The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-01
IMPORTANT TO sEAMEN.
a New and Valuable Nautical Improve
Enenf.

| of great benefit to navigators.
| The two great instruments for observations at
sea are the quadrant or sextant, and the chro
nometer. Their usefulness is limited by the
| difficulty OF the ordinary navigator keeping in
practice with the use of logarithms. 1t is con-
| fessed that logarthmic tables diminish to a
wonderful degree, the labor of computation;
| nevertheless a man who is not in the daily
habit of going through calculations, shrinks
from the labor even with logarithmic aid. This
| new instrument proposes to save, in a majority
| of cases, even the labor Of taking out and add
| ing the logarithms.
The problems of navigation usually resolve
| themselves into the case Of a triangle in the
| sky, the sides being lines joining the zenith
aud the pole with each other, and with the sun
| or other heavenly body This triangle may be
considered as formed on the earth by lines
| Joining the ship and the pole with each other,
| and with the spot at which the sun or other
heavenly body is exactly overhead. Now this
| triangle can readily be solved without compu-
tation on globe. But no globe is made, or
| can be made nice enough to give sufficient ac-
curacy to the solution to make it of any prac;i-
| cal value. Dr. Hill proposes, therefore, to use
made with all the accuracy of sextant. In
this respect the new instrument resembles the
''occultator," the instrument of the same in
ventor. in the observatory of Harvard College,
by which eclipses Of the sun, moon and stars
| are calculated. The new instrument is, how
ever, vastly less complicated than the old one.
1t consists simply of two meridians extending
from the pole to thirty degrees beyond the
equator, and so arranged as to admit O. being
set any required angle with each other; these
meridians represent the meridians of the sh },
and of the sun. A vernier slides upon one of
them. A separate concave arc loose from the
instrument, is of the same radius and gradua-
tion with them, and bears at one end a nicely
divided compass card; this arc represents the
great circle joining the ship to the spot where
the sun is vertical. Here is all of the globe
necessary for forming, and consequently solv-
ing at sight, any spherical triangle that can &C.
cur as problem of navigation. No figures are
necessary except to apply the corrections OF the
altitude for dip, refraction and semi diameter
The use of single attitudes, according to
Summers method; the finding of the latitude
from double attitudes; finding the time when
the latitude is known; finding the time of sun
rise and sunset; determining the course for
great circle sailing; finding the suns azimuth
for correcting the compass; these are some of
the problems which are instantly answered by
this instrument
There can be, so far as we can see, but two
causes why this invention should not become
Immediately bene6cent agent in navigation.
One may lie in unforeseen mechanical diff
culties in making even this skeleton of globe
work with sufficient accuracy. The other lies
simply in the mental vis iaertig of the men for
whose benefit it is primarily designed
We understand that DR.. Hillsnames his in
strument lin honor of the navigator whose
little book first suggested the inventory the
Sumner.
This instrument is to be manufactured and
sold by Mr.. G. Fl. Farley of this city.
THE MUsEUM.-The "Eileen Oge." as pro.
duced at the Museum last evening, greatly de-
lighted the large audience which had gathered
to see it. The freshness and beauty of the
scenery, the pleasing situations, the acting and
the thread of gayety which runs through all,
make up pay highly attractive to the mass
of amusement-seekers. The story is one of no
little interest. Patrick ODonnell (Mr. Ar
nold) loves Eileen Moriarty miss Cameron), a
village beauty. Henry Lotus (Mr Gale) the
son of Squire LOTUS, and the landlord of
O'Donnell, loves the maid. In order to thrust
aside his successful rival, he, by the aid to two
rascals, Tim, the Penman (Mr. Snyder) and
Maclean (Mr. Bascomb) FORCES letter with
ODonnelrs name to it. The letter threatens
murder, O'Donnel is arrested on his wedding
day, and the first act closes with his farewell
to Eileen. Between the first and second acts
five years elapse, Patrick has been transported
for three years, his sentence has expired, and
yet nothing is heard from him. AS Eileen
sleeps the walls of the room disappear and she
sees her lover rescued from a rock in mid
ocean, The third act is farm scene, with the
lake stretching away in the distance. AS the
laborers are making merry over the hay the
police appear and seize the hay harvest on
complaint of young Lotus, who hopes to force
Eileen to marry him by reducing her father to
poverty. In the fourth act Lotus excuses his
conduct, and manages his suit so we'll that
Eileen, forced by her father, consents to marry
him. AT this moment Patrick returns in dis
guise and writes to Norah to meet him at the
arranges with LOTUS to arrest ODonnell on
trumped up charge. Patrick starts for the mill
and is met on the way by Bryan O'FarrelI,
rolicking Irish lad, who warns him of his dan
ger. He insists upon proceeding, is seized by
Maclean and his hackers and pushed through
sluiceway, thereby making his escape. Bry-
an rushes in and shoots Maclean. In the fifth
act LOTUS, thinking Patrick is out of the way,
is about to marry Eileen when he is arrested
Oh charge of attempted murder, preferred by
witnesses Of the attempt. Patrick appears,
marries Eileen, aud presumably they live hap
Ply ever after.
The scenery of the day is all new and in
many respects the finest which Richards has
ever painted. The stage effects, by Page, are
excellent. The first sceue representing the
lake, is an admirable one. Eileens vision in
the second act, where the walls of the room
vanish, and the ocean and the rescuing vessel
are seen, called out vehement demonstrations
of applause from the audience. The scene in
the hay field, with the lake in the distance, is
also pretty one, and its uproarious fun and
the variety business introduced delighted the
audience hugely. The scene in the old mill is
striking one, very effectually done. Of the act
ing we have not space to speak tonight There
was opportunity for some excellent character
izations, which were improved. The acting
and the fine scenic effect combined ought to
draw crowded houses as long as the play is
kept on the boards. Tomorrow evening the
people of Deering will have an opportunity to
see it, as an extra CIR will be run after the
close Of the performance.
Tickets for Miss Waldron's benefit are SELL
ing rapidly, and there is every indication of a
crowded house. The lady deserves hearty re-
ception.
ANNUAL MEETNGs.-The annual meeting Of
the Forest City Sugar Refining Company was
held yesterday afternoon, and the following