1778 – D. Diderot – Marine jour

Title:                      “Marine, Signaux de Corespondance Maritime Signaux pour la jour.”​
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Description:
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​Beautiful and very detailed engraving displaying the ship’s correspondence signals for the day:

Fig. 9. To sail by day. To sail is to raise the anchors, the sails, and put all the maneuvers in a state of readiness to make way or set sail. This notice is given by the general, by a signal taken according to the order he has communicated to all the captains of the squadron, as I said above. The one I am giving here is to place the large white ensign on the staff of the main topgallant, as well as on the staff of the stern, with a shot from a gunpowder cannon. 

10. To call the captains on board. When the general wants to call the captains on board, to wait for them without dropping anchor at sea or lowering the sails, he only has his ship hauled up, that is to say, to turn it to the wind ahead or from the bow, instead of from the wind behind or from the stern, which is the usual practice; this maneuver is observed in the small vessel attached, where one sees the direction of the wind on the flags and the weather vanes, with very little impression on the sails. The signal is that of the order which is always renewed after some affair, because of the prisoners; so that it is not revealed, the general never gives it on land; it is only when the fleet which he is going to command has left the port, and is in the harbor; it is to be anchored within sight of the port or some coasts. The signal I give here is the white flag placed on the staff of the mainmast, and the weather vanes on the other masts, as well as at the rear.

11. To call the captains with their principal pilots. When the commander wishes to consult the captains and principal pilots, he has his ship put to rest, and he calls them by a signal which has been communicated to them by his order. The one seen on the small vessel is a large red flag placed on the stern staff.

12. To speak to the commander. The officer who has some advice to give to the commander gives his signal to correspond, the commander gives him another, and to wait for him he has his ship put to rest. The signal I give here is a shot from a gunpowder cannon.

13. For the discovery of ships. In the order given by the commander, the first ship which begins to discover some stray ships of its squadron, must immediately give notice to the ships of the fleet, by a signal designated in the order; it is the first to put its ship to rest, by opposing the wind, it waits for them, and all the others of the squadron must do the same. In time of war such notice is also given to be on guard. The signal which I represent here, is a large white flag placed at the end of the staff of the stern and the weather vane of the mainmast and those of the foresail and mizzen.

14. To make the ships pass behind the commander. This maneuver is done on two occasions: the first, when it is a question of getting into line for a fight, and the commander takes the right; the second, when he wants to get into marching order, he takes the head. It is well understood that the general’s ship must be in a standstill during this maneuver; this signal is like the others taken according to the order. The one seen here is two weather vanes on the foremast and mizzen masts, and one on the stern stick.

15. For the discovery of a land where one wishes to land. A captain who first recognizes a land where one must land, has his ship put to rest, he warns the general and all the ships of the army by a signal agreed upon in order. The one who is here is designated by three weather vanes, one placed on the mainmast, and two others on the foremast and mizzen, with the large white flag on the stern staff.

16. For the discovery of some dangers. One can follow the explanation found in no. 8. which is the same as the one I could give here, there is only the difference between the night signal and the day signal; this small vessel has the same signals as the previous one, and there is also a gunpowder cannon shot.

 

The engraving comes from Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert, based on a work by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, book “Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers…”, drawn by Goussier, engraved by Benard Direx, published in Geneve, 1778.

Engraver:           Denis Diderot (1713 – 1784)
Sheet size:           37,4 x 25,5 cm
Year:                     1778
Technique:         copper engraving

Condition:
Good, original condition. Watermarked paper. Folds as published.
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This is a genuine antique engraving published in 1778 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

 

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity