International Code of Signals (1857)
Código Internacional de Señales (1857)
- Date
- 1857 · confidence high
- Place
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Credited to
- British Board of Trade, based on Marryat's code
- Field
- Movement
What it is
A code of some 70,000 messages made with 18 flags and their combinations, published by the Board of Trade as the 'Commercial Code of Signals for the Use of All Nations'. It was adopted by almost every navy and continues as the IMO's code.
What it led to
- a common signal language between ships of any country
- flag signals still used for greetings, distress and diving
- the IMO international code (1965)