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

sages, II may change on the hundredth, and the
confidence, which il before inspired, prove the
rock on which the ship and all hands are lost
But there is means of testing chronometers
at sea, which is not unfrequently, but by no
means generally, resorted to-viz that Of a lu-
mar observation. The moon, though emblema-
tic with the poet of all that is tickle and change
full, is, 10 the sailor, ever constant and true.
For his use, she controls the tides and, ever
Ginning TO the harmony of the spheres for him,
at every moment she writes with her silyery
pencils in the sky the place Of his ship on the
ocean. To read the writing on that blue scroll
IS the highest and the most beautiful accom-
plishment that can be practsed by the mariner
on the deep. Among the wonders and mighty
works seen by those " that do business in great
waters there is not one more striking and
grand, or more sublimely eloquent than this.
An expert lunarian may always rely, within five
miles, on his observation but, allowing ten
miles TO be the limit within which ordinary skill
will bring every one, the navigator has always
within his reach, at sea, the means OF detecting
any error in his chronometer, beyond certain
limits Even that degree of proficiency is not
difficult Of attainment, which will enable him to
ascertain, with wonderful accuracy, the error
of his chronometer and even to assign for il
new rate at sea-
i DO not imagine that disparage the great body
oil those who navigate the ocean, or that would
| underrate the attainments of our Navy officers.
The latter, entering the service at fourteen or
fifteen years Of age, and before the groundwork
OF education in their young minds is completed,
have difficulties in the way of their education,
which none but they themselves can under
stand. And il is surprising, how, in the face Of
such difficulties, they should ever become the ac-
complished and intelligent officers and gentle
men they are known to be- II too often happens
that, after six years of service, there appear be-
fore the Board TO be examined for promotion
/ dc
manGuvre fleets, and fight battles on paper !;
when it is known by the Board that many Of
them have never been permitted so much to
tack ship, or to load and fire gun. And as
| for the 'great body Of navigators not being pro-
| perly instructed in the science of their profess
sion, | might, by way of illustration cite the
case of one of those accomplished seamen who
command the Liverpool packets of New York
He tried the experiment of navigating by two
chronometers. But they, having separate errors
and rates of course, only served 10 confuse him,
as he sad by ''makng botheraton in his lon
gitude;" and as the shortest way of getting rid
ofthis difficulty, he put one of the chronometers
in his drawer and locked it up. To this day,
many Oft the traders from Boston and New Y ork
TO the West Indies make their voyages without
any means whatever of ascertaining longitude.
| On their outward bound passage they steer due
SOUTH till they make the latitude of their port and
then steer due west-thus sailing along the legs
instead Of the hypothenuse, of triangle. That
numerous and valuable class of vessels, known
under the patronymic of coasters, IS seldom-ln-
deed have never known an instance OF one be-
1 ing-provided with any nautical book, chart, or
instrument whatever, except the compass and
/ the lead or, as they call the latter, the blue p-
geon.' Ifyou would see some of the practical dis
advantages of their rude method of navigation,
look TO the Jersey shore or 60 to our Southern
coast. Hundreds of wrecks strew the beach be
Il,fta yhns ~ thnx
but monuments to navigators who have lost their
reckoning
A year or two ago coasted along that shore.
| The beach, few miles from Cape Henry, all
the way to Cape Hatteras-I might add TO Cape
Lookout, but particularly TO the north of Hatteras
was literally lined with wrecks Eight or ten
were often seen at one vlew-but never less than
two or three-doting the beach, or the foam OF
the breakers with their black and riven hulls
Some lay dismasted in the edge of the rollers
some, not yet gone TO pieces, were wallowing III
the surf The crew Of one that had just gone
ashore were seen pitching tents OF her SAILS on
the sand, and were endeavoring TO land the car
60 Most Of the wrecks had gone TO pieces
But there was once nice little schooner-whlch
had been thrown high and dry several yards
from the water, and was standing upright in the
sand, with masts and rigging complete. The
i little turrets that were seen from time 10 time
peerng up from behind the sand hills, told to the
fancy many silent story of false beacons,
wrecks, and plumber. The legends of the coast
ing trade abound in shipwrecks and 9 cast
a-ways y in tales of false lights, murdered crews,
and pillaged ships According TO these, the
wreckers along some parts OF our coast are as
| savage and as mereiless as ever were those on
the coast of Connaught
Undertaking to classify the human race, and to
compare the mortality incident 10 the followers
of the different trades and professions, some one
al. n,la1
sailor at sea with the living or the dead. But
the dangers incident to the sailors calling are
not all owing 10 the winds and waves. If
the immense losses of life and property that an
nually occur among ships could be traced 10 the
true causes, il would be found that large proper
ton ofthem could not be fairly ascrbed the dan
gers of the sea- but rather to reckonings lost,
and bad navigation. As work of benevoence
with the humane and philanthropic, and as a
matter of interest among insurance offices and
merchants generally, il deserves consideration,
whether some effective means may not be devil
sed and put in execution, for raising the stand
ard of the merchant captains qualifications and
for having every vessel supplied with the instru
ments and persons necessary for safe navigation,
4 The subject is one, too, of national concern, and
therefore commends itself TO the consideration
of the patriot and statesman. With these the
means arc ready, simple, and economical, and
would be abundanty supplied by well-regula-
ted Scholarship The number Of pupils already
proposed TO be there entertained might be in
creased, so as to extend beyond the immediate
wants of the Navy, and reach our commercial
marine-supplying this last in times of peace
with body of highly educated, well-trained,
and skilful officers, who, in war, would constl-
tute corps of reserve for the Navy. However
great may be the powers Of expansion, which the
Navy of such commercial people as this may
posses with regard to ships and seamen, the
power Of corresponding increase with regard
TO well-trained officers, is wanting nor has the