The sound of a lone bag-piper, wending his way around the Dockyard basin will herald the revival of an old tradition which will take a new lease on life this evening.

The Clocktower Parade at Dockyard (floodlit for the occasion) is the setting for the Cannonball Ceremony, when, rather like the annual Peppercorn Ceremony in St. George's, Government receives the ball from the Maritime Museum, as a token payment of rent.

The ceremony which immediately precedes the last official Beat the Retreat of the season.

As Wedco's Mr. Brian Darby explains, "The ceremony actually goes back to the early days of the Maritime Museum when, for the first ten years or so, the cannonball would be handed over every year, in October, around the anniversary of Trafalgar Day. We've decided to revitalise the whole thing and make it an annual event which will coincide with the last Beat the Retreat ceremony each year.'' Mr. Darby says that this year seems a particularly good time to revive the custom as 1995 happens to be the 200th anniversary of the Royal Navy's presence in Bermuda, it is the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Museum and also, the 30th anniversary of the Bermuda Regiment. For that last occasion alone, he adds, more than 60 specially invited guests from home and overseas, will be attending the Clocktower ceremony.

"The cannonball was found on Bermuda's reefs, so it's absolutely authentic! It's been mounted on a little cedar base, and for the first ten years, the Museum would regularly hand it over in a simple ceremony that only lasted about five minutes.'' Asked why the Cannonball ceremony had been allowed to lapse, Mr. Darby replies, "I believe the last Minister of Finance to receive it was Dr.

Clarence James. Unfortunately, that particular occasion was famous for a very bad thunderstorm which burst over all the dignitaries, all dressed up in morning suits and top hats, the Hon. Clarence James was soaked to the skin, and let it be known that he was singularly unenthused about the whole thing, so it was dropped. However,'' he goes on, "the Maritime Museum and Wedco have decided it was worth resurrecting, so it will be an expanded ceremony this year, to take in all the various anniversaries and to combine it with the Beating the Retreat. For that reason, we have also decided to move the ceremony from the Museum Keep to the Clocktower Parade.'' This year's ceremony will involve several officials.

Mr. Darby explains that the bag-piper will walk the ball from the Museum round to the Clocktower. Mr. Paul Leseur, who is Chairman of the Trustees of the Museum, will hand the cannonball to Mr. Hugh Davidson who (in the absence of National Trust President Mr. David L. White) will receive it on behalf of the Trust (the Trust rents the Keep Yard), and in turn, hand it on to Mr. Scott Hunter, the Chairman of Wedco, who will hand it to the Hon. Leonard Gibbons (he acts as Wedco's landlord) and finally, he will present the ball to the Premier, in recognition of the 200th anniversary of Dockyard.

The ball is heavy, he says, so don't be surprised if it lands on a few dignitaries' toes.

"This is the sort of thing that our visitors love, and we think that locals will enjoy it as well. It should be a great evening!''