Show STRANGE SIGNS ON SHIPS have little meaning to the uninitiated but are plainly understood by sailors strange signs frequently hang from ships which pu puzzle z ale even dwellers in seaport towns to guess the meaning of A basket slung from the mainmast head is ia a sailors sign to notify that the cargo has been loaded or discharged as aa the case may be and that the ship la is ready to start on oil her next trip this she cannot do until the usual board of trade formalities have been observed and the ships papers which while a ship is lit in port ars are deposited with the board of trade have been returned captain A generally mysterious emblem Is a besom lashed to a mainmast or bridge railing this Is to signify that the vessel selas Js for sale occasionally a dark blue stripe may be seen running tore fore and aft on a vessel sell as a matter of fact this is a sign of recent bereavement blue blua Is ia the sailors mourning and the stripe of this color takes the place of the black margin or band used by the landsmen landsman lands men as a notification of death |