HOUR ZONES AT SEA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 259, 20 July 1918, Page 8

HOUR ZONES AT SEA

XEW TIME-KEEPING SYSTEM. Tho current issue of the "Board of Trade Journal" states that an explanatory memorandum upon a proposed system of hour zones for timekeeping at sea has be , . l u prepared' by tlid Board of Trade lor the information, of tshipowucrs, shipmaster.'!, nni officers. The navigulur, under the proposed system, would be I'Cf]tiil'C'.l lo set his s.hij time to correspond with the mean tiiiio of ceiti'in lixed meridians by comparison with his chronometer. Alteralions in time as the ship proceeded would bo in complete luuivs, so that the reading of the clocks—so far as minutes and secends were concerned—would be universally the same. The hours alone would differ. As showing some of the main advantages which would result, it is pointed cut that all subdivisions ct lime would be measured in mean solur units; i.e., the day's run would be an ■ exact number of menu solar hours, mid Ihe mean spend of Ihe ship would, Iherefore, be 'much more wily and accuralcly calculated. Revolution inilioatoi's would give a. more reliiibk _estim«l<: uf the distance run, and the saina iirsiiimont would »ppl.v to the distances inducted b\- mechanical logs, while tidal rah-ulaliniis wmild lip ; facilitated wlun nciiriiig llv loasl'. i