Nov. 1.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3159

Notice to Mariners No. 73 of 1928.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 24th October, 1928.

THE following revision of Admiralty Notice to Mariners (No. 702 of 1928), which has been received from the Admiralty, London, is published for general information.
G. C. GODFREY, Secretary.

BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS MESSAGES TO MERCHANT SHIPS.

Former Notice: No. 702 of 1928, hereby cancelled.

MARINERS are informed that arrangements have been made for broadcasting by W/T, messages considered to be of sufficient importance to communicate to all British merchant ships in any part of the world.

The scheme for broadcasting messages of interest to merchant ships under the arrangements promulgated herein will not be in operation continuously. It will, however, be introduced for trial purposes for one week on 1st January and 1st July each year.

During these test periods brief messages will be issued by the Admiralty to all British merchant ships and by the Naval Authorities responsible for the respective areas shown in the Schedule, to British merchant ships in those areas. These “test” messages will not, however, be broadcast by the 50 kc/s. (600 metres) stations shown in the Schedule.

Should it be desired to send a message of special importance to British merchant ships, at any time outside the periods fixed for trial purposes, the scheme will be brought into operation for this purpose.

If and when such occasion arises to bring the organization into force either generally or in any particular area, messages notifying the operation of the scheme will be issued by the Admiralty and/or by the Naval Authority responsible for the area or areas concerned. When such messages are necessary every available means of reaching merchant ships will be employed—i.e., the messages will be broadcast not only by Rugby and the other stations at the times shown in the Schedule, but also where stations included in the scheme transmit navigational warnings, weather reports, &c., at routine periods, messages notifying the commencement of the scheme will be broadcast during those periods. Such messages will bear the address “All British Merchant Ships” or “British Merchant Ships in . . . . . . area,” in full; the use of the call signs mentioned in the scheme will commence from the time notified as that on which the scheme will actually be brought into force.

The procedure outlined in this scheme is not intended to interfere with or replace existing arrangements for broadcasting to merchant ships messages concerning navigational dangers, weather reports, or gale warnings. Where routine arrangements exist for broadcasting such messages, those arrangements will continue in force.

The following are the arrangements which have been made for the operation of the scheme:—

1. The world has been divided into certain areas (vide chart appended) and collective call signs have been introduced for (i) all British merchant ships, and (ii) British merchant ships in a particular area. These call signs are as shown in the following table:—

2. Messages under this scheme will be broadcast from—
   (a) Rugby W/T Station on 16 kc/s. (18,750 metres) at 0000 and 1200 G.M.T., immediately preceding the British Official Wireless News.
   (b) Certain medium and high power W/T Stations abroad operating on waves between 150 kc/s. (2,000 metres) and 100 kc/s. (3,000 metres) at 0400 and 1600 G.M.T.
   (c) Certain W/T Stations operating commercial traffic on 500 kc/s. (600 metres) at any time.

3. A list of the stations included in the scheme showing the areas for which they will transmit and the wave lengths on which messages will be broadcast is shown in the Schedule. The times 0400 and 1600 G.M.T. have been fixed for transmissions from stations under paragraph 2 (b) above, since, in all areas of the world, one or other or

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