The Circle of Knowledge

Where the Day Begins

The day begins earlier as you go east until you meet the 180th meridian. This is where the day begins. Starting here, it travels westward, giving the whole world a new day. The 180th meridian is called the International Date Line (I. D. L.) but in reality, the date line is a crooked line which zigzags across the 180th meridian.

From the time the day starts at the International Date Line, until the sun again reaches that line, the same day is in progress the world over.

As marked now, the International Date Line passes southward through Behring Sea, then westerly, then returns to the 180th meridian at about 40 degrees north. It then follows the 180th meridian to 10 degrees south, where it swerves east but returns again to the 180th meridian at about 50 degrees south. It then follows that meridian.

Time on Shipboard.—The twenty-four hours are divided on board ship into seven parts, and the crew is divided into two parts or watches, designated port and starboard watches. Each watch is on duty four hours, except from four to eight p. m., which time is divided into two watches of two hours each, called dog watches, by means of which the watches are changed every day, and each watch gets a term of eight hours’ rest at night. First watch, eight p. m. to midnight; middle watch, midnight to four a. m.; morning watch, four to eight a. m.; forenoon watch, eight a. m. to noon; afternoon watch, noon to four p. m.; first dog watch, four to six p. m.; second dog watch, six to eight p. m. The bell is struck every half-hour to indicate the time, as follows:

1	bell	12:	30	A.M.	1	bell	12:	30	P.M.
2	bells	1:	00	A.M.	2	bells	1:	00	P.M.
3	bells	1:	30	A.M.	3	bells	1:	30	P.M.
4	bells	2:	00	A.M.	4	bells	2:	00	P.M.
5	bells	2:	30	A.M.	5	bells	2:	30	P.M.
6	bells	3:	00	A.M.	6	bells	3:	00	P.M.
7	bells	3:	30	A.M.	7	bells	3:	30	P.M.
8	bells	4:	00	A.M.	8	bells	4:	00	P.M.
1	bell	4:	30	A.M.	1	bell	4:	30	P.M.
2	bells	5:	00	A.M.	2	bells	5:	00	P.M.
3	bells	5:	30	A.M.	3	bells	5:	30	P.M.
4	bells	6:	00	A.M.	4	bells	6:	00	P.M.
5	bells	6:	30	A.M.	1	bell	6:	30	P.M.
6	bells	7:	00	A.M.	2	bells	7:	00	P.M.
7	bells	7:	30	A.M.	3	bells	7:	30	P.M.
8	bells	8:	00	A.M.	4	bells	8:	00	P.M.
1	bell	8:	30	A.M.	1	bell	8:	30	P.M.
2	bells	9:	00	A.M.	2	bells	9:	00	P.M.
3	bells	9:	30	A.M.	3	bells	9:	30	P.M.
4	bells	10:	00	A.M.	4	bells	10:	00	P.M.
5	bells	10:	30	A.M.	5	bells	10:	30	P.M.
6	bells	11:	00	A.M.	6	bells	11:	00	P.M.
7	bells	11:	30	A.M.	7	bells	11:	30	P.M.
8	bells	12:	00	noon	8	bells	12:	00	night