PHOTOLOGY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1781, 5 November 1879, Page 3

PHOTOLOGY.

Accompanying the following paper (says the " Qieenslander") was a note in which the writer suggests that the system of signalling propounded therein may be usefully adopted by head-stations in the bush in communicating with out stations which may be in sight, and so be the means of saving both time and horseflesh ; and it is also remarked that its use between ships in harbor and the shore on stormy nights would save trouble and boat-pulling. The contrivance seems to us perfectly practicable—with a slight improvement in the matter of counting, which if not marked in some manner would be certain to lead to mistakes. Some plan of marking the numbers which the inventor directs to be slowly counted would tend to make things clear and definite. The following is the paper : # This is a simple method of communication between two distant stations, either at night by means of a good lamp at each place, or in the day with the photolog. I hare given it this name, as derived from the words photo (of light) and logoi (words), because, in the first placp, we are independent of the sun for night work ; and as the sun does not write the messages we read by means of his rays I consider the word " heliography " inappropriate. Isee by the "Illustrated London News " that, in using the heliograph in Africa and Hindostan, the operators have adapted Morse's telegraphic system of the dot and dash for reading or sending messages. I have a printed copy of Morse's letters (it may not be a correct one), and in it the letters O and R and S are each expressed by tinea dots, as C . . ~ R . . ~ S . . . Of course when you have a correct machine that writes its messages at your end, and an exact operator at the other, thoßO email distinctions of the position of the signs are easily understood. But when you havo to use the eyce, kept constantly upon the other station, and have probably no one by to take down the signs or flashes as they appear, it requires an easier alphabet to spell with. I have therefore compiled the following arrangement of only two different durations of fUsh, extended in some letters to four places ; and I would like to describe the method of using it:— We will suppose it to be night, and I want to say something to a station Bome distance away—l will call the person with whom I want to converse the 1 observer ;" and will suppose that he has the alphabet, and knows that I might want to talk with him. First, I exhibit my lamp (no other light being visible to him) ; when,

; he seen it he gets a slate or paper and pencil ■in icadfneHß for taking down my flaalies. Observe? t&en holds his lamp np for me to see that he is all attention. When I see his j lansp' T dip" my owd, and (having my senj fence turned into the necessary figures upon ; a slaTf6r''p4}terJ I begin the first letter of j my^se'titbnp'o'or word. Bay lam using the lObmmeMial Code Book, and know that ho has such «■ book also; I first want to fl.ish 2.6.6.6, and I do that thus : I show him my light whilst I* Blowly coutit one, two, three, four, five, sia ;■ dip again whilst I count ten ; show again whilst I count six as before ; dip for the same time as before, show lamp for six as before, then conceal'. Observer will show a short Cash' to acknowledge that he has seen 2.6.G.G. Say I want to thow N.C. I would have to flash 6,2, and, aftsr a pause of about twenty seconds, 2 2.6 2., exactly as I did the code sign 2.6 6 0 ; when observer would wait for a little, and seeing no more would turn to his Commercial Code Book and find N O, which means "In distress : want assistance."

ALPHABET. A 2.6 N 6 2 B 6.2 22 O 6 fi.6 ; 0 2.2 6 2 P 2.6 0.2' D 6.2 2 Q< 22 6 6 E 2 K 66.62F 2 6.2 S 2 2.2. G 6.6 2 T 6:2 6.6' H 6.6 22 TJ 226 1 2.2 | V 2 2.2.6J 6.2 6 2 | W 2 6 6 K 6 2.6 X 2 6.2 2 L 6 Y 6 66 6 M 6.6 Z 2.2.2 2Yea—Plosh for 15sec No—2 22.2 222 Code (Commercial) Signal—2 6 6 6 To be shown at first if that code iaruaedi I have fixed up a machine, by aid of a common looking-glass, a brass hinge, and a piece of wire, by which I can communicate with Thursday Island as certainly as if I had a telegraphic cable at my command ; and I have also tried the lamp at night in communicating with a station about a mile from here with success. Should any offyour renders like to try this me'hod th<*y have only to write to me, and I will gladly give all the information as to the construction of the photolog. It should be borne in mind that the iky must be free of clouds when day signals are required to be used, as I have found that passing clouds spoil the communication by separating, for different lengths of time, the symbols of the letters. Walteb D. T. Powell, Signal Station, Goode Island, Torres Straits.