SIGNAL STATIONS
(VICTORIA PEAK AND BLACKHEAD'S HILL) HONGKONG
The following Notification was issued from the Harbour Office in January, 1904: -- The Commercial Code of Signals will be used at the Signal Stations.
All signals made by vessels in the "Offing" will be repeated at Victoria Peak, arrangements can also be made to have them forwarded to the addressee by telephone from the Harbour Master's Office
Signals can also be passed between vessels in the "Offing "and anyone prepared to take them in on the harbour side, and "vice versa": The "attention" flag for these signals (to be hoisted at the mast head of the ship and of the Station flagstaff) is the White Ensign in the case of Men-of-war, and Red Ensign over the House Flag in the case of Merchant Vessels.
Vessels approaching the Eastern entrance to the Harbour will be signalled on the Eastern Yard- arm, those approaching the Western entrance on the Western Yard-arm.
When a vessel is sighted from Victoria Peak Station the Compass bearing and symbol at the Yard- arm, and the Distance Šignals at the Mast head, will be hoisted. If, when the vessel is made out, s'e is not a Mail steamer, her House Flag will be substituted for the Compass Signal, and it will be kept flying till she anchors. The Distance Signal will be kept up for fifteen minutes after the vessel in made out.
If the vessel is a regular Mail Steamer, a gun will be fired and a Ball over the English, French, American, or German Ensign, or the Canadian Pacific House Flag, with the Distance Signal under, will be hoisted at the Mast head, and the Compass signal and symbol will be hauled down. The Distance signal will be kept flying, and will be changed each successive half hour. When the vessel is between Green Island and North Point the Code Pendant will take the place of the Distance Signal, and will bo kept up till the vessel is at her moorings.
At Blackhead's Hill Station, signals similar to the foregoing will be hoisted to denote vessels passing Cape D'Aguilar and the Gap Rock.
All House Flags, symbols, and distance signals hoisted at Victoria Peak will be repeated at Blackhead's Hill, and vice versa.
C
When a mail steamer is reported by telegraph from the Gap Rock or Cape D'Aguilar, the distinguish ing signal will be hoiste i at once, the gun will be fired, and the distance symbol hoisted when she is sighted from Victoria Peak Station.
Any special flag hoisted on board an incoming vessel denoting the presence on board of on Officer of high rank will be repeated at the Flag Staff Mast-head.
The approach of Men-of-war will be notified by their proper symbols and National Colours at the Quarter of the Yard.
The approach of British Transports will be notified by the Blue Ensign over the appropriatə symbol, hoisted at the Quarter of the Yard.
The Distance signal will denote the distance (estimated at Victoria Peak) of the vessel from Gresu Island on the West and Cape D'Aguilar on the East.
SICAWEI
OBSERVATORY
TIME SIGNAL SERVICE
In addition to the signal given by the Time-Ball at noon, the exact China-Coast time is given every night by the extinction of the four white lights of the Time-Signal Tower on the French Bund.
The lights are shown about 2 minutes before the first extinction.
Time of the 1st Extinction...
2nd
3rd
4th
>>
H
•
11
5th
*
6th
11
...
-
***
..
.4.
h. m. s.
8.51 0.0
8 56 0.0 8 57 0.0
...
8 58 0.0
...
8 59 0.0
9 00 0.0
In case of error or failure, a red light is shown, or preferably the two white lamps of the yard-arm are lighted up, during a few seconds to annul the Wrong Signal.
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