Hong Kong Time Ball connected with Kowloon Observatory
Dublin Core
Title
Hong Kong Time Ball connected with Kowloon Observatory
Subject
KN: Tsim Sha Tsui
Description
The dropping of the time-ball gave a visual signal that could be seen from ships in harbour, so a ship's chronometer could be set while it was still on board the ship. This allowed sailors to make sure their chronometers were set to the correct time before sailing out into the open sea. In the days before GPS, knowing the correct time was essential to allow sailors to calculate their location when they were out of sight of land.
Before this time-ball tower was introduced, sailors would have to carry their chronometer ashore to set it to the correct time by matching its time to an accurate clock. It went into service on 1st January, 1885, as described in this Government Notification.
The photo is the first-generation timeball at TST Marine Police Base (now 1881 Heritage). The timeball was subsequently moved to Signal Hill in 1907.
Before this time-ball tower was introduced, sailors would have to carry their chronometer ashore to set it to the correct time by matching its time to an accurate clock. It went into service on 1st January, 1885, as described in this Government Notification.
The photo is the first-generation timeball at TST Marine Police Base (now 1881 Heritage). The timeball was subsequently moved to Signal Hill in 1907.
Creator
The Hong Kong Pictorial Postcard Co.
Date
1900-1907
Type
Postcard
Files
Collection
Citation
The Hong Kong Pictorial Postcard Co., “Hong Kong Time Ball connected with Kowloon Observatory,” Local landscape shown in photos and postcards, accessed May 12, 2024, https://imagesofhongkong.omeka.net/items/show/69.