tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1454536834008495324.post4994143915661764225..comments2023-06-21T11:02:53.526-05:00Comments on HMS Acasta: Another Signal from RamilliesHMSAcasta.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524563116891936222noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1454536834008495324.post-50839872600341053322013-02-15T18:46:57.759-06:002013-02-15T18:46:57.759-06:00You read Miss Austen!
Actually, that is surprisin...You read Miss Austen!<br /><br />Actually, that is surprising, as the British maintained a presence in the West Indies for the whole of the war, and one would think that Admiral Popham would have included certain of the names of the Leeward or Windward Islands stations. I find that even to signal 'English Harbour' meaning the dockyard at Antigua would take six flags in two hoists.<br /><br />Even with the improvements of the telegraph system it seems that captains (or rather, their signals officers) had to use their imaginations.Sharpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15522672154379689205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1454536834008495324.post-82594719788245811192013-02-15T18:40:02.771-06:002013-02-15T18:40:02.771-06:00I find a piece of paper and pencil to be useful - ...I find a piece of paper and pencil to be useful - merely mark down as many columns as there are hoists and then fill in the numbers. But remember to write them going down, as each multi-flag hoist would fly from a different signal halyard and would have to be read downward.Sharpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15522672154379689205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1454536834008495324.post-11204555231804520042013-02-15T17:25:20.518-06:002013-02-15T17:25:20.518-06:00I'm surprised that Bermuda is not found in the...I'm surprised that Bermuda is not found in the code book. It is rather Euro-centric, I'm afraid, with a lot of German places like Beerhaven! Portsmouth isn't in the book either, although Spithead is, which makes more sense, I suppose.<br />"West Indies" can be represented in two hoists, but as Mrs. Croft says, "We do not call Bermuda or Bahama, you know, the West Indies."Goblin, esq.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04921426550192188308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1454536834008495324.post-55513597698936234762013-02-15T10:37:16.958-06:002013-02-15T10:37:16.958-06:00I spent ten minutes on this before realizing I was...I spent ten minutes on this before realizing I was reading them incorrectly. Thank goodness my parents never sent me for a sailor! I'll be ready next time!Mercury Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17770608561896814969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1454536834008495324.post-8363145681829212052013-02-15T09:18:58.175-06:002013-02-15T09:18:58.175-06:00Sir -
Telegraphic flag, 739, 873, 986, message en...Sir - <br />Telegraphic flag, 739, 873, 986, message ends.<br /><br />Return/ed/ing to/o yard/s<br /><br />Return to yard, message ends, sir.<br /><br />(I find <a href="http://3decks.pbworks.com/f/Admiral%2520Home%2520Popham%2520Telegraph%2520signal%2520book%2520Final%2520edition.pdf" rel="nofollow">this</a> a slightly easier version of the Popham code book to use.Sharpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15522672154379689205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1454536834008495324.post-88113730357153854782013-02-15T08:47:12.581-06:002013-02-15T08:47:12.581-06:00An interesting note about the copy of Popham's...An interesting note about the copy of Popham's linked to here, is the addition of several numbers that are using the same digit. As most vessels only had one set of signal flags -- one flag for each number. Popham left out numbers in the code like 101, but are hand-written additions in this copy. He did include 110 because with the addition of one flag (the repeat or ditto) you could add a whole series of numbers you would otherwise loose.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17292863489319625374noreply@blogger.com