There are many semaphores established on the French, Italian, Portuguese, and some on the Spanish and Austrian coasts, where only the International Code of Signals is now used.

Passing ships are able to exchange communications with the semaphores, and when required their messages are forwarded to their destination according to the fixed tariff.

The disc at the top of the semaphore signal mast remains in position shown while signals are being made by the Code.

The semaphore signals must be read off as distance signals, as shown below.

The arm of the semaphore
signals pointing downwards
has the same meaning as the
pennant.

The arm extended hori zontally represents a ball.

The arm pointing upwards represents a flag.

above surrounding objects. Three Arms for free motion, one above another. The top of the mast is furnished with a stem, jointed at bottom to the mast, terminated above by a circular Disc. The whole may be turned about at pleasure.

The alphabetical value of each combination is shown in the subjoined Semaphoric Alphabet, and corresponds to the Alphabet of Distant Signals.

A series of two, three, or four combinations, in the order in which they are transmitted, gives a complete signal.

Signifies: "Want a Tug; can I have one?"

2. Signal of several combinations:

or

ог

or M ;

or D;

or G.

Signify: MDG, "Leave the Buoy or Beacon to Port."

Rig of Various Vessels.

The term rig, when applied to vessels, generally refers to the number and kind of masts and style of sails that are carried, but the term is also sometimes used indiscriminately to designate the class of hull or the complete vessel in her entirety. Thus it may be said of a vessel that she has a ship's hull with the rig of a brig, meaning that the hull may be of a build that does not correspond with the style of rig. In such cases the rig prevails over the hull in giving the name of the vessel's species, and she is called a brig; but in some compound names, as "scow-schooner," the word "scow' expresses the build of hull and the word "schooner" the style of rig. A gradual change resulting from the inventions and improvements made during the past century has been going on in the rig of American vessels as well as in those of other countries. Some new rigs have been found to be better adapted to some waters, and changes have been made to suit the increased size of vessels, which have proved to be more serviceable in certain trades.

But while old rigs have been abandoned and new ones added, the names applied to them have not in all cases been uniform throughout the country. Some localities may adopt certain rigs as more desirable for certain trades, but it is important that they should be designated by the same nomenclature at all the ports. While recognizing the styles of rig where best known and adopted, in order to counteract any tendency to use local names, more especially for new rigs, a brief description of those most generally known and acknowledged is inserted here, and diagrams intended to illustrate the different styles of rig now in use are subjoined.

The illustration given on the opposite page is fully described below. From these descriptions the various styles of rig which follow will be understood.

