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[A9]A Brief History Of The Romans

by Peter Hoggan, Pet

The first recorded usage of a timepiece worn on the wrist dates back to 333 BC. It wasn't the mechanical-digital type of device that would be recognised as a watch today, it was nonetheless an effective time keeper.
During the battle of Issus, Alexander the Great came head-to-head with Persian King Darius III. Outnumbered 2:1 Alexander decided to try out a new invention. He had all his men tie to their wrist a strip of cloth impregnated with chemicals that would change colour after a certain length of time. Similar to how today's SAS synchronize their watches before going into action, when cloth changed colour his men would know that it was time to attack.

The invention worked well, and became known thereafter as Alexander's Rag Time Band.

Oh well, it made me laugh, but at the same time piqued my curiosity. When did the wristwatch actually come into being? Was it like the first mobile phones or video players? If you are old enough to remember the introduction of these technologies, you will recall both were the size of a suitcase and carrying either for any length of time was a stamina draining exercise that required considerable effort!

Antoni Patek

Antoni Patek started making pocket watches in 1839 in Geneva. A few years later (1846) Patek joined with the French watchmaker Adrien Philippe. In 1851, Patek Philippe & Co was founded. In 1868, Patek Philippe made their first wristwatch.

Although Patek Philippe is often credited with inventing the first wristwatch, watches attached to the wrist, or wristlets as they were originally called, are known to have been in use much earlier. Queen Elizabeth I is said to have worn one, in fact 19th century royalty in general were the first to wear wristwatches.

A Female Fashion Accessory Adopted by the Military

The wristwatch was initially considered a fashion accessory for women; men preferred the traditional pocket watch. This changed during the Boer War (1899-1902), where the ability to tell the time with a quick glance was essential. During the First World War, the wristwatch played a crucial role in combat situations where it was necessary to synchronise the movements of ground troops with aerial action.

No longer considered a fad, watch making companies were scrambling to keep up with the demand. One company that enjoyed great success during this period was Wilsdorf & Davis, who changed their name to The Rolex Watch Company, Ltd., in 1915.

At the end of WW1, soldiers and aviators were allowed to keep the wristwatches they had been issued and wristwatches became popular with the rest of the population. The wristwatch has maintained its popularity over the years and is both a fashion item and a status symbol. However, the depression of the 30's culled the sales of luxury items including watches and many watch manufacturers went out of business. WW2 saw demand from the military stepped up again and watch making was back in full swing.
Technology

Watches have always been at the forefront of technology. Miniaturisation, keyless winding, led, lcd, sat nav, etc ensuring the humble wristwatch is capable of doing much more than simply keeping time. One of the latest innovations to be adopted is epaper, that's paper (actually it's a thin layer of plastic) that can be programmed to do pretty much anything a computer can do!

The lake itself was formed by the rise and fall of faults about 5 to 10 million years ago. This created a deep valley that was blocked on the north-eastern side by lava from an eruption of Mt. Pluto approximately 2 million years ago. According to geologists, the initial height of Lake Tahoe was 600 feet higher than its present level.

Today the lake itself stretches across the Nevada-California border, 59 miles southwest of Reno and 100 miles northeast of Sacramento. Lake Tahoe has a surface area of approximately 192 square miles and contains about 39 trillion gallons of water with a circumference of 72 miles.

It is the largest alpine lake, measuring 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. It is the third deepest lake in North America and the tenth deepest in the world with an average depth of 989 feet and 1,645 feet at its lowest point.

Lake Tahoe is one of the few major bodies of water in North America that does not eventually empty out into the ocean. The lake is fed by 63 streams but only the Truckee River flows out. The surface of the lake is 6,227 feet above sea level. The surface of the lake can drop below the outlet to the Truckee during times of drought, making the lake totally self-contained at these times.

The top 12 feet of the lake can warm to as much as 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer but in the winter and in the lower depths, the lake remains at a chilly and life-threatening 39 degrees F. However, due to the constant turnover of water from the bottom to the surface, the lake as a whole has never been known to have frozen over.

This spectacular body of water has held many names over the years. It was first "discovered" by explorer John C. Fremont, accompanied by famed guide Kit Carson, on February 14, 1844. Fremont named it Lake Bonpland after a French botanist who had joined him on earlier expeditions. However, mapmaker Charles Preuss recorded it as Mountain Lake. Despite all this it was commonly called Fremont Lake until 1852 when California Governor John Bigler led a party to the area to rescue some snowbound travelers. It was then renamed Bigler Lake.

The lake went by other names such as Truckee Lake and Maheon Lake until the outbreak of the Civil War when politically correct members of the Union attempted to strike Bigler's name from the lake due to his supposed Confederate sympathies. It was then that the name "Tahoe" was proposed, supposedly because it meant "high water". Although there seems to be little historical support for this meaning of the word "Tahoe" the name stuck. Some suggest that the word is actually a corruption of the Spanish word "tajo", pronounced "ta-ho" and meaning a "cut".

Today, the Tahoe basin offers an absolutely incredible range of outdoor activities to choose from. Downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, sleigh rides, sledding, dogsled rides, snowmobiling, horseback riding, waterskiing, lake swimming, hiking, camping, golfing and boating, just to name a few.

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Both Peter Hoggan & Michael Russell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Peter Hoggan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Destinations, Free Credit Report Score and Computers and The Internet. This post was contributed by http://www.outdoorgb.com/ the UK's number one online retailer of .. Peter Hoggan's top article generates over 720 views. to your Favourites.

Michael Russell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Celebrities, Dieting and Diabetes Treatment. Michael RussellYour Independent guide to . Michael Russell's top article generates over 2240000 views. to your Favourites.