3826

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 87

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, 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 work 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.

Voluntary Examination in Signalling. — Candidates will be required to attain a minimum speed of twelve words a minute in semaphore and ten words a minute in Morse flashing (the average length of a word being taken as five letters).

The Morse-flashing test will be a test message (see Allied Signal Manual) followed by a spelling message of twenty-five words.

The Semaphore test will be a spelling message of fifty words.

The candidate must attain a degree of accuracy of at least 90 per cent. both in making and reading in each method—i.e., flashing and semaphore.

Ordinary Examination. — Candidates will be required to attain a minimum speed of eight words a minute in semaphore and six words a minute in Morse flashing.

The Morse-flashing test will be a test message followed by a spelling message of ten words.

The semaphore test will be a spelling message of twenty-five words.

A candidate must for a pass-gain an aggregate of at least 90 per cent. of the maximum marks in both spelling and test messages in the Morse flashing and in the semaphore examination.

General. — In the examination in Morse flashing the candidate will be first required to make a test message followed by the spelling message. The candidate should then read a test message followed by the spelling message made by the Examiner.

In the semaphore examination the candidate will make the spelling message, then read one made by the Examiner. The semaphore message may be made either by hand-flags or mechanical semaphore, or both, at the discretion of the Examiner.

Marks will be allotted for the test message in the proportion of 50/78 of a mark for each correct letter (see table at back of test-cards) and for the spelling messages two marks for each correct word or group of figures.

The spelling message is left to the discretion of the Examiner, and may be a passage from any book or newspaper in English. When the passage contains figures and the candidate does not choose to spell them out, the Examiner should see that the proper signs are made before and after the figures.

The message as read by the candidate should be taken down by another candidate where possible, otherwise by a clerk, or other person according as the Examiner may deem expedient.

Candidates should be thoroughly tested in the various signs and the procedure of calling up, sending, and answering a signal, as laid down in the Allied Signal Manual, and this course should always be strictly adhered to.