80 Suggestions for Improve'ment of Mariner's Compass. 



nomers for some time, and thus a fruitful source of mistakes 

 has been removed ; as, I think, everybody acquainted with 

 the subject will readily admit. The first essential, then, for 

 simplicity is that the points of the compass should be named 

 consecutively right round the circumference, commencing at 

 north, and increasing towards the east. • As to the number 

 of points, it would be convenient to have 36, so that each 

 would represent 10 degrees ; this, however, would be too 

 great an innovation, and is so subordinate to the principle 

 of consecutive readings, that I would retain the present 32 

 points with numbers marked by prominent figures at the 

 end of each; between these the quarter points might be 

 marked as at present. The convenience of this system 

 would be very great ; the corrections for variation, local 

 deviation, instrument, and leeway would then be a matter of 

 simple addition and subtraction, instead of at present, as in 

 the words of the celebrated navigator, Lieut. Raper, R.N., one 

 of considerable perplexity. The two methods may be best 

 illustrated by an example. Suppose a vessel to be steering 

 N.N.E. I E., the variation to be 2| points E., and the local 

 deviation 3 points W. ; at the same time suppose the vessel 

 to be on the starboard tack, and to be making half-a-point of 

 leeway. The true course, in the old method, would be found 

 by this process of reasoning ; variation, allow 2| to the 

 right ; deviation, 3 to the left, and leeway half-a-point to 

 the left ; that is, on the whole, 1 point to the left, so that 

 the true course would be N. by E. | E. In the proposed 

 method, the compass course would be 2|, to which must 

 be added 2| for variation, and 3| subtracted for deviation 

 and leeway, leaving 1 J for the true course. If the proposed 

 change were once introduced, I think few would be willing 

 to revert to the old system, and the boxing of the compass, 

 which is now a matter of tedious education to our young 

 sailors, and in which I have found some old salts not quite 

 proficient, could be learned at sight by a mere child. With 

 regard to the deviation of the compass, caused by local 

 attraction, I have very little to say, except to impress upon 

 masters of vessels the necessity of getting amplitudes at 

 every opportunity, and not to depend for any length of time 

 upon a table formed from swinging the ship ; also, in thick 

 weather, of sending a small compass aloft, out of the way 

 of the iron of the ship ; or, if the circumstances be favour- 

 able, of letting a boat out astern, with a compass tn it, and 

 getting reciprocal bearings. 



