Originally published in Pearson's Weekly (C. Arthur Pearson Ltd.) vol.1 #22 (20 Dec 1890).
The various lines of Transatlantic steamers have each a distinctive flag and a distinctive manner of painting their smokestacks. Comparatively few know, however, what these distinguishing signs of the great ocean steamers are.
When you see a steamer with her funnels painted red, a deep black band round the top, and two narrow black bands below, that is a Cunarder.
The funnels of the ships of the French Line to Havre are exactly like those of the Cunard Line, except the two narrow black bands, which the French steamers do not have.
The White Star steamers have yellow funnels with a black hand round the top, and the Guion Line steamers black funnels with a red band some distance below the top.
Plain yellow funnels are the distinguishing feature of the North German Lloyd steamers, and the Red Star Line has funnels painted exactly like those of the White Star steamers, except that the former have a red star just below the black band at the top.
On the Inman Line the funnels are painted black, with a white band some distance below the top. The Anchor Line and the Hamburg Line both have funnels painted entirely black, but the practised eye readily distinguishes them.
Over the Cunard steamers floats a square red flag, on which is a golden lion rampant, holding the "orb of
empire" in its paws, The Inman Line's flag is red with a white field, and in the field is a black diamond.
A red-swallowtail with a white star in it is the flag of the White Star Line, and the Red Star steamers fly a white swallowtail, charged with a red star.
The Guion Line's flag is blue, with a large white diamond, in the centre of which is a black star.
A white flag, on which is a red anchor, is the one flown by-ships of the Anchor Line; and the North German Lloyd ships fly a white flag, on which, in blue, are a key and anchor crossed and wreath of oak leaves. The French Line to Havre flies a white flag, bearing the name of the company in red.
At night, when these distinguishing features cannot be seen, a vessel announces her line by burning lights of a peculiar kind, a certain set of colours and pyrotechnics being adopted by each line.
Thus, if a Cunard steamer should meet another at night, and wish to exchange signals, she would burn a blue light, and fire off two Roman candles, each discharging six blue balls. If the ship signalled was an Inman steamer, she would show a blue light forward and 'aft,' and a red light on the bridge, and fire a variegated rocket