The Ship’s Bell Code, Cont.
The watch officer struck the ship’s bell every half hour to
apprise the crew of the time. A single bell sounded the end
of the first half hour, and one bell was added each half-
hour thereafter. Eight bells, therefore, signaled the end of
each four-hour watch.
The chimes of your Chelsea Clock timepiece reflect this
same traditional ship’s bell code:
8 bells
12:00
4:00
8:00
1 bell
12:30
4:30
8:30
2 bells
1:00
5:00
9:00
3 bells
1:30
5:30
9:30
4 bells
2:00
6:00
10:00
5 bells
2:30
6:30
10:30
6 bells
3:00
7:00
11:00
7 bells
3:30
7:30
11:30
The Barometer
How it Works
A barometer measures changes in atmospheric
pressure, or the “weight” of the air. Changes
in pressure typically foretell changes in the
weather. Weather watchers will note a barom-
eter’s reading and how much and how fast it
rises or falls. Rising pressure signals improving weather;
falling pressure indicates deteriorating conditions. Gener
-
ally, a barometer works best when mounted indoors (away
from the elements) where air pressure is the same as that
outside.
