Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-02-14
a NOTABLE INxENrIoN.

NJ Captain Charles n. Townshond OF
This Clty-The TOWnshena Double
Renecsiug and Repeating Circie-Ex-
citing Interest ana Attention ON botn
Centinents-Its Uses.
A remarkable instrument has been Invent |
cd by Captain Charles Il. Townshend OF this |
city. II combines In one instrument sex |
tant, theodolite, transit, pelorus and an
asmuth circle, and 1t is useful for celestial
and terrestrial triangulatlons, and Tor civil
engineering purposes. 1t is useful for ships,
railroads and measurements of the heavenly
bodies. Stanley, going through the wilds OF
Africa, would find this instrument OF great
service and invaluable, and could pack 1t
away in small travelling bag, as 1t takes but
little room, and could work with it every
problem In triangulation without assistance.
Captain Townshend had this marvellous i'm
orders for IL have been received from the
United States lighthouse and coast survey
departments, the United States engineers'
board and from scientists here and3 in
Europe interested in this discovery. Another
specially notable fact In this connection 10
that Instruments of delicate character, for
purposes like the one in question, have been
made exclusively of metal, but Captain
Townshend has lately had one of these In
struments constructed by Professor Stack
pole of New York, out Of aluminium, on &C.
count of the extreme liRhtness of this sub
stance and it's freedom from corrodipg in
fuence of any kind. The material was
dipped in sulphuric acid with no effect OF
the acid resultant. This, 1t Is believed, rs the
Hrst instrument for scientific, or engineering,
or mathematical, or navigation purposes, ever
constructed In the United States out OF this
new metal. In appearance, the instruments
made Of aluminium closely resembles steel.
The use of aluminium for the manufacture OF
instruments for these purposes seems
likely to become universal, and
It is considered probable that 1t
will also be used for building ships and ocean
steamers in place of iron; also for making all
| kinds of machinery. Captain Townshend is
having several of the Instruments of his In
yention made to fill orders received from dis
tinguished sources from Europe. The alum-
| mum instruments are greatly preferable be-
cause of their lightness, durability and hard
| nees, and the multiplicity of valuable pur-
poses to which this invention can be applied
renders it most valuable invention indeed.
Il was conceived and perfected by the inven.
tor s'to supply long needed want OF man
and to assist him in celestial and terrestrial
observations by land or sea, by day or night,
| In fogQy and tempestuous weather, giving
without mental calculation the desired re-
suit of most important problems"
| Captain Townsend has secured commsnda-
tory letters concerning the instrument from
Admiral Porter, u. s. NJ; from Allan D.
Brown, commander u. s. NJ; A. q. Winter
halter Lieutenant u. S. N. and A. B. Glenn
ents, ensign, U. s. NJ, who made an exami-
nation Of the instrument at the order of the
Superintendent of the u. 8. naval observa.
tory, Washington; and from Fred Rodgers,
commander U. 8. N, inspector third dis
trict, who examined it at the order of the
U. s. Lighthouse board; and from ERIC
BerQland, Captain Of engineers; 8. w. Roes-
sler, captain of engineers and Mason M.
Patrick, second lieutenant of engineers, who
were board of officers detailed to investi.
gate and report upon the "Townshend
double rejecting circle by Colonel King
commandant of the port at Willett's point;
and from Prof. w. P. Trowbridge of New
Haven, late Of u s: engineer sef.. corps and nd
engineering, school of mines, Columbia
college, Now York city; and from
B.A. Colona, assistant in charge of the United
States coast and geodetic survey office; from
~. W. Powell, director, department. OF the
interior, of the United States geological SUR
vey; from b. f. Marsh, late captain OF shir
Logan of New York; from Henry A.. Gads-
den, formerly captain Of the United States
mail steamship Arago; from Samuel Harding,
late captain:of the American ship Criterion;
from s. p. Crafts of New Haven, late lieu
tenant commander U. s. NJ, and from thu
late Professor Lyman of the Yale Scientific
school, and from many other sources. Since
the original invention was made public seve'
raj improvements have been added to the In
strument. Among other uses "The Town
shend Double Rejecting and Repeating Cir
OLE" az the inventor has christened 1t, II
designed as follows:
II observes create. angles than the sextant' viz
| Attached to cross bar standard compass,a sub
sttute for pelorus and azmuth circle
Useful as finder for ranges In artillery practic
and to locate torpedoes and bearings OF same.
Useful as protractcr for transferring from cnar
to instrument and back to chart and positioi
located.
For measuring horizontal and vertical angles o
objects without stopping to reaa WERNER until at'e
| For lunar sights Of sun. moon or start and luna
distance without stopping to read;
| With small circu ur scale fitted on inner circum
ference OF the circle with Slides six angles may b
The three point problem for locating positions
| placing buoy g. soundings, ETC..
Mounted on tripod, shore signals may be locate'
bv the three-point problem and, lifted with Town<
heud's Improved level and universal joint, angle
| OF obi acts may be taken by day or night withou
resort TO the artificial horizon, which oses its us
after an object has attained an altitude OF 75 d
grees and upw ards.
| Two angles be taken at nearly the same II
slant by one observer, and IL placing buoys in
, small boat two mems time, which Is money, can
| saved.