Having given the principle upon which these signals act, I must refer you to the special book on the subject for further details.

It may not be out of place here to state that on the occasion of a death or mourning we do not hoist the ensign to the top of the mast, but leave it at some distance below; this is termed "half mast" high. A ship is also put in mourning by painting a broad blue stripe all round her sides. A ship in distress wanting aid reverses her ensign, placing the union jack downwards, which may our good ship never see.

I may also, continued the officer, relate a little incident which occurred some years ago, disclosing the early naval predilections of the Queen.

In early youth, Her Majesty, then Princess Victoria, resided at Ramsgate for a season, for the benefit of the sea air, and while there sometimes took walking exercise upon the pier.

On one of these occasions, her approach becoming known, the captains of the few vessels lying in the harbour displayed all the

flags they could muster, in honour of England's future queen. Arriving, in the course of her ramble, opposite the little vessel on which I was then employed, the royal lady suddenly stopped, her quick nautical eye having observed

"A banner with a strange device;"

and thereupon, tripping on board, she politely addressed the captain, "Please, Sir, will you tell me what flag that is," pointing to a small one flying at our main; "I know all the rest, but this is new to me." "Your Royal Highness," replied the captain, "it is the private signal flag I hoist when nearing the African port to which I generally trade, that my consignee may know what ship is entering the bay.”

"I thank you, Sir," said the little Princess; and, her curiosity satisfied, she trotted off, and continued her walk.

A loud clapping of hands testified to the interest the chief officer had excited; and, having a fine voice, he was solicited to sing Campbell's noble song

"Ye mariners of England!

That guard our native seas;

Whose flag has braved a thousand years,

The battle and the breeze!

Your glorious standard launch again

To match another foe!

And sweep through the deep,

While the stormy winds do blow;

While the battle rages loud and long,

And the stormy winds do blow.

The spirits of your fathers

Shall start from every wave!-

For the deck it was their field of fame,

And ocean was their grave.

Britannia needs no bulwarks,

No towers along the steep;

Her march is o'er the mountain waves,

Her home is on the deep.

The meteor flag of England

Shall yet terrific burn;

Till dangers troubled night depart,

And the star of peace return."

The aroused enthusiasm of the company displayed itself in a jubilate of hurrahs, followed by the national anthem; and soon after, the stirring strains of "Rule Britannia," arising from the forecastle, plainly told that down there amongst the crew were hearts of oak ready to follow

"Where Blake and mighty Nelson fell."

NOTE.-The British Government has recently issued a new and more extensive code of Sea Signals.

The principle consists in assigning to each of eighteen flags a letter of the alphabet, leaving out the vowels, such consonants however being employed as signs, not as letters of words.

Making use of Marryat's flags, with slight variations, and four or five flags in addition, no less than 78,642 distinct signals may be exhibited, none requiring more than four flags to be hoisted at the same time.

Page 32, line 14.-For "yellow" read "white" centre.