THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 21, 1913.
Signalling.
and Morse
25. It shall be open to any officer holding or candidate for a Semaphore Certificate of Competency as Master or Mate to undergo an Signalling. examination in practical proficiency in the Semaphore and Morse systems of signalling. And should the candidate pass this examination, the fact, with the date and place of passing shall be recorded on his Certificate of Competency.
The standard of efficiency in signalling required from Candi- dates for the voluntary examination in signalling after 1st July, 1908, will be as follows:-
Candidates must be capable of sending and reading signals made by:-
-
(1.) Semaphore at a rate of 10 words per minute.
(2.) Morse, flashing and flag-waving, at a rate of 6 words per minute (the average length of a word to be calculated at 5 letters).
The Semaphore test will be a prose message of about 50 words.
The Morse, flashing and flag-waving, test will be a test mes- sage (see the British Signal Manual), followed by a prose message of about 25 words.
The Candidate must attain a degree of accuracy of at least 90 per cent. in reading both Semaphore and Morse signals.
Each Candidate will be orally examined as to his knowledge of the International Signal Book and the British Signal Manual. With regard to the latter special attention will be paid to the prescribed procedure of signalling, both by day and night, between H.M. ships and the Mercantile Marine.
A Signalling Certificate issued by a recognized Naval Signal- ling School will be accepted in lieu of this examination.
Service in Foreign Vessels.
foreign
26. With reference to the latter portion of paragraph 95 which Šervice in exempts applicants, in certain special cases, from the requirement vessels. that Officers' Service must be performed with the requisite Certifi- cate, it is to be clearly understood that this exemption does not apply to Foreign Officers serving in foreign vessels.
Foreign Officers who may be desirous of obtaining British Certificates of Competency in the Mercantile Marine will be required to comply strictly, whatever may be their rank in the Mercantile Marine of their own country, with the requirements of the first part of paragraph 96, viz., they must have performed their Officer's Service with the requisite British Certificate.
This service, however, may have been performed in foreign vessels, provided that the applicant can produce satisfactory testimonials as to conduct and character, and is able to prove that the service has been in the required capacities, and that during such service he has held a British Certificate of Competency of the rank required by the Regulations.
441