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[GasparLewis nli]

The direction of the flags matter, modern; we have that system applied already. It's just the regular, current signal flag set. Sorry, man.

Try to keep the systems obscure, if you find any not on the main log Loric and I made.

[donxkey]

If anyone knows where this library is or in fact has a phone number id be happy to try and track the place down. Iv'e had a search for it on google but didnt turn anything up

[webrat_jen]

looked up 'margaret maitland' the guest puzzle architect to see if google had anything to say about her speicalities. found an interesting article which definitely links her to ARGs. any other cards done by her?

http://www.mssv.net/archives/000665.shtml

[Loric]

Guys,

Here's the information for the Royal Naval Museum, which evidently has quite a collection from the Admiralty Library:

http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/visit_find.htm

Good luck... wish I was on the other side of the ocean so I could help out!

Loric

[donxkey]

excellent. and not far away either. should be able to get down there this sun, hopefully they will be able to shed some light

[webrat_jen]

update:
[quote]with help from Margaret Maitland, who no doubt counseled him on Egyptology[/quote]

from http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10144&start=45&sid=9311f0ba9da4a0b7396f14b9f4dbd374

[doublecross]

This is the best history of signal flags that I can find: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeohzt4/Seaflags/signals/Signals.html

It seems that alphabetic codes of more than 10 flags did not appear until 1855, and this was the precursor of the modern international signal flag alphabet. This suggests to me that the flags on the card do not correspond to an actual historical alphabet, as there weren't really any until the advent of the alphabet we have today.

[GasparLewis]

Well, all the same, there are still about four falgs without ANY explanation or source, so it's still all up in the air.

Maybe we won't be blessed with a single, full-explanation set, but we might, and we may get those last flags either way.

Might partially dash our hopes of a single system with all the flags, but then it may still exist, and new flags and meanings will continue coming in (hopefully) all the same.

Chin up, friends; we're not out by a long shot.

[kevin0013]

Possible Helpful Websites

[donxkey]

http://www.mikehaywoodart.co.uk/images/relentless-t.jpg

from above website looks very similar to ship on card

[GasparLewis]

Well, that very well may be what the card is in relation to, or the message of the flags is about, but wev'e tried Nelson's quote, and the flag system he used at the time only explains a fraction of the flags on the card.

It might be the direction we should be going for the message itself, but the system itself is something different; we've pretty clearly discerned that.

Sorry; but every little bit helps, so it's good that we know where exactly we should be going.

[Cheery!]

New timer - be nice!
Thought I'd try a few attempts, just in case I fluked it! No luck, so am posting them so you don't waste attempts on the same ideas.

[webrat_jen]

right. i'm thinking out loud here, but it might help condense some of the ideas bouncing around.

margaret maitland (the guest puzzle architect) is obviously rather cunning with lanuages. she is also rather hard to track down via google (possibly down under another name?)
she will not help us directly, but learning where her interests/skills are might help.

some of the flags corolate to popham's signal code

some of the flags corolate with howes signal code

there is some overlap, and som flags do not fit at all.

when howes and popham's codes are used, there is a book of codes, so that (for example) A1 - i'm turning west, A2 - i'm turning east etc...
the actual 'a' does not usualy mean A, if you see what i mean.

there are other signal codes that use flags.

are we perhaps looking at a mish-mash of flags and codes, with some overlap, where we have to pick out which flag is translated by which system, either to spell out the puzzle, or to provide a code structure which with the use of a signal code book, will translate into shipping directions/instruictions.

this is a silver, so i realise that it could go on to plot a navigation course/ give battle instructions which may be the final answer.

first step, i think, is to find flag signal systems which will account for all the flags given. i think sticking to british codes might be useful, given the ensign (the national flag) is great britain.

[BlackDave]

to add another twist, this page:

http://www.napoleonguide.com/sailors_ukexpect.htm

makes the following point:

"At the time of the Battle of Trafalgar, naval signals were read in the following order:

* 1. Read down the main-mast.
* 2. Read down the fore-mast.
* 3. Read down the mizzen-mast.
* 4. Read down the peak, or gaff.
* 5. Read down the starboard side of the main-mast.
* 6. Read down the port side of the main-mast.
* 7. Read down the starboard side of the fore-mast.
* 8. Read down the port side of the fore-mast.
* 9. Read down the starboard side of the mizzen-mast.
* 10. Read down the port side of the mizzen-mast.
"
b

[GasparLewis]

Well, those are definitely things that will come up once we start going after the flags' meanings, but there's still four flags with no source or explanation in any of the systems we've looked up so far.

We'll cross those bridges when we come to them.

Of course, today is the day that donxkey said he could make it to the British Naval Museum; fingers crossed!

(Ought to make a .png of our five culprits and the whole card itself.)