Ship's bells

Ship's bells are a system to indicate the hour by means of bells, used aboard a ship to regulate the sailors' duty watches.

Missing image
Ship_bell_missile_cruiser_USS_Chancellorsville.jpg
Ship bell USS Chancellorsville

Unlike civil clock bells, the strikes of the bell do not accord to the number of the hour. Instead, there are eight bells, one for each half-hour of a four-hour watch. Bells would be struck every half-hour, and in a pattern of pairs for easier counting, with any odd bells at the end of the sequence.

The classical system was:

Number of bells Middle
watch
Morning
watch
Forenoon
watch
Afternoon
watch
First
dog
watch
Last
dog
watch
First
watch
One bell 0:30 4:30 8:30 12:30 16:30 18:30 20:30
Two bells 1:00 5:00 9:00 13:00 17:00 19:00 21:00
Three bells 1:30 5:30 9:30 13:30 17:30 19:30 21:30
Four bells 2:00 6:00 10:00 14:00 18:00 22:00
Five bells 2:30 6:30 10:30 14:30 22:30
Six bells 3:00 7:00 11:00 15:00 23:00
Seven bells 3:30 7:30 11:30 15:30 23:30
Eight bells 4:00 8:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 0:00
Missing image
Dzwon_ORP_Iskra_II.jpeg
Ship bell of ORP Iskra II - Polish Navy school tall ship

Most of the crew of a ship would be divided up into between two and four groups called watches. Each watch would take its turn with the essential activities of manning the helm, navigating, trimming sails, and keeping a lookout.

The hours between 16:00 and 20:00 are so arranged because that watch (the "dog watch", which is cur-tailed) was divided into two. The odd number of watches aimed to give each man a different watch each day.

Some "ship's bell" clocks use a simpler system:

Number of bells Hour (a.m. and p.m.)
One bell 12:30 4:30 8:30
Two bells 1:00 5:00 9:00
Three bells 1:30 5:30 9:30
Four bells 2:00 6:00 10:00
Five bells 2:30 6:30 10:30
Six bells 3:00 7:00 11:00
Seven bells 3:30 7:30 11:30
Eight bells 4:00 8:00 12:00

The number of bells may be used to refer to the hour so indicated.

External links

de:Schiffsglocke pl:Dzwon okrętowy

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