Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/196

* SIGNALS. 158 SIGN LANGUAGE. centuries at least ; they were called telegraphs anil were placed in sight of each other to form long chains of comnninication across country. The modern semaphore has two or three arms, and its use is ehieily at signal stations on the coast or on board ship. In most navies a simple semaphore code is arranged for two small flags, one to be held in each hand of the signalmen. In the United States and British navies there are seven positions — in the French navy, eight. These po- sitions of the first named are : Right arm in- clined downward at angle of 45°; same, horizon- tal; same, inclined upward at angle of 45°; three of the remaining positions are for the left hand at 45° downward, 45° upward, and horizontal; the remaining position is either arm held ver- tically. In the French code, the right arm held vertically is one position and the left arm held vertically is another. In both eodes the combi- nation of any two positions is used in addition to the simple positions. In the United States Army and Navy the signal flag wig-wag code is used as described under Signaling and Tel- egraphing, MlLITAET. Night Signals are made with lights, rock- ets, torches, etc. By waving a lamp or torch or changing the direction of the beam of a search- light from side to side the wig-wag code may be used. In Very's night signals, which are visi- ble at a distance of ten miles or more, under fa- vorable circumstances, red and gxeen stars like those in roman candles are fired from pistols in difi'erent combinations, four in each, and each combination or group of four corresponding to a figure. Coston's signals, consisting of difi'er- ent colored flaming lights, were formerly used. Rockets and blue-lights (q.v.) are used to at- tract attention and for special purposes. The night signals most in use in the navies of the world are the Ardois, the invention of a French officer of that name, and brought into general use in 1885-90. They consist of double electric lamps — one-half white and one-half red — ar- ranged on a cable extending up and down one of the masts. In many foreign navies these lamps consist of five pairs, but in the United States Navy there are but four, and the significations of the wigwag code are used. The lights are read downward from the masthead, red corresponding to 1 and white corresponding to 2 of the wig-wag code; 3 of the wig-wag code is replaced by a special combination for 'interval' or end of a word. These lights are worked by a keyboard, and the signaling is quite rapid. In the British Navy and in some other foreign services the flashing of a white light is used with the Morse telegraphic alphabet, a long fiash signifying a dash and a short flash a dot, etc. The day and night signals are sound signals and wireless telegraph signals. The former are composed of long and short blasts of a whistle or double and single strokes of a bell. With wire- less telegraph systems the usual telegraphic code is employed. Some simple signals are used in "Rules of the Road at Sea." (See Rules op the Road.) Sig- nals of distress are of various kinds, such as hoisting the colors, i.e. the national flag, upside down, firing guns, rockets, blue-lights, etc. Con- sult Instructions for Sifjnalinq, United States Tvavy (Washington, 1808). See Signaling and Telegraphing, Military. SIGNALS, Railw.w. See Block Signal Sy.stem ; Railways. SIGNATURE (ML. signaturn, from Lat. sig- tutrc. to sign, from sirinuin, sign, mark, token). In its broadest legal sense, the name of a person, written or printed, or a sign or mark intended to represent his name, and either executed or affixed by the person himself or adopted by him as his own. It became common to sign legal instruments after the Statute of Frauds, 29 Car. II., c. 3. Previous to that time a person in- tending to bind himself by a written instrument usually affixed his seal. In most jurisdictions a printed name may be adopted by a person as his signature, and thereon a stamp making an impression of the name on paper, in either written or printed form, may be employed. Where a person wishing to execute a written inetriunent is unable to write, it is customary to have some one write his name, and to have him make a cross mark between his Christian name and surname. The person who writes the name usually writes above the mark the word 'his,' and below the word 'mark,' and also acts as a witness to identify the mark. Where the illiterate person is very awkward, the per- son who writes the name may also make the mark, while the former touches the pen, but there are decisions to the effect that this is not necessary. In some jurisdictions a person's name written by another may be adopted by the former as his signature, without going through the form of affixing a mark. A signature is usually affixed at the end of an instrument, but it is generally held in the absence of statute that it may be elsewhere if clearly intended as such. The mere recital of a person's name in the body of an instrument will not constitute a signature. Where a statute requires an instru- ment to be subscribed, as in case of a will, the signature must be at the end, or the instrument will be a nullity. See Seal. SIGNATURE (in music). See Ivey; Time. SIGN LANGUAGE. A system of intertribal gesture communication among the American In- dians used by all the plains tribes in default of a common language, and practically the same from Canada to the Mexican border. In many respects it forms the manual counterpart of the Indian pictograph system as displayed in their buckskin paintings or birch-bark records. The signs are so perfectly based upon natural ideas or the things of every-day Indian life or custom as to be readily interpreted by a member of any of the tribes using the sys- tem. Thus, cold is indicated by a shivering motion of the hands in front of the body. By an extension of the idea, according to the context of the conversation, the same sign indicates the cold season, i.e. icinter, and as the Indians count by winters it may mean also a year. A slow turning of the hand upon the wrist indicates vacillation, doubt, muyhe. A modification of this, with quicker movement, is the question sign. Fatigue is indicated by a downward sweep of the hands, with ifidex ex- tended, giving the idea of collapse. Strong, strength, are indicated by the motion of break- ing a stout stick; bad. by a motion of con- temptuously throwing away: foolish, by a cir- cling movement of the fingers in front of the