words.