1, hull. 2, bow. 3, stern. 4, cutwater. 5, stem. 6, entrance. 7, waist. 8, run. 9, counter. 10, rudder. 11, davits. 12, quarter-boat. 13, cathead. 14, anchor. 15, cable. 16, bulwarks. 17, taffrail. 18, channels. 19, chain-plates. 20, cabin-trunk. 21, after deck-house. 22, forward deck-house. 23, bowsprit. 24, jib-boom. 25, flying-jib boom. 26, foremast. 27, main mast. 28, mizzenmast. 29, foretopmast. 30, maintopmast. 31, mizzentopmast. 32, foretopgallantmast. 33, maintopgallantmast. 34, mizzentopgallantmast. 35, foreroyalmast. 36, mainroyalmast. 37, mizzenroyalmast. 38, foreskysailmast. 39, mainskysailmast. 40, mizzenskysailmast. 41, foreskysail-pole. 42, mainskysail-pole. 43, mizzenskysail-pole. 44, fore-truck. 45, main-truck. 46, mizzen-truck. 47, foremast-head. 48, mainmast-head. 49, mizzenmast-head. 50, foretopmast-head. 51, maintopmast-head. 52, mizzentopmast-head. 53, foretop. 54, maintop. 55, mizzentop. 56, dolphin-striker. 57, outriggers. 58, foreyard. 59, mainyard. 60, crossjack-yard. 61, fore lower topsail-yard. 62, main lower topsail-yard. 63, mizzen lower topsail-yard. 64, fore upper topsail-yard. 65, main upper topsail-yard. 66, mizzen upper topsail-yard. 67, foretopgallant-yard. 68, maintopgallant-yard. 69, mizzentopgallant-yard. 70, foreroyal-yard. 71, mainroyal-yard. 72, mizzenroyal-yard. 73, foreskysail-yard. 74, mainskysail-yard. 75, mizzenskysail-yard. 76, spanker-boom. 77, spanker-gaff. 78 maintrysailgaff. 79, monkey-gaff. 80, lower studdingsail-yard. 81, foretopmast studdingsail-boom. 82, foretopmast studdingsail-yard. 83, maintopmast studdingsail-boom. 84, maintopmast studdingsail-yard. 85, foretopgallant studdingsail-boom. 86, foretopgallant studdingsailyard. 87, maintopgallant studdingsail-boom. 88, maintopgallant studdingsail-yard. 89, foreroyal studdingsail-boom. 90, foreroyal studdingsail-yard. 91, mainroyal studdingsailboom. 92, mainroyal studdingsail-yard. 93, bobstays. 94, bowsprit-shrouds. 95, martingale-guys. 96, martingale-stays. 97, fore-chains. 98, main-chains. 99, mizzen-chains. 100, fore-shrouds. 101, main-shrouds. 102, mizzen-shrouds. 103, foretopmast-shrouds. 104, maintopmast-shrouds. 105, mizzentopmast-shrouds 106, foretopgallant-shroud's. 107, maintopgallant-shrouds. 108, mizzentopgallant-shrouds. 109, futtock-shrouds. 110, futtock-shrouds. 111, futtock shrouds. 112, forestav. 113, mainstay. 114, mizzenstay. 115, foretopmast-stay. 116, maintopmast-stay. 117, spring-stay. 118, mizzentopmaststay. 119, jib-stay. 120, flying-jib stay. 121, foretopgallant-stay. 122, maintopgallantstay. 123, mizzentopgallant-stay. 124, foreroyal-stay. 125, mainroyal-stay. 126, mizzenroyal-stay. 127, foreskysail-stay. 128, mainskysail-stay. 129, mizzenskysail-stay. 130. foretopmast-backstays. 131, maintopmast-backstays. 132, mizzentopmast-backstays. 133, foretopgallant-backstays. 134, maintopgallant-backstays. 135, mizzentopgallant-backstays. 136, foreroyal-backstays. 137, mainroyal-back stays. 138, mizzenroyal-backstays. 139, foreskysail-backstays. 140, mainskysail-backstays. 141, mizzenskysail-backstays. 142 foresail or forecourse. 143, mainsail or maincourse. 144, cross-jack. 145, fore lower topsail. 146, main lower topsail. 147, mizzen lower topsail. 148, fore upper topsail. 149 main upper topsail. 150, mizzen upper topsail. 151, foretopgallaut-sail. 152, maintopgallant-sail. 153, mizzentopgallant-sail. 154, foreroyal. 155, mainroyal. 156, mizzenroyal. 157, foreskysail. 158, mainskysail. 159, mizzenskysail. 160, spanker. 161, mizzenstays.il. 162, foretopmast-staysail. 163, maintopmast lower staysail 164, maintopmast upper staysail. 165, mizzentopmast-staysail. 166, jib. 167, flying jib. 168 jibtopsail. 169, maintopgallant-staysail. 170, mizzentopgallant-staysail. 171. main-royalstaysail. 172, mizzenroyal-staysail. 173, lower studding sail. 174, foretopmast-studdingsail. 175 maintopmast-studdingsail. 176, foretopgallant-studdingsail. 177, maintopgallantstuddingsail. 178, foreroyal-studdingsail. 179, mainroyal-studdingsail. 180, forelift. 181, mainlift. 182, crossjack-lift. 183, fore lower topsail-lift. 184, main lower topsail-lif. 185, mizzen lower topsail-lift. 186, spankerboom topping-lift. 187, monkey-gaff lift. 188 lower studdingsail-halyards. 189, lower studdingsail inner halyards. 190 foretopmast studdingsail-halyards. 191, maintopmast studdingsail-halyards. 192, foretopgallant studdingsail-halyards. 193, maintopgallant studdingsail-halyards. 194, spanker peak-halyards. 195, signal-halyards. 196 weather jib-sheet. 197, weather flying-jib sheet. 198, weather