SIGNAL SYSTEMS

The various methods of conveying information by means of pre-arranged signals make use of visible signs, such as flags, movable arms or waving lights, or of sounds, such as bugle blasts, whistles or bells, or of flashes and beams of light, as in the case of the heliograph and the searchlight. In marine signalling, me ages are conveyed by flags of different shapes and patterns, the significance of any particular group in being determined by an inter nation a code. When atmospheric conditions render it difficult to see flags at a distance, a system of cones, balls and drums is used, or, in some instances, a fixed semaphore. Military signalling is carried out with flags in the daytime and with lanterns or other lights at night. Two systems are in common use— the Morse and the Myer. The Morse code is similar to that used for ordinary telegraphy, the letters of the alphabet being represented by different groupings of dots and dashes. The movement of the flag to the right signifies a dot, to the left, a dash. ‘The Myer code represents each letter of the alphabet by a grouping of numbers, 22 standing for a, 2112 for 6, 121 for c and so on. A movement of the flag to the right signifies 1, to the left, 2, and straight down in front 3. The U.S. Bureau uses various signals for indicating weather forecasts. A white flag stands for fair weather, blue for rain or snow, and so on. In many towns, fire signals are given by whistle blasts, the district in which the fire is located being indicated by the number of blasts. E.), ancient town, near Volscian mountains, Latium; founded by Tarquinius SIGN - MANUAL, the signature or mark made by a person upon any legal instrument to show his concurrence in it. It now denotes specifically the signature of a reigning prince,