The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-12

anu cVhjusa'esaAes OF an eiipse, &c.-and when
the spherical principles involved in the calcula-
IONS, are mentioned, the catholic proposition,
the circular parts, the product of Radius and
middle parts sine" extremes conjunct and
disJunct and the final process of r-y=&c
the young officer unrestricted in mathematics
becomes dispirited at the difficulties in the way
OF has understanding the lunar problem. There
Is no one 10 encourage, or TO expound TO him the
analytical symbols OF Algebra, and 10 guide him
among the mystic circles OF the sphere; hence,
many time, the energies of his young mind
'.are turned awry, and lose the name Of actionn
Therefore, without knowing whether the data
and qndstfd OF the lunar problem, be arcs or
angles, Il IS often, very, very often, the case,
that Midshpmen, turning to Bowditch, commit
TO memory the formula of his first or second me-
thod for finding the longitude at sea by lunar
observation" Thus crammed or ssdrilledn as
il is called, they go before the Board of Exami-
nation, where, strange to say, there is a pre-
MUM offered for such qualifications He who
repeats by heart" the rules of Bowditch though
he does not understand the mathematical prnci-
pies involved in one of them, obtains higher
number from the Board, than he who, skilled in
mathematics, goes up to the black board land draw
ing his diagram, can demonstrate every problem
In navigation. And, as merely TO pass is the
great object with many, you may well imagine
how low the standard OF mathematical attain
ments is thus brought, under the present system.
once had a friend who possessed considera-
bic attainments in mathematics. Therefore he
cared not TO commit 10 memory the rule for
working any mathematical problem, but took
pleasure in solving each Of the various problems
IN navigation, according to the strict principles
OF mathematics. He thought to gain credit for
those attainments, and relied on them to carry
him safely through this branch before the Board
Of Examiners When put upon his examina-
ton for promotion, ndquestioneda as 10 the Lunar
problem, he pretended ignorance of the LIST and
I'd methods of Bowditch, which, in those days
the candidates were merely required to repeat by
rote; but stepping up TO the black board, he
drew the diagram, and proceeded to treat the
problem as proposition in spherical trigonome-
try. The mathematical examiner fioundered
in the midst OF the demonstration, the mdship-
man insisted; and they appealed 10 the Board.
But no one of these being capable Of Judging
between them, my friend was unanimously
voted wrong, in spite OF mathematical ruth
One of the members rose from his seat, and,
with magnificent air, advised the poor fellow
TO go to gea and study his profession. A know
ledge of mathematics, like the legacy to Dick
ems Cobber had "almost worked his destrnc-
tom II proved rock on which he struck, and
had well nigh bilged' for he found that by diff
fering with those 'potent siegnors' he was kept
out of promotion for nearly two years How
ever, when the merits and qualifications of those
known, he had the satisfaction of finding, that
though he himself had not been considered well
qualified TO pass, he had proved most excellent
teacher. for all those whom he had drilled, pass
ed high upon the list and with great eclat-
Therefore, Mr.. Editor, if you have any young
! friend in the Navy, preparing for the ordeal OF
| examination, advise him TO adhere 10 the rules
as they are laid down in Bowditch-to commit
them TO memory, and not 10 attempt TO under
stand the mathematical principles on which they
are founded for such information will profit him
nothing under the present system.
/ In Lord Anson's time, less than one hundred
years ago, the only means of ascertainng longi-
tude at sea was by the clog" which is chip
thrown overheard, with string tied to it. BY
it is told the rate at which the ship is going
through the water, but not over the bottom. 1t
was then no uncommon thing for the reckoning
TO be Is deg. or 20 deg. out OF the way. have
myself seen those who kept Dead Reckoning,
reckon their ship on top of the Andes. Lord
Arson, when navigators had not the facilities
which are now afforded for correcting Dead
/ Reckoning, came near running his ship ashore
at Terra del Fuego, though he thought himself
9 or 10 deg. TO the westward Of il. And one Of
the ships of his squadron actually made the
land on the side of the continent, opposite TO the
side on which he judged himself 10 be. And
| since Cooks time, which is much later, an err
ror has been discovered in the means then at
forded of finding longitude by lunar observations,
which produced an error of thirty miles in the
longitude.
Although the mathematical solution of this
problem requires the simple addition OF but eight
logarlthms, division by 2, and the subtraction OF
one logarithm 10 give the true lunar distance,
wise men and asronom rs have tortured their
brains in search of process for finding longi-
Jude at sea- less operose and more practicable
than this. And there are now outstanding large
/
England, for the discovery of some such method.
Both governments and societies have acted I'M
philosophically in this respect. They have at
tempted to rob the science of navigation OF It's
charms by seeking 10 strip from IL the attributes
of intellect, placing it thereby on a level with
the capacity of the unlettered mass OF mariners.
| That these efforts have been attended with sue
cess, to a certain degree, il true. But how far
the science Of navigation has been advanced, or
the safe conduct of ships promoted, by making
the solution of most problems in the science a
mechanical, instead OF an intellectual operation,
let others determine. For the sake OF dispens-
ing with the use of one or two logarithms more,
in the solution Of the lunar problem, TO intrust
long rule TO the memory, AT the expense OF the
understanding, may sometimes be OF individual
advantage; but il is doubtful whether il has re-
suited in giving that nicely TO the calculations Of
the navigator, which the knowledge necessary
to a mathematical solution IS sure 10 impart.-
| Therefore il may be considered very problematl-
cal, whether the world in general, and navy OIL
GERS in particular, have been benefited by this
simplifying process If, instead Of such mea-
sures, steps with the same zeal had been taken
for the diffusion of knowledge among seamen, SO
as to raise among them the standard Of attain
ments for the navigator-placing him thereby
on a level with the science OF his art--this prob
lem would long ago have ceased 10 be consider
ed difficult and tedious and then the philanthro-
pic end for which the rewards were offered,
would have been more than accomplished For
as it now is, an expert navigator-one who Is