The Writer's Desk Book / Being a Reference Volume upon Questions of Punctuation, Capitalization, Spelling, Division of Words, Indention, Spacing, Italics, Abbreviations, Accents, Numerals, Faulty Diction, Letter Writing, Postal Regulations, Etc.

by William Dana Orcutt

1. MEASURES OF LENGTH

• 2 jeras = 1 rup
• 8 rups = 1 pek = 26.77 British inches

2. MEASURES OF WEIGHT

• 16 kirats = 1 dram
• 400 drams = 1 oke = 2.828 British pounds
• 44 okes = 1 kantar

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The usual measure of capacity in Turkey is the Kileh, which is slightly larger than the British bushel.

TIME AND WATCH ON BOARD SHIP

Time. — Time is kept by means of “Bells,” although there is but one bell on the ship; and to strike the clapper properly against the bell requires some skill.

First, two strokes of the clapper at the interval of a second, then an interval of two seconds; then two more strokes with a second’s interval apart, then a rest of two seconds, thus:

Bell, one second; B., two secs.; B. s.; B. ss.; B. s.; B. ss.; B.