PANAMA CANAL (FRENCH THEN USA INVOLVEMENT).

This signal flag was used by Canal Zone Government ships from 1915. Rosanoski regards Whitney Smith’s attribution to the Panama Canal Co. as erroneous, noting Smith’s separate reference to government ships. Flag Bulletin shows possible stops after the letters.

Ships & The Sea assigns the P217 funnel to large passenger ships. Its proportions were reconstructed from a verbal description, and application of the flag was assumed. Talbot-Booth gives P216 under Panama Rail Road Co. Inc., notes the change to P217 and records P283 under Panama Line or Panama Railroad Co. Inc., apparently without connecting the accounts.