How did old mariner ships communicate?

[Capt Jim24025]

For a book a friend is writing about human communication among other things, she would like to know how merchant sailing ships communicated with one another at sea. I've heard part of the pattern, but would like to know it all., as "Ahoy! (Name of ship taken from painted name? Then identify yourself.)"Response: "Moby Dick, out of Nantucket, outward bound." How did or does the rest of it go? Thank you very much for any information you can provide.

 

[larry w]

ship communications

CJ, Much of it was by signal flags. Certain colors and patterns denoted a certain letter or number. Long streamers in battle, flown from a certain mast or other location in the rigging, meant certain things. Combinations of cannon fire and flags and banners could also conver certain messages. Find a copy of Chapman's.

 

[Rich]

Gotta do research

Jim, there's no way around it, if your friend is writing a book she needs to do the research. There's plenty available on the web to point her in the right direction, but flags, morse code, semaphore, and radio have all been in simultaneous use in different eras. As for the exact quote from Moby Dick above, well, she should look that up also, and understand that it may be an entirely literary fiction. She's more likely to get authentic dialogue from a Jack London novel than Herman Melville, who wrote the novel 150 miles from water at his home in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts...

 

[Bob]

Melville's facts

I suspect Mr. Melville knew whereof he spoke. He first went to sea on the square-rigger "St. Lawrence" at age 19, bound for Liverpool, and in his early 20s sailed on the whaling ship "Acushnet," out of New Bedford. Though his best known book is 'Moby Dick,' some fine sea stories appear in 'Whitejacket' and 'Redburn.' Indeed, the little known, but fascinating 'Typee' tells of his time spent living among cannibals on Nukuhiva. Most of his sailing knowledge was firsthand, though the tale of the great whale that was obsessed with sinking ships was of course based on the survivors' story of the sinking of the "Essex."

 

[Bob]

Bull Horn

I recall in the maritime museums in Nantucket and Bath that they had old long "bullhorns" that were from the days of sail. I would assume these were used at close quarters between ships and to broadcast orders across the deck to the ship's company.One great place to do research is Mystic Seaport, in Mystic, Connecticut, which is one of the great maritime heritage centers.Interesting topic.Bob

 

[Dick of Sylvan]

Night?

In addition to voice, suspect they also used lamps for night time, and I wouldn't be surprised if they also used mirrors or heliographs when sunny, in addition to flags. They also "hove to" close together to exchange physical things, eg. mail and people. Whatever the method, codes were often needed because of concerns over wartime and other piracy.

 

[Bob Todd]

Bullhorn =

speaking trumpet. Along with all other media stated here as well as different colored and intensity lights such as blue lights, Bengals, etc.Cheers,Bob

 

[Calif. Ted]

Speaking trumpets are still used as a symbol

to denote Officer's rank in Fire Departments, a captain has 2 horns parallel in silver on his badge, hatpiece & collar buttons.Changes to gold for Chiefs and the number of trumpets increase. Try some books written at the time such as "Making of a Sailor" by Fredrick Pease Harlow. Usually refrain for a hail was:What ship is that and where bound?Usual reply would include ship's name,point of departure, time out, intended destination and the Captain and/or Master.