New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-27
THE SOLARMETER

"a soc the clear horizon line and the occasions when
a sextant can be used to take observations o. the
stars are rare Even when obtained observations
taken with this instrument must be followed ny
careful and somewhat elaborate calculations.
Lieutenant W. H. Beeher. Of the Navy, an as
s,stant 10 the Naval Chief photographer. and an
officer OF nearly thirty years practical experience.
has invented a mechanical arrangement which he
contends will make navigation simple and safe
Lieutenant Beeh,er calls his device the solarometer
The instrument was inventor some time ago ke-
Gently Il has been modified and improved IN de-
tails as a result Of experiments. and now the m
yentor asserts that il Is practical ana trustworthy
instrument with which 10 determine. day or night
the posi,ion Of ship at sea. when heavenly hogies
ora visible one Of the instruments is in use on
board the North German Lloyd steamer turs'
Bismarck. another is being placed on poar" ,"'
san Francisco preliminary 10 her departure 10Y
the Eurorean station and others are in course OF
manufacture According to Lieutenant Beeh'er me
.avan,aees Of his improved invention are that u
&c available and reliable day or night under vary
ing conditions Of and weather besides os'"s
simple and durable mechanical con'rVahce'
Clouds will render the and stars invisible 10 'e
solarometer as well as 20 the seXtant' ou' II ra'eN
occurs that these bodies are wholly ooscurea LOT
,uentv-four hours and II one or the other is seen
briefly. al any time. in any position. an onsefV"-
ton is possible. and the position OF the snip uo-
terminable. 49,, w >,
~
once for latitude. near the meridian ana aga" i0
,,na uben east or west Of the observer during
<orry weather 1t frequently happens az sea 'ha' inc
sun cannot plainly be seen, whhe 'ne nor.N "
.s.nra IN such an event the sextant is OF no prac-
tia, uss The so!arometer, however IT is urseo DIV
~. Inventor will be specially valuable IN such an
a-,orrercy Il Is also claimed for the so!aro'he'ei
ina, the value OF the instrument IS not cohl''e' -
the determination OF a vessels exact pos''o' on
c,npass error at all hours. day or night whenever
b,.f
rate results obtained from II Incidentally ehapie
,.sse 20 steer in exact great-crce routes ana keep
the adop,ed trans-oceanic paths with the oe'.a''y
81 A railroad train. thus saving nme' coa' anu
money by making possible for steamers 10 pursue
,hA most direct and shortest courses from port %
nort II IS a safeguard Lieutenant Beeher says
against sea disasters, such as the Joss Of 'ne
sarge Besides being valuable for purposes OF ssh