Time check

The Time Ball Tower in Cape Town's harbour harks back to 1894 and has was restored and officially recommissioned in November 1997. It is next to the Harbour Engineer's former residence, Dock House. The Time Ball, a large painted ball that drops at a predetermined time, enabled the ship's master to test the accuracy of his chronometer whilst docked in Cape Town. (Interesting for all who read and enjoyed Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel.)