Editing Smoke signal (section)

==Examples==

===The Catholic Church===
SInce the 19th century the [[College of Cardinals]] [[Papal_conclave#Fumata|has used smoke signals]] to indicate the taking of a vote during a [[papal conclave]]. Eligible cardinals conduct a [[secret ballot]] until a Papal candidate receives a vote of two-thirds plus one. The ballots are burned after each vote; since 1914 black smoke has indicated a failed ballot, and white smoke means a new Pope has been elected.

===Native Americans===

Lewis and Clark's journals cite several occasions when they adopted the Native American method of setting the plains on fire to communicate the presence of their party or their desire to meet with local tribes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=1805-07-20.xml&_xslsrc=LCstyles.xsl |title=Lewis and Clark Journals, July 20, 1805}}</ref>

====Yámana====
[[Yamana people|Yámanas]] of [[South America]] used fire to send messages by smoke signals, for instance if a whale drifted ashore.<ref>Gusinde 1966:137–139, 186</ref> The large amount of meat required notification of many people so that it would not be wasted.<ref>Itsz 1979:109</ref> They might also have used smoke signals on other occasions—thus it is possible that Magellan saw such fires and was inspired to name the landscape [[Tierra del Fuego]] ("Land of Fire"); however, he may have seen the smoke or lights of natural phenomena.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pages.interlog.com/~erhard/uttermos.htm |title=The Patagonian Canoe |publisher=Pages.interlog.com |access-date=2013-02-19}}</ref><ref>Extracts from the following book. E. Lucas Bridges: ''Uttermost Part of the Earth. Indians of Tierra del Fuego.'' 1949, reprinted by Dover Publications, Inc (New York, 1988).</ref>

===Noon Gun ===
The [[Cape Town]] [[Noon Gun#Time signalling|Noon Gun]], specifically the smoke its firing generates, was used to set [[marine chronometer]]s in [[Table Bay]].

===Aboriginal Australians===
[[Aboriginal Australians]] throughout Australia have used smoke signals for various purposes—<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=The Red Chief|last=Idriess|first=Ion L|publisher=ettimprint|year=1953}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title=Over the Range|last=Idriess|first=Ion L|publisher=ettimprint|year=1937}}</ref> sometimes to notify others of their presence, particularly when entering lands which were not their own.<ref name=":0">Myers, 1986: 100</ref> Sometimes used to describe visiting Whites, smoke signals were the fastest way to send messages.<ref name=":3" /> Smoke signals were sometimes used to notify of incursions by hostile tribes, or to arrange meetings between hunting parties of the same tribe. This signal could be from a fixed lookout on a ridge or from a mobile band of tribesman.<ref name=":2" /> "Putting up a smoke" often promoted nearby individuals or groups to reply with their own signals.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Report on Patrol to Lake Mackay Area June/July 1957|url=http://www.cifhs.com/|publisher=National Archives of Australia|access-date=2014-01-31}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Different colours of smoke (black, white or blue, depending on whether the material being burnt was wet grass, dry grass, reeds or other materials) were used to convert information, as was the smoke's shape (a column, ball or ring), allowing a messaging system sophisticated enough to include the names of individual tribesmen.<ref name=":2" /> Like other means of communication, signals could be misinterpreted. In one recorded instance, a smoke signal reply translated as "we are coming" was misinterpreted as joining a war party for protection of the tribe, when it was actually to indicate hunting parties coming together after a successful hunt.<ref name=":2" />

=== [[Goryeo]] and [[Joseon]] ===
The [[beacon]] fire signal system (bongsu, 봉수, 烽燧) was formally institutionalized during the early [[Goryeo]] period in 1149 (the 3rd year of King [[Uijong of Goryeo|Uijong’s reign]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=봉수 |url=https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?docId=577122&cid=46633&categoryId=46633 |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=terms.naver.com |language=ko}}</ref> According to historical records, it was enacted by [[royal decree]] following a memorial submitted by Jo Jin-yak (曺晋若), the Military Commissioner of the Northwestern Region (Seobukmyeon Byeongmasa, 西北面兵馬使). Under this system, signals were sent using smoke during the day and fire at night.<ref>{{Cite web |title=봉수 - 디지털김천문화대전 |url=https://gimcheon.grandculture.net/gimcheon/toc/GC03200634 |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=gimcheon.grandculture.net}}</ref> The method of bongsu involved using fire at night and smoke during the day. The signaling system followed a five-tiered structure: one [[torch]] (geo, 炬) was lit in times of peace; two when enemy ships were spotted at sea; three when they approached the coast; four when they engaged with Korean naval forces; and five when enemy troops landed on shore. These signals were immediately reported by local commanders(ojang, 오장, 五將) to regional governors. In the capital, the Ministry of War (Byeongjo, 병조, 兵曹) monitored the beacons and reported the situation to the Royal Secretariat (Seungjeongwon, 승정원, 承政院), which then informed the king.<ref>{{Cite web |last=문화관광 |first=창원시 |title=창원시 문화관광 |url=https://culture.changwon.go.kr/index.changwon?bbsId=BBSMSTR_000000000051&contentId=379&menuNo=15040000&nttId=619&upperMenuId=15040000 |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=new.changwon.go.kr |language=ko}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=봉수 |url=https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?docId=3571693&cid=58940&categoryId=58956 |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=terms.naver.com |language=ko}}</ref>

===Aviation===
Modern [[aviation]] has made [[skywriting]] possible.