A ship's bell is a bell on a ship that is used for the indication of time as well as other traditional functions. The bell itself is usually made of brass or bronze, and normally has the ship's name engraved or cast on it.
Ship's bell on USS Robert SmallsBell from RMS TitanicAn underwater archaeologist with the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program in St. Augustine, Florida, recording the ship's bell discovered on the 18th-century Storm
Unlike civil clock bells, the strikes of a ship's 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. In the age of sailing, watches were timed with a 30-minute hourglass. Bells would be struck every time the glass was turned, and in a pattern of pairs for easier counting, with any odd bells at the end of the sequence.
^Before the introduction of time zones, noon was not struck by the hourglass, but when the captain or officer of the deck confirmed local noon by the sun, using a sextant.
Most of the crew of a ship would be divided into two to 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") was divided in two. The odd number of watches aimed to give each person a different watch each day; it also allowed the entire crew of a vessel to eat an evening meal, the normal time being at 17:00 with first dog watchmen eating at 18:00.[2]
Simpler systemedit
Some "ship's bell" clocks use a simpler system:
Number of bells
Bell pattern
Hour (a.m. and p.m.)
One bell
1
12:30
4:30
8:30
Two bells
2
1:00
5:00
9:00
Three bells
2 1
1:30
5:30
9:30
Four bells
2 2
2:00
6:00
10:00
Five bells
2 2 1
2:30
6:30
10:30
Six bells
2 2 2
3:00
7:00
11:00
Seven bells
2 2 2 1
3:30
7:30
11:30
Eight bells
2 2 2 2
4:00
8:00
12:00
Other usesedit
Ship's bells are also used for safety in foggy conditions,[3] their most important modern use.[4]
On US naval vessels, bells additionally are rung as "boat gongs" for officers and dignitaries coming aboard or leaving the ship, in a number equivalent to the number of sideboys to which the visitor is entitled.[5]
At midnight on New Year's Eve, 16 bells would be struck – eight bells for the old year and eight bells for the new.
When a sailor has died he or she can be honoured with the sounding of eight bells; meaning "end of the watch". The term "eight bells" can also be used in an obituary, as a nautical euphemism for finished.
The ship's name is traditionally engraved or cast onto the surface of the bell, often with the year the ship was launched, as well. The earliest ship's bell was recovered from the wreck-site of a Portuguese armada ship off the coast of Oman. The bell was dated 1498.[6] Occasionally (especially on more modern ships) the bell will also carry the name of the shipyard that built the ship. If a ship's name is changed, maritime tradition is that the original bell carrying the original name will remain with the vessel. A ship's bell is a prized possession when a ship is broken up[3] and often provides the only positive means of identification in the case of a shipwreck.
Number of bellsedit
Most United States Navy ships of the post–World War II era have actually carried 2 or 3 bells: the larger bell engraved with the ship's name, mounted on the forecastle, and smaller bells in the pilot house and at the quarterdeck at the 1MC (public address) station, for use in making shipwide announcements and marking the time. The larger bell on the forecastle is rung periodically as a fog signal when the ship is at anchor in reduced visibility.
Cook and boatswainedit
According to seafaring legend, the ship's cooks and boatswain's mates had a duty arrangement to give the cooks more sleep. The boatswain's mates, who worked 24 hours a day on watches, would build the fire in the stove, so the cook could get up a little while later and the fire would be already going so he could begin preparing breakfast. In return, between meals, the cooks would shine the bell, which was traditionally the boatswain's mates' responsibility.
Baptizing childrenedit
It is a naval tradition to baptize children using the ship's bell as a baptismal font and to engrave the names of the children on the bell afterwards. Christening information from the bells held by the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Museum has been entered into a searchable data archive.[7]
^Mearns, David L.; Parham, David; Frohlich, Bruno (14 March 2016). "A Portuguese East Indiaman from the 1502–1503 Fleet of Vasco da Gama off Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman: an interim report" (PDF). International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. 46 (2): 331–350. doi:10.1111/1095-9270.12175.
^. CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum. Archived from the original on 30 December 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ships' bells.
