y."

_Q._ "Did you fire a blank?"

_A._ "No, because she was going too fast away from me."

_Q._ "Did you hit her?"

_A._ "No."

To me it seems certain from this evidence of the coastguard that
though the first signal was "mostly" blank, yet it was not always or
necessarily so.

It was frequently discovered that smuggling vessels lay off the coast
some distance from the shore and unshipped their cargoes then into
smaller craft by which they were brought to land, and this practice
was often observed by the Naval officers at the signal stations. Thus,
these smuggling runs might be prevented if those officers were enabled
to apprise the Admiralty and Revenue cruisers whenever observed, so
the Treasury put themselves in communication with the Customs Board
with regard to so important a matter. This was in the year 1807. The
Admiralty were requested to appoint some signals by which Naval
officers stationed at the various signal-posts along the coasts might
be able to convey information to his Majesty's and the Revenue
cruisers whenever vessels were observed illegally discharging cargoes.
The Admiralty accordingly did as requested, and these signals were
sent on to the commanders of the cutters. This, of course, opened up a
new matter in regard to the apportioning of prize-money, and it was
decided that when any vessel or goods discharged therefrom should be
seized by any of the cruisers in consequence of information given by
signal from these stations, and the vessel and her goods afterwards
were condemned, one-third of the amount of the King's share was to be
paid to the officer and men at the signal-post whence such information
was first communicated. The obvious intention of this regulation was
to incite the men ashore to keep a smart look-out.

The coast signal-stations[16] had been permanently established in the
year 1795, and were paid off at the coming of peace but re-established
when the war broke out again, permission being obtained from the
owners of the land and a code of signals prepared. The establishment
of these signal-stations had been commenced round the coast soon after
the Revolutionary war. Those at Fairlight and Beachy Head were
established about 1795.[17] Each station was supplied with one red
flag, one blue pendant, and four black balls of painted canvas. When
the Sea Fencibles, to whom we referred some time back, were
established, the signal-stations were placed under the district
captains.