The Washington times., 1903-08-23
How Rowing Comets Are Dis
covered, and the Ticking
of the Big Clock in the Oh
servatory Made to Sound
All Over the Continent on
New Year Eve. - - -

time the State Department was housed
temporarily in the Orphan Asylum
building on Fourteenth Street. and the
officials requested that the time be sent
to them over a wire which was at their
private disposal The Western Union
Telegraph Company also had wires in
the State Department building-and their
operators formed the habit of transfer
ring the time signals from the fire alarm,
wire to their own lines, and sending
them on the main Office in the city.
In this way the time service began
and today 1t Is an institution OF great
value and enormous reach. Recently the
Observatory has inaugurated a telephone
scheme which promises much.
On New Year Eve.
An interesting part of the transmits
sion of correct time is the plan. which
was first put into operation last winter
and viii doubtless be followed hereafter.
OF sending out telegraphic signals "a
mark the exact instant OF the beginning
or the New Year. In Washington tbs
time ball MAS Illuminated by an electric
Union Company took up the plan with
enthusiasm and FIVE minutes before Il
O'Clock series of signals was sen. out.
omitting certain seconds to mark clearlv
each thirtieth and sixtieth second fhe
nnal click. after a ten second interval.
marking the exact instant of midnight.
The series was repeated at 1. 2 and 3
a. m. as a midnight signal for thoss
using central. mountain, and Pacific
standard time. In this way every nor
ton OF the country received the signal
directly from the Naval Observatory. II
SUITS the blood TO think OF these sue
cessive series Of signals flashing owe,
thousands OF miles Of wire to every
telegraph office in the United statea
One-tenth Of second was the time ths
electric current required to pass from
Washington to the Lick Observatory in
California. AS Admiral Chester said ir
describing the event to the Times man.
Ihe electric current made audible sron
the Atlantic 10 the Pacific and from rhs
Great Lakes 20 the Gulf OF Mexico ever,
swing of the pendulum of our STANDARD
clock as it counted out. in It's ouiet
solemn way. the last moments a.. rbs
dying year"
Value of the Observatory.
The value of the Naval Observatory to
the navy and the merchant marine can
scarcely be realized. One fact. however
VIII bring home TO the individual an
idea of the enormous sums II saves the
country every month. Navigation canuo,
be carried out today as IL was twenty
1--WE years ago. We reckon the value a;
our ships now IN millions instead O,
thousands Of dollars, and their careoes
in the same ratio. Then, too. there is
the cargo they carry in the matter Of
insurance. something which is worthy q,
consideration Moreover, the modern
vessel steams at double the speed of ear.
lier days, a fact that Increases the dan.
ger OF collision and sinking tenfold
When our fathers sailed the ocean -,xe
observations, of the sun-at morning and
evening-were all that was REQUIRED ot
the navigator Now that officer must he.
gin his work before daybreak. indeed ths
efficient man will not be satisfied unles.
he makes several observations during tbs
night These necessities demand a f,,i
and accurate nautical almanac. and this
is furnished by the Naval Observatorx
alone.