The Washington times., 1918-03-31
MASTER CLOCK AT
OBSERVATORY NOT
TO Be SET AHEAD

At III o'clock" this morning. the
United States Naval Observatory will
flash over America the first "aFtif1-
cial noon" signal in the history OF
the nation. ~
TO all intents and purposes. the
time OF this flash WIN be noon, in
I. accordance with the mandate Of Con-
gress which ordered all official
; cleclks moved forward one hour at .
+. o'clock this morning, but out on
Georgetown Heights. at the Naval
Observatory, it will still be IL, a. m.
meridian time by the nations stan
dsrd clock
The Naval Observatory, It was said
today. viii probably be the only. off,
cial spot on the American map where
(. the master clock will continue run
ming according to true time. and con-
ssquently. one hour behind the rest
OF the country The answer TO this
apparent indifferenee to the orders OF
copsress lies in. n.sthe delicate Adjust
naent OF Americas STANDARD tire-piece
-=the chrononyeter ,ythfch daily sup
plies the continent and American
) ships far at sea with the standard
, time OF the meridian OF Washington
Lieut. R, S: Patton, z. s. n. and
Time Expert Usatts4ef the Observa-
tory. sent out the last .tinle-fash ,un-
! der the old Hvstem al 10 O'clock last
night This tins-fash penetrated To
every par1 of the country. over
gigantics nerve -Systesns Of telegraph
wires and It, was alSo flashed East.
West. North, and South by wireless
from. the Arlington radio station.
ordinsfiiy, the Observatory sends
out but one time-aash day. That
Fisigixen at-noon. Two flashes. though.
were sent out yesterday- at noon
and the other az 10 ,. m The, last
hash was 3 sorr<of nnai warning TO
ct chFo1loine tar on tIine before tnfn-
ing them npsst :. a. NJ. today. -
Although conErsss set a m. as
the bot1f TO put the new daylight-sav-
ing plan iAtos operation. compera-
lively few clocks were turned up at
that hour. Most OF the mantlepiece
chroaometers and family alarm
clocks got their turning-up at. bed
time last night. and America. for the
most part awolte this Sunday morn
ing in accordance with the new
ScheoOte-
Some hour had to be set, however,
for the use OF railways and other in
dnstries where time Is always an i'm
portant factor, and the wee sma'
hours of this morning were chosen
by Congress because less confusion
was liable to result from a change
at that hour. when traffic, is compare
lively quiet and the world aslee
than at any other hour OF the whole
twenty -four.
The average time-piece. no matter
how excellent and well-balanced II may
be. can be turned up one hour by hand
without serious danger 10 its works. Let
some one even touch the hands OF the
big master clock at the Naval Obeerva-
tory and the observatory scientists
probably VIII have TO stay Up all blight
looking for the trouble. Those ohserva-
tory clocks are loOped up with a most
amazing tzngle OF electric wires. and
turning them forward an hour Is a task
that would require days OF effort, be-
csuse the Job would have 10 be done by
electricity and by very slow degrees
For that reason, the Neval ObseFva-
tory will run its clocks according TO
stellar time al during the present arti-
fioial-time period. and in that way
any possible malad justment OF these
delicate, temperamental tine-pieces
viii be avb;d=ds