The Ship's Bells: Telling Time on Board Battleship New Jersey Museum
. blogstaugustinelighthouse.org. Archived from the original on 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
December 15, 2023
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A ship s bell is a bell on a ship that is used for the indication of time as well as other traditional functions The bell itself is usually made of brass or bronze and normally has the ship s name engraved or cast on it Ship s bell on USS Robert SmallsBell from RMS TitanicAn underwater archaeologist with the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program in St Augustine Florida recording the ship s bell discovered on the 18th century Storm Contents 1 Strikes 1 1 Timing of ship s watches 1 1 1 Classical system 1 1 2 Simpler system 1 2 Other uses 2 Markings on the bell 3 Number of bells 4 Cook and boatswain 5 Baptizing children 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksStrikes editTiming of ship s watches edit See also Watchkeeping Unlike civil clock bells the strikes of a ship s 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 In the age of sailing watches were timed with a 30 minute hourglass Bells would be struck every time the glass was turned and in a pattern of pairs for easier counting with any odd bells at the end of the sequence Classical system edit The classical or traditional system was 1 Number of bells Bell pattern WatchMiddle Morning Fore noon After noon Dog FirstFirst LastOne bell 1 00 30 04 30 08 30 12 30 16 30 18 30 a 20 30Two bells 2 01 00 05 00 09 00 13 00 17 00 19 00 a 21 00Three bells 2 1 01 30 05 30 09 30 13 30 17 30 19 30 a 21 30Four bells 2 2 02 00 06 00 10 00 14 00 18 00 22 00Five bells 2 2 1 02 30 06 30 10 30 14 30 18 30 22 30Six bells 2 2 2 03 00 07 00 11 00 15 00 19 00 23 00Seven bells 2 2 2 1 03 30 07 30 11 30 15 30 19 30 23 30Eight bells 2 2 2 2 04 00 08 00 12 00 b 16 00 20 00 24 00 a b c British usage after the Nore mutiny 2 Before the introduction of time zones noon was not struck by the hourglass but when the captain or officer of the deck confirmed local noon by the sun using a sextant Most of the crew of a ship would be divided into two to 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 was divided in two The odd number of watches aimed to give each person a different watch each day it also allowed the entire crew of a vessel to eat an evening meal the normal time being at 17 00 with first dog watchmen eating at 18 00 2 Simpler system edit Some ship s bell clocks use a simpler system Number of bells Bell pattern Hour a m and p m One bell 1 12 30 4 30 8 30Two bells 2 1 00 5 00 9 00Three bells 2 1 1 30 5 30 9 30Four bells 2 2 2 00 6 00 10 00Five bells 2 2 1 2 30 6 30 10 30Six bells 2 2 2 3 00 7 00 11 00Seven bells 2 2 2 1 3 30 7 30 11 30Eight bells 2 2 2 2 4 00 8 00 12 00Other uses edit Ship s bells are also used for safety in foggy conditions 3 their most important modern use 4 On US naval vessels bells additionally are rung as boat gongs for officers and dignitaries coming aboard or leaving the ship in a number equivalent to the number of sideboys to which the visitor is entitled 5 At midnight on New Year s Eve 16 bells would be struck eight bells for the old year and eight bells for the new When a sailor has died he or she can be honoured with the sounding of eight bells meaning end of the watch The term eight bells can also be used in an obituary as a nautical euphemism for finished Markings on the bell edit nbsp Ship s bell of HMS CavalierThe ship s name is traditionally engraved or cast onto the surface of the bell often with the year the ship was launched as well The earliest ship s bell was recovered from the wreck site of a Portuguese armada ship off the coast of Oman The bell was dated 1498 6 Occasionally especially on more modern ships the bell will also carry the name of the shipyard that built the ship If a ship s name is changed maritime tradition is that the original bell carrying the original name will remain with the vessel A ship s bell is a prized possession when a ship is broken up 3 and often provides the only positive means of identification in the case of a shipwreck Number of bells editMost United States Navy ships of the post World War II era have actually carried 2 or 3 bells the larger bell engraved with the ship s name mounted on the forecastle and smaller bells in the pilot house and at the quarterdeck at the 1MC public address station for use in making shipwide announcements and marking the time The larger bell on the forecastle is rung periodically as a fog signal when the ship is at anchor in reduced visibility Cook and boatswain editAccording to seafaring legend the ship s cooks and boatswain s mates had a duty arrangement to give the cooks more sleep The boatswain s mates who worked 24 hours a day on watches would build the fire in the stove so the cook could get up a little while later and the fire would be already going so he could begin preparing breakfast In return between meals the cooks would shine the bell which was traditionally the boatswain s mates responsibility Baptizing children editIt is a naval tradition to baptize children using the ship s bell as a baptismal font and to engrave the names of the children on the bell afterwards Christening information from the bells held by the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Museum has been entered into a searchable data archive 7 nbsp Ship s bell as a baptismal font at chapel Yeo Hall Royal Military College of Canada nbsp A baby is baptized with holy water from the ship s bell nbsp A baby is baptized by a chaplain on a Royal Navy armed trawler in 1943 nbsp Ship s bell on the nuclear submarine Alexander NevskySee also edit nbsp Transport portalWatchstanding When Eight Bells Toll The Lutine Bell Eight Bells painting References edit Cutler Thomas J 2009 1902 The Bluejackets Manual 24th ed Annapolis MD United States Naval Institute p 370 ISBN 978 1591141532 a b Tony Gray Workshop Hints Ship s Bells The British Horological Institute Archived from the original on 12 June 2011 Retrieved 12 June 2011 a b Ship s Bell National Maritime Museum Archived from the original on 9 December 2008 Retrieved 7 April 2008 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea via Wikisource Customs Ceremonies and Traditions of the USN Mearns David L Parham David Frohlich Bruno 14 March 2016 A Portuguese East Indiaman from the 1502 1503 Fleet of Vasco da Gama off Al Hallaniyah Island Oman an interim report PDF International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 46 2 331 350 doi 10 1111 1095 9270 12175 The Christening Bells Project CFB Esquimalt Naval amp Military Museum Archived from the original on 30 December 2009 Retrieved 6 November 2012 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ships bells The Ship s Bells Telling Time on Board Battleship New Jersey Museum Discovery of a ship s bell by underwater archaeologists on a colonial shipwreck lost off St Augustine Florida in the late 18th century blogstaugustinelighthouse org Archived from the original on 2014 08 07 Retrieved 2011 08 20 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ship 27s bell amp oldid 1185779398, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
