It is known that in the distant past, oars were used as the ship's engine, and the speed and maneuverability of the ship depended both on the number of rowers and on their coordinated work. To make the rowing process rhythmic, special sound signals were given. For this, flutes and gongs were used. With the development of the sailing fleet, another device appeared that went down in the history of navigation as a boatswain whistle.
Origin of fixture
In the thirteenth century, the crusaders used special pipes to assemble a team on the deck of the ship. This device is also mentioned in Shakespeare's Tempest ode as a symbol and attribute of higher authority. In Great Britain, a gold pipe was intended for the Lord Admiral as the oldest rank. The similar silver brass items were used by the English admirals. With the development of the British fleet, the king formulated requirements for pipes, according to which a boatswain whistle made of gold should weigh one ounce (28.35 g), and the neck chain on which the device was worn should not exceed one gold ducat (3.4 g).
The design of a modern product
Today, the devices used in the navy of England, in their design are similar to the pipe removed from the neck of the Scottish pirate Andrew Burton. Before its capture on the English ships used various boatswain whistles.
The product is a flat nickel-plated drawer. Its end has the form of a hollow ball into which a slightly bent tube is inserted. It is worn around the neck on special nickel chains.
What is the boatswain's whistle called today?
Crossword puzzles are often a concern for this question. In the history of the British Navy, the trophy has become a symbol of victory over the famous Scottish pirate, and the whistles themselves are now officially called the Barton horns.
The boatswain whistle in Russia
For the first time, Barton’s sample pipes were used in the Russian Navy during the reign of Tsar Peter I. The whistles were intended for junior naval officials: non-commissioned officers and boatswaines. In 1925, the Rules for Wearing Uniforms and Clothing were approved for servicemen of the workers 'and peasants' red fleet. According to this document, the Barton sample pipes were introduced to equip the employees of the Russian Navy. Since 1930, they have become integral elements of uniforms of ceremonial calculations. Later, the boatswain whistle received a new name - “signal pipe” - and began to be used by the boatswain, drill foremen, as well as the Red Navy, who are on duty on the upper deck.
During the years of the Soviet Union, boatswain whistles were made at the Moscow Musical Wind Instrument Factory, as well as at Kiev Plant No. 37. Each pipe was equipped with the “MZDI” stamp or the number “37”.
Wearing rules
According to the Rules for Servicemen of the RKKF, approved in 1925, the boatswain whistles were worn as follows:
- On pea jackets or overcoats, signal horns were hung to the right of the loop of the second button.
- If the serviceman was wearing a shirt (flannel, uniform or work), then the pipe should cling to the edge of the collar.
- When using a gas mask, the chain of the signal pipe should be positioned so that it overlaps its shoulder strap.
Signal
According to Order No. 64, issued in 1948 by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy of the USSR, the document “Signals on the Sea Pipe” was put into effect, which outlined how to properly blow the boatswain whistle. Since that time, the pipe is considered a means of internal communication, designed for sixteen melodies. Each of them is a signal for action. Signaling with a pipe is considered a real art. For the sound to be correct, the boatswain whistle should be held in the palm of the right hand, pressing its ball with half-bent fingers.
After that, you need to blow the whistle, fingering with it with your fingers. Depending on the overlap of the hole in the ball, melodies of various tones are created. They can be both soft and deep, and piercingly sharp.
They study the signals of boatswain's pipes using graphic images that are very similar to musical notation. But in the case of signal horns, not a five-line, but a three-line mill is used.
