Watchstanding regulate the sailors' duty watches and for other purposes (see main article). Unlike civil clock bells, the strikes of a ship's bell do not accord to the number of the hour. Instead, there are eight bells, one for each half-hour of a four-hour watch. Bells would be struck every half-hour, and in a pattern of pairs for easier counting, with any odd bells at the end of the sequence. Watchstanding Watchstanding, or watchkeeping, in nautical terms concerns the division of qualified personnel to operate a ship continuously. On a typical seafaring vessel, be it naval or merchant, personnel keep watch
The Nautical Magazine The Nautical Magazine The Nautical Magazine is a monthly magazine containing articles of general interest to seafarers. It was published by Brown Son & Ferguson until 2012, when it was acquired by "Sea Breezes". The magazine was first published in 1832 and has variously been known as "The Nautical magazine and naval chronicle for ..." and "Nautical magazine and journal of the Royal Naval Reserve". It has a bias towards the merchant navy and is aimed at the professional seafarer rather than deckhands. The magazine's authors have included: The editors were as follows: Under Becher's editorship, the magazine documented a