The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1849-03-10
The magnetic Clock.

The magnetic clock, spoken of recent
'y by some Of the papers, has been made
the subject Of AL Official communication
from Lieutenant Maury TO the Secretary
ofthe Navy.--The Lieutenant recon-
mends that the National Observatory at
Washington be furnished with one. He
thus describes the invention and its
value:
| have the honor of making known to
You most important discovery of as
tronolny, which has been made by DR..
Locke, Of Ohio, and of asking authority
from you to avail myself Of it for the use
and purposes of this Observatory.
The discovery consists in the lnven
ton of magnetic clock, by means Of
which, seconds of time can be divided in
to hundredths with as much accuracy
and precision as the machinist, with rule
and compass, can su divide an inch Of
space.
Nor do its powers end here. They
are such that the astronomer in New Or
leans, st Lonis. Boston, and any other
place which the magnetic telegraph
reaches may make his observation, and
at the same moment cause the clock sit
uated here in Washington, to record the
instant distinctly with the most wonder
full precision.
Thus, the astronomer in Boston observes
the transit Of a star as it fits through the
field Of his instrument, and crosses the
meridian OF that place. Instead of look
ing at clock before him, and noticing
time in the usual way, he touches a key,
and the clock here subdivldes his sec
onds to the n4inutest fraction, and re-
cords the time with perfect and unerring
accuracy.
The astronimer in Washington waits
for the sar TO cross his meridian; and as
it does Dr. Locke's magnetic clock is
again touched, 1t divides the seconds
and records the time for him with equal
precision.
The difference between these two
times is the longitude Of Boston from the
meridian of Washington
The astronomers in New Orleans and
St. Louis. and every other place within
reach of the magnetic wires, may wait
for some star; aud as il comes to their
meridian, they have but to touch a key,
and sraightway this central clock tells
their longitude.
And thus this problem, which has vex-
cd astronomers and navigators, and per-
picked the world for ages, is reduced at
once, by American ingenuity, to form
and method the most simple and accu-
rate.
While the process is so much simpi-
fled, the results are greatly refined In
one night the longitude may now be de-
termlned with far more accuracy by
means of the magnetic telegraph and
clock, than 1t can by years of observa-
ton according to any other method that
has ever been tried.
1t is, therefore, well entitled to be
called most important discovery. 1t
is a rational triumph. and it belongs to
that class of achievements by which the
most beautiful and enduring monuments
are erected 10 national honor and great
ness.
The following gives striking picture
OF its accuracy in striking differences Of
longitude.
"The probable error of longitude de-
termined with DR.. Locks clock, is
brought within such narrow limits that
if, while the Astronomer in St. Louis or
elsewhere, were operating with the mag
netic clock here for his longitude, the
observer IN Washington were to move
from one instrument to another in this
building, the fact that he had moved
would he made known at once, and
whether he had moved to the East or
West would be told by the clock, and ap
pear in the resulting longitude"
Be neither lavish nor ningardly; of the !