The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-03
THEDAYS AND HOURS
ORIGIN OF OUR SYSTEM OF The
DIVISION OF TIME.

n Was Devised by the BabyIonians,
Who Were a Very clever People,
Was Adopted by the Greeks and
Has Survived Through All Changes.
If you pull your watch out Of your
pocket you viii have in your hand one
bf the most wonderful pieces Of ma
chinery ever constructed. Think how
it works throughout the day and niglrt
and how it keeps it up year in, year out
Think how the second hand points tc
5000 divisions Of time during every
hour 1t never sleeps.
If it is ike the average watch, it will
be built up Of no fewer than It's differ
ent pieces. These pieces viii. have
passed through more than 2,400 sep
arate operations, each being a distinct
form Of manufacture.
The fourth jewel wheel screw is so
very small that it is almost invisible.
To the naked eye it appears TO be but a
speck Of dust. When examined under
a magnifying glass it viii be seen to
be a perfect screw, having 26O threads
to the inch, each thread being well
CIT Actually the diameter Of this
screw is so little as the four One-thou-
sandth part Of an inch, and it would
take no less a number than 100000
similar screws In order to fill an or
binary thimble as used by the ladies.
Each screw has a double head and
has 70 be hardened. After the harden
ing process the screws are arranged in
frames, being placed in with the heads
upward. This delicate operation Is
done by the sense Of touoh alone in
stead Of by sight, and greEe rapidity
marks the skilful operator. Some
where about a hundred screws are
placed in each frame, and the frames
are attached to a machine which pol
lshes the heads Of the screws 10000 at
a time.
II viii be seen how marvellous these
screws are, yet one Of them forms but
one tiny piece OF a watch. Still, this
viii show the remarkable nature Of that
everyday article. When special watches
are considered there IS indeed room for
wonder.
For instance, take the watch which
was presented to Catherine I. on her
coronation as empress Of Russia. This
watch was one Of the most remarkably
constructed instruments ever made.
On the opposite side Of tho works of
this extraordinary timekeeper there
was an exact representation of the
holy sepulcher, with a carved Image
Of the Roman guard stationed outside
il. AS soon as the watch case was
opened the initiation rocks would roll
away from the mouth Of the sepulcher.
the soldier would kneel angels would
appear at opposite sides Of the opening.
and sweet strains Of music would be
heard. This remarkable watch took
nine years uninterrupted labor in OF.
der to construct.
The first clock in any wav resem-
bling those in use at present was made
BY Henry Wick in the year 1870. and il
was made for Charles v. OF France.
This monarch was surnamed the Wise.
but his education was imperfect in
many respects. and he knew it well
AS q result be was very obstinate In
his claim to know everything. He
showed this obstnacy when Vick
brought the new hmepiece for his ap-
prevail The king could not find any
fault with its working, so he criticised
the figures on the dial.
He told the maker that he had made
a grievous error, as the figures to de-
note the hour Of 4 shaaid be four Ps