Evolution of Signal Flags

maritime history

International Signal Flags and Signal Flags of the Navy

[Nota Bene: please click on any of the images for an enlargement]

Marryat's Commercial Code - signals

More on Commercial Codes - signals

A brief history of the International Code of Signals

Single flag [or letter] signals


	Codice Internazionale Dei Segnali, Tipografia Del Lloyd Austro-Ungarico, Trieste, 1882 Plate "xv del Codice internazionale dei segnali" no vowels or numerics; "X" "Y" "Z" absent.
Standard Seamanship for the Merchant Service, Riesenberg, Felix, C.E.D., Van Nostrand Company, 1922 "International Code Flags" p559. Changes include "F" and "L"
	Manual of Seamanship, Government of Canada, Ottawa, 1937 "Alphabetical and Numeral Flags Used in Naval Signalling", Plate 9.
Manual of Seamanship, Government of Canada, Ottawa, 1937 "Special Flags Used in Naval Signalling", Plate 10.
	Manual of Seamanship, Government of Canada, Ottawa, 1937 "Numbered & Special Pendants Used in Naval Signalling", Plate 11.
Manual of Seamanship, Government of Canada, Ottawa, 1937 "Flags and Pendants Used in the International Code", facing p58. Changes include "C" "D" "E" "F" and "G"
	Manual of Seamanship, Government of Canada, Ottawa, 1937 "Numeral Pendants" "Substitutes" "Code and Answering Pendant", facing page 58.
Manual of Seamanship Volume II, Government of Canada, Ottawa, 1951 "Other Flags and Pennants Used in Naval Signalling", plate 3. All Naval numeral flags have changed.
	Piloting Seamanship & Small Boat Handling, Charles F Chapman, Motor Boating Magazine, 1956 "Special Navy Flags and Pennants", p. 384. Changes include "church" flag, and addition of "fourth sub" flag.
Nelson's message via flag signal - "England Expects Every Man Will Do His D U T Y" - The Boy's Own Paper, 1885. Please see some NOTES on this subject. [Nota Bene: please click on any of the images for an enlargement]

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