Night Signals of the Steamship Lines - 1889

1889 Article on Night Signals of Steamship Lines

To make themselves know to other ships, the transatlantic steamships adopted a system of lights specific to their line that identified the steamship line to an approaching vessel.

Night Signals of the Steamship Lines

ALLAN LINE
Three Blue Lights, in the form of a triangle, in the mizzen rigging.
AMERICAN LINE
Red Light, followed by a Roman Candle, throwing six Red Balls, and then a Red Light.
ANCHOR LINE
Red and White Lamps, alternately.
BEAVER LINE
Green Light fore and aft, and on the bridge, simultaneously.
BORDEAUX LINE
Blue Light, changing to Red, and then to White.
BRISTOL (CITY) LINE
Red Light, changing to Green, and again to Red.
CARDIFF LINE
Blue Light, changing to Red, and again to Blue.
CUNARD LINE
Blue Light and two Roman Candles, throwing six Blue Balls each.
FLORIO LINE
Red Light, changing to Green, and again to 'White, and again to Red.
FRENCH LINE
Blue Light forward, White Light amidships, and Red Light aft, simultaneously.
GREAT WESTERN LINE
Red Light, changing to White, and again to Blue or three flashes of a Blue Chatham Light.
GUION LINE
Blue Light forward, aft and on the bridge, simultaneously.
HAMBURG LINE
White, Red and Blue Fire Balls, three each in succession—half a minute interval.
HOLME (PLYMOUTH) LINE
Green Light, changing to Red, and again to Green, and again to Red.
INMAN LINE
Blue Light forward and aft, and Red Light on the bridge, simultaneously.
LAMPORT S. HOLT LINE
Roman Candle throwing one Red, one White and one Red Fire Balls.
LEYLAND LINE
One Red Light on the bridge.
NATIONAL LINE
Red Light and two Blue Lights, in form of triangle, Blue Lights at the base.
NETHERLANDS LINE
Green Light forward and aft, and White Light on the bridge, simultaneously.
NORTH GERMAN LLOYD LINE
Blue Lights, changing Red, one forward and one aft.
RED STAR LINE
Red Light forward and aft, and on the bridge, simultaneously.
STATE LINE-
Blue, Red Coston Light.
THINGVALLA LINE
White - Red, followed by one Red - White Coston Light.
WHITE CROSS LINE
One White Rocket forward, followed after interval by Green Rocket and Green Lamp in maintop.
WHITE STAR LINE
Two Green Lights burning simultaneously.
WILSON LINE
Two Red Lights, simultaneously.
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