FOGO, or FUEGO, one of the Cape Verd islands w. of Santiago; about 40 m. in cir cumference, formed almost entirely of the slopes of a volcanic mountain of 9,157 ft. elevation. The volcano was first known to be in action in 1680, and the last eruption, which was the cause of great destruction, occurred in 1847. The great trouble is the lack of water, droughts being sometimes so protracted as to cause famine. Ordinarily the island is exceedingly fruitful. Chief town and port, Nossa Senhora da Luz.
audible warnings used on board ships, on the sea-coast, or on rail ways, during fogs and mists, or at any other time when lights or ordinary daylight-sig nals are not available.
The commonest fog-signal on shipboard is the continuous ringing of the ordinary time-bell, or striking the anchor with 4 hammer, together with the occasional discharge of musketry and heavy guns. These are adopted, to prevent collisions, when ships are over taken by a fog in the British channel, or other places where shipping is abundant. The blowing of a horn, the beating of a drum, an empty cask, a gong, and various other unusual sounds, are also adopted. Steam-vessels generally blow a whistle under these cir cumstances. These sounds, however, only indicate rudely the position of the ship, and not the direction in which she is sailing. Many plans have been devised for a code of sig-. nals, by which the directions n., s., etc., might be indicated by the varying length of
each sound, or the intervals between the sounds of a fog-horn or whistle.
It is very desirable that some general code of signals of this kind should be adopted for the merchant service as well as the navy; and that its recognition by the marine of all ether nations should be procured. The. admiralty. have such code-for the direction of a fleet of ships of war in thick weather, but their application is limited to the navy. Some further remarks on fog-signals will appear under signals (q.v.).
Fog-signals from the shore are very desirable, especially on a dangerous coast. Bells and guns have both been used for the purpose, but when a strong wind is blow ing in towards the shore, their sound is heard only at a very little distance out to sea. Consequently steam-whistles, and fog horns sounded by compressed air, are being employed in their stead.
The fog-signals used on railways are small cases charged with detonating powder, and laid upon the rails. They explode loudly when the wheel of an advancing train comes upon them. They arc not merely used in fogs, but in all cases of danger, from obstruction of the line, or in other cases of urgency when a train has to be stopped without delay. Station-masters and railway police are furnished with them for the purpose of thus stopping a train at any place.