The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-10-25
ABOUT SHIPS BELLS.
A LANGUAGE MORE EXTENSIVE THAN
LANDSMEN SUPPOSE.

In Addition to Announcing the Time the
Bells Are Used For Making Certain Sig
nails Formally on Board Naval ves-
sci at Eight Bells.
The language of a ships bell, so sig
nificant to a sailor man, is full OF mys-
terry for the average landlubber, and
most of the visitors to warship leave
the ship as ignorant of the meaning Of
the bell signals as when they went
aboard
Commander Rockwell, q. S. NJ, has
given some information on the subject
which will be interesting to the thou
sands who have visited Uncle Sam s
ships.
Gas bunting is the medium through
which a ship ordinarily communicates
with the outside world" he says, $50
the bell is that through which she adj
dresses herself to those aboard, and
rings forth the hours, summons to wor
ship and peals the danger signals.
''Every landsman has probably learn
ed and forgotten the method of striking
the hour aboard ship, but the dullest
may make sure of this knowledge for
the rest of his life by getting two or
three things clear in his head. The
nautical day begins and ends at noon,
when eight bells is struck. The bell is
struck half hourly day and night, one
stroke being added for every half hour,
until eight is reached, when the count
begins again at one bell.
"Thus the hours are indicated in every
British. Here there is a curious devia
ton from the ordinary naval method of
indicating the hour.
SIN the matter of the bell there is in
the United States navy routine long es-
tablished by precedent. The bell, usu
ally small affair, of rather high light
tone, hangs either just forward or just
abaft of the foremost, on or under the
forecastle. The captains orderly keeps
the time and reports to the officer of the
deck the hour in terms of bells. The Off
Ger of the deck then bids the messenger
of the watch to strike the bell
"There is somewhat more formality
at eight bells than at other times, for
then the hour is reported to the captain,
and the bell is not struck until he has
said, Make it SO.
'Here is the routine at a. m: The
orderly says to the officer of the deck,
Eight bells, sir. The officer of the deck
replies, Report to the captain eight
bells and chronometers wound, sir The
orderly then goes to the captain and
says, Eight bells and ehronometers
wound, sir The captain, if he be SO
minded, replies: Very we'll. Make it
SO. The orderly returns to the officer Of
the deck and says, Make it so. The
officer of the deck says to the messenger
Of the watch, Strike eight bells and
if everybody has been prompt the mes
seugcr strikes eight bells at exactly 8
a. IN.
tNobQdy knows whether ID would be
eight bells IL the clignifed captain should
take it into his head to withhold his
majestic Make it SO, for an American
naval captain is SO powerful q person
aboard ship and routine has so powerful
Az.
Ao-a On '-7 navy ,-l"l L-l'p7 '-'e
cap, y, y s' a-i-.os,4' MESA, pau 'D7
nautical day 01. Oh 9a.-iJ
T" -tlisl -.e a.s II '-..'o-'
aa eA.-Ea 4- i4 A".. @",.''7
,la .a" pens" 1 al. - ..--.-
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cI- y.
has aaaoe. .a u-
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ha
TO he
1a ~ t,
o.eIr.sa na,.a
by .r. '' go
siaua .la ~
ue and Is#Eo-- .l'
ont u Hraf
a sa.r
dictate the aaas. bus t' .i-. |"-ta
OF other a When ,aa Ha.' carr as
% chaplain. She bel. ~ lo-.- aaF-,.
ON sut.. morning. -ae 1a--. l'"4..f
Is not rg.lel a9 lHn5--I+ "I.l " H'.a
sense of pEawe.r .1e navy l.-.lo-s