In his classic Military Defence of West Sussex, John Goodwin looked at the hardware and practical issues. Herein he examines the problems of military and naval communications and the many solutions, but extends his remit to the entire South Coast. Argumentative Admirals, sinister smugglers and corrupt crews add colour to the fascinating story of flags, shutters, wooden arms and the frustration of poor visibility. Most of these were eliminated by the advent of the electric telegraph, which forms the final part of his story.