In the first position (Fig. 2) A sees B a little on the port bow, B's _red light_ exposed, and, by the diagrams, B should see A's _red light_ as well; in which case both vessels should put their helms to port.
In the second position (Fig. 3) A sees D on his starboard bow, and, from the fact that he only sees D's _red light_, he knows that D must be steering in some direction, as at D D' D"; at the same time, D D' D" will see A's _green light on his port bow_.
In this case, A, having D clearly on his starboard bow, should put his helm to starboard to turn from D, and D, having A clearly on his port bow, should put his helm to port to turn to starboard from A.
FIG. 4 (when the _green light_ is seen, and the _red light_ is not seen).--A sees a _green light_ ahead, or on his bow. A knows that either, first, a vessel is approaching him on his starboard bow, as B, or, second, that a vessel is crossing his bow in some direction to starboard, as D D' D" (Fig. 5).
If A sees a _white masthead light_ above the _green light_, A knows that the vessel is a steamer, and is either approaching him in the same direction as B, or is crossing to starboard in some direction, as D D' D".
In the _first position_ A sees B on his starboard bow, B's _green light_ exposed, and, by the diagram, B should see A's _green light_ as well; in which case both vessels should put their helms to starboard.
In the _second position_ A sees D on his port bow, and, from the fact that he only sees D's _green light_, he knows that D must be steering in some direction, as D D' D"; at the same time D will see A's _red light_ on his starboard bow. In this case A, having D clearly on his port bow, should put his helm to port to turn from D; and D, having A clearly on his starboard bow, should put his helm to starboard to turn to port from A.
When lying in harbor in a well-ordered and disciplined yacht, considerable ceremony is made in hauling down the colors at sunset, and hoisting them at sunrise. It is customary to have this done with great exactness, and to the very minute often, at which the sun rises or sets, as ascertained by the nautical almanac, at the discharge of a swivel or small cannon; when all the colors aloft, including the ensign and private signal, should commence to descend towards the deck together, and at the same rate of speed. To execute this graceful ceremony it becomes necessary to post two hands at each of the signal-halliards,--one to haul down the color, the other to check it on its descent, so as to have it move with the same speed as the ensign, by which all other colors are regulated; then, with two hands to each flag, with the signal-halliards cast off, and every thing clear, and ready to lower away, another hand is placed at the swivel, and when the second-hand of one's watch touches the minute of sunset, the command "Fire!" is given, and down drop gracefully and slowly all the colors that are aloft. They may be set in the morning in the same way, or may be made up in a bundle on deck, and hoisted to their position aloft, when at a given signal, or discharge of a cannon, the stop is jerked asunder, and they are unfolded to the breeze at the same instant of time. This is a more graceful method than hoisting them up from deck, which, at the best, causes a jerky movement of the bunting.