Show STRANGE SIGNS ON SHIPS have little mean ng rig to the ed but are plainly understood by sailors strange signs frequently hang from ships which puzzle even dwellers in seaport towns to guess the meaning of A basket slung from the main finast head Is a sailor s sign to notify that the cargo has been loaded or dis charged as the case may be and that the ship is ready to start on her next trip this she cannot do until the usual board of trade formalities hava have been observed and the ship s papers which while a ship Is in port are de posited with the board of 0 trade have been returned to the captain A generally mysterious emblem la Is a besom lashed to a mainmast or bridge railing this Is to signify that the vea ves sel set Is for sale occasionally a dark blue stripe may be seen running tore fore and aft on a ves sel as a matter of fact this Is a sign of recent bereavement blue Is tie sailor sailors s mourning and the stripe ot of this color takes the place of the black margin or band used by the landsmen as a notification of death |