SEPT. 27 ISSUE ANSWERS: The clock in the photo is a 1940’s electric mantle clock. The face is surrounded with a ships wheel. On the hour and the half hour the clock chimes a message to the owner. Throughout time man has declared special “watches” to monitor time through the day (Matthew 24:43.) Sailors on the ocean had two crews to manage the ships duties. While the first crew, under the first mate, was off duty, sleeping, eating, relaxing, the second crew was on duty steering the ship, working the sails, pumping the bilge water in the hold or sighting with the sextant. The day was divided into four hour watches: Mid-watch = midnight to 4 a.m.; Morning watch = 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.; Forenoon watch = 8 a.m.to noon; Afternoon watch = noon to 4 p.m.; First dog watch = 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Second dog watch = 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Night watch = 8 p.m. to midnight. Someone on the ship was responsible for turning over the 30 minute hour glass. That sailor would ring a bell counting the eight half hour periods till the next crew change. 1 bell = 12:30 a.m.; 2 bells = 1 a.m.; 3 bells = 1:30 a.m.; 4 bells = 2 a.m.; 5 bells = 2:30 a.m.; 6 bells = 3 a.m.; 7 bells = 3:30 a.m.; 8 bells = 4 a.m.; time for the crew rotation. Finally the Dog watches allow the sailors to switch watches so they might not be stuck with undesirable watches every day. The clock in the photo chimes ship time all day. At 1:30 p.m. it chimes three times. At 7 p.m. it rings 6 times. I am the only one in the family that knows what it is trying to tell us. It is easier for most to pull out their cell phones and see what time it is. And by the way, isn’t it the reason we call that thing strapped to our wrist a “watch?” R. Beringer, Romeo Historical Society staff