Bells on Ships [some naval history]

Naval Historical Center--Department of the Navy ^ | 15. July 1999 | unattributed

[1rudeboy]

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Bells on Ships

Bells have a centuries-long tradition of varied use in the navies and merchant fleets of the world. They have been used for signaling, keeping time, and providing alarm. Their functional and ceremonial uses have made them a symbol of considerable significance to the United States Navy.

Origins

Bells cast from metal were first developed in the Bronze Age, achieving a particularly high level of sophistication in China. During the European Middle Ages, they were used by Christians to signal divine services and make special announcements. Christian and Buddhist monasteries historically used them to regulate daily activity, conceptually similar to later timekeeping in the U.S. Navy. The Catholics consider bells a representation of the voice of God and of paradise.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the shipboard bell was on the British ship Grace Dieu about 1485. Some ten years later an inventory of the English ship Regent reveals that this ship carried two "wache bells".

Bells for warning and alarms

The sounding of a ship's bell found a natural application as a warning signal to other vessels in poor visibility and fog. In 1676 one Henry Teonage serving as a chaplain in the British Mediterranean Fleet recorded , "so great a fog that we were fain to ring our bells, beat drums, and fire muskets often to keep us from falling foul one upon another". Ringing a ship's bell in fog became customary. In 1858, British Naval Regulations made it mandatory in that function. Today, maritime law requires all ships to carry an efficient bell.

American ships of the Revolutionary War period and our early national years adopted many of the practices and traditions of the British Royal Navy, including the use of bells. In 1798, Paul Revere cast a bell weighing 242 pounds for the frigate Constitution, also known today by its nickname "Old Ironsides".

It is of interest to note that the use of a ship's bell contributed to the richest single prize captured by the American Navy during the War of Independence. While a Continental Squadron under Commodore Whipple lay-to, wrapped in Newfoundland fog in a July morning in 1779, the sound of ships' bells and an occasional signal gun could be heard a short distance off. When the fog lifted the Americans discovered that they had fallen in with the richly-laden enemy Jamaica Fleet. Ten ships were captured as prizes, which - together with their cargo - were valued at more than a million dollars.

Bells for timekeeping

Before the advent of the chronometer time at sea was measured by the trickle of sand through a half - hour glass. One of the ship's boys had the duty of watching the glass and turning it when the sand had run out. When he turned the glass, he struck the bell as a signal that he had performed this vital function. From this ringing of the bell as the glass was turned evolved the tradition of striking the bell once at the end of the first half hour of a four hour watch, twice after the first hour, etc., until eight bells marked the end of the four hour watch. The process was repeated for the succeeding watches. This age-old practice of sounding the bell on the hour and half hour has its place in the nuclear and missile oriented United States Navy at the dawn of the Twenty-First Century, regulating daily routine, just as it did on our historic vessels under sail in the late Eighteenth Century.

Bells for alarms

The bell is an essential link in a ship's fire alarm system. In the event of a fire, the bell is rung rapidly for at least five seconds, followed by one, two or three rings to indicate the location of a fire - forward, amidships, or aft respectively.

Bells in religious ceremonies

The bell's connection to religious origins continues. Originating in the British Royal Navy, it is a custom to baptize a child under the ship's bell; sometimes the bell is used as a christening bowl, filled with water for the ceremony. Once the baptism is completed, the child's name may be inscribed inside the bell. The bell remains with the ship while in service and with the Department of the Navy after decommissioning. In this way, an invisible tie is created between the country and its citizens. Bells have been loaned or provided to churches as memorials to those vessels; this practice has been discontinued in favor of displaying bells with namesake states or municipalities, with museums, and with naval commands and vessels.

Maintenance and upkeep

Traditionally, the bell is maintained by the ship's cook, while the ship's whistle is maintained by the ship's bugler.

In actual practice, the bell is maintained by a person of the ship's division charged with the upkeep of that part of the ship where the bell is located. In such a case a deck seaman or quartermaster striker or signalman striker may have the bell-shining duty.

Today's role for bells

In addition to continuing its role as a timepiece and alarm, the bell serves a ceremonial and memorial function.

U.S. Navy bells, part of the many artifacts removed from decommissioned vessels, are preserved by the Naval Historical Center. They may be provided on loan to new namesake ships; naval commands with an historical mission or functional connection; and to museums and other institutions that are interpreting specific historical themes and displays of naval history. Bells remain the permanent property of the US Government and the Department of the Navy. These serve to inspire and to remind our naval forces and personnel of their honor, courage, and commitment to the defense of our nation.

Bells remain a powerful and tangible reminder of the history, heritage, and accomplishments of the naval service.

For further reading:

Wede, Karl. The Ship's Bell: Its History and Romance. New York: South Street Seaport Museum, 1972.

---

15 July 1999

[1rudeboy]

THE SHIP'S BELL CODE
BELLS	HOUR
1 Bell 2 Bells 3 Bells 4 Bells 5 Bells 6 Bells 7 Bells 8 Bells	4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00	8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00	12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:00

[freedumb2003]

This is really, realluy interesting.

History fascinates me -- and this kind of thing is really quite cool.

[freedumb2003]

ps: Thanks for posting it.

[1rudeboy]

Anybody keep a Navy ping list? Remember folks, Fleet Week in Seattle and Tall Ships in Chicago this weekend!

[1rudeboy]

Do you keep a military ping list? Can I borrow it?

[VOA]

bump

[1rudeboy]

You might have a ping list, I think?

[NewCenturions]

Thanks for posting. I never could figure out the ship's bell code before.

[Coastie]

For you armchair sailors and and old salts on the beach, just what you've been missing, a ship's bell program;

Ship's Bell

It'll drive the missus nuts, it's great!

[freedumb2003]

I've installed it -- can't wait for the next hour boundry :)

[snippy_about_it]

Some Navy history for the FReeper Foxhole thanks to 1rudeboy!

ping!

[Cagey]

On July 4th, 1995 the ship's bell and stanchion were recovered from where they lay beneath 550 feet of Lake Superior. A replica of the bell, graven with the names of the crew, was left in its place. The bell was presented to the relatives of the crew and rung thirty times -- once for each member of the crew and a final time in honor of all those who have lost their lives at sea. The bell was given to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point to serve as a memorial to the ship and crew.

[Soaring Feather]

Thank you so much for this interesting article.

Thanks snippy for the ping.

[Soaring Feather]

Canteen Ping.

[Khurkris]

The story is, when I was a wee little lad and baptized, my Pop held a bell over me while this was done. He was a 26 yr US Navy man...1919 - 1946. Old school Sailor he was.


Now I know why.

[Professional Engineer]

805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD

Hey, I've been there before.

[Professional Engineer]

[BIGLOOK]

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/questions/bells.html

[SunkenCiv]

Just adding this to the GGG catalog, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[StarCMC]

COOL!! Thanks for the ping!! BIGLOOK explained this to me once before, but it remains a foreign language! :-D