New-York tribune., 1902-03-30
THE SHIPS BELL.
VARIOUS TSES TO WHICH IT 10 PIT
HOW IT TELLS THE TIME OF DAY.

Strike eight BELLS" shouted the officer Of the
deck on one Of the warships few days ago ana
then one Of the women visitors remarked "oh! TINS
is charmingt Have You ever heard the chimes on a
nay, sbino- The man escort. one OF the full of
nautical knowledge kind responded: "Oh. yes: I've
been a frequent visitor the ships, for ] know so
many of the officers. and the chimes are rung
beautifully Bat they don't have them on all OF
the ships" At that instant the boy to whom the
order had been given made eight strokes on the
ships bell and then all was silent. even the group
Of visitors who simply looked nquiringly into eacn
others faces But the chimes were not re-
ferred 10.
Eight bells does not mean that ship has this
number Of bells hut it is a rautcal term for the
hour The nautical day begins and ends at noon
when eight bells is struck. as II IS also at
o'clock. O'Clock and midnight. The bell Is
struck half hourly stroke being added for each
half hour until eight is reached when the count
begins again. And if one is asked the time on
board Of a navy ship the response would ne so
many bells and the hour. The bell is OF or
binary size only but It has sharp tone. and Is
hung lust forward or abaft the foremast The
captains orderly usually watches the clock ana
reports 10 the officer Of the deck what hour II Is
in number OF bells. who then orders the bell struck
But o'clock in the morning this rule is varied
the orderly reporting the officer of the deck,
Eight bells. sir" when the officer replies, Re
port the captain eight bells. and chronometerS
wound" The captain then responds very WeH'
make it So" which the orderly reports to the Off
GER Of the deck who commands the messenger boy
Of the watch, Strike eight bells But if the
captain should chance 10 remain mum and not
say. Make It so" no one would hear the bell
strike eight and the nautical day would be thrown
out of joint
At noon the eight bells is not struck until the
navigator has corrected the clock either by his
MONDAY sight for position OF the ship when at
sea from his chronometer. II with feet al
naval station. the bell must not he struck until
that Of the senior officer sounds and the messenger
stands by the bell with clapper in hand, and as
soon as the flag officers bell begins to strike the
bells thu other -essels struck. When there
is large feet lying close together the effect is
interesting and agreeable and one might imagine
that chimes being rung.
Every navy in the world except England foI-
lows the same custom. and England only varies at
the dog watch from to o'clock In the even
ing. In these hours the bell strikes every half
hour till o'clock. and then at SO one bell is
struck and SO on 10 three bells at 20 clock 9ut
gives this reason for this custom Before the Brit
were struck in other navies but In one Of those
mutinies the signal asreed upon by the mutneeTs
Then. when order was restored throughout the
aIlay superstition
Bu, The ships bell has other duties than that Of
the services Of the chaplain his substitute. also
10 call An hands 10 bury the dead. and Il is
| FIRE signal. when II i rung vigorously ana then
baze b assrned n, the frst dsy eacb has been
signal in enEa cement. however. for the reason
that the. crew might become panicstrcken and dis
ported 10 the captain and ne disP3tcheS an o9'Gr T
a fog. and when the ship is at anchor IL is struck
| in threes with short interval between each set
Of strokes In the use Of the bell for these several
! purposes confusion Is caused The half hour
| signals are struck in pairs. with couple OF sec
| sounded the single stroke comes last The tolling
| fog sets Of three and for fire they follow
| each other with great rapdity.