In uk.d-i-y, IMM wrote:
All the clockmaker had to do was use a sundial to set his clock
at noon.

For extra accuracy he could set his clock at midnight as well. He'd need
to splash out on a luminous sundial, though.

--
Mike Barnes

IMM wrote:
"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
Before the days of cutting and pasting.......



The Zanzibar Fable

A ship's captain found his navigating clock, or chronometer, had
stopped. This was a serious misfortune in the days before radio time
signals. He put into port at Zanzibar, hoping to re-set his
chronometer with accurate local time. He inquired at the harbor and
people told him, 'Yes, there is a clockmaker down in the town, with a
very accurate clock, his pride and joy."


Appalling! All the clockmaker had to do was use a sundial to set his
clock at noon.

Wasn't the whole point of a ship's chronometer it wasn't set to local time
but to say GMT.
Otherwise its not a lot of use in finding your longitude.

"BillR" wrote in message
...
IMM wrote:
"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
Before the days of cutting and pasting.......



The Zanzibar Fable

A ship's captain found his navigating clock, or chronometer, had
stopped. This was a serious misfortune in the days before radio time
signals. He put into port at Zanzibar, hoping to re-set his
chronometer with accurate local time. He inquired at the harbor and
people told him, 'Yes, there is a clockmaker down in the town, with a
very accurate clock, his pride and joy."


Appalling! All the clockmaker had to do was use a sundial to set his
clock at noon.

Wasn't the whole point of a ship's chronometer it wasn't set to local time
but to say GMT.
Otherwise its not a lot of use in finding your longitude.

Correct. That's why I posted a link for a "ship's clock" not a chronometer.



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In message , BillR
writes


Appalling! All the clockmaker had to do was use a sundial to set his
clock at noon.

Wasn't the whole point of a ship's chronometer it wasn't set to local time
but to say GMT.
Otherwise its not a lot of use in finding your longitude.

It's a parable. Of course with the correct angle of dangle and a bit of
maths,...
--
geoff

Wasn't the whole point of a ship's chronometer it wasn't set to
local time but to say GMT.

If you have an accurate local time and what port you are in, you can set the
chronometer. I presume the navigator had access to the known co-ordinates of
the port.

Christian.