NAVAL NOMENCLATURE
Sui,—The amendment of naval titles and ratings is occupying the attention of the Admiralty; the altera- tions are said to he in the cause of brevity and clarity. I hear that the archaic and old-fashioned Officer of the Watch (briefly, 00W) is to be changed to Period Progress and Procedure Organiser and Overseer (PPPOO for short). The case of the Leading Signalman is considered serious enough to he the subject of questions even in the House of Lords. It has been officially stated that a change has been made to reflect more clearly his duties, so he is to he known in future as the Leading Tactical Communication Operator.• This seems to denote that his function will be restricted to tactics and manoeuvres and things of that sort. Who, then, will handle the ordinary message, such as, 'What about a round of golf this afternoon Saturday,' from the captain of one ship to another? Presumably, instead of resorting to the clumsy and complicated semaphore and morse of our forefathers, which the old leading signalman would have used, a much simpler and more efficient means will be employed by transmitting the message by aerial teleprinter or placing it in a pneumatic cylinder or cartridge pro- pelled to the receiving ship by jet or rocket. —Yours
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