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.
[Illustration]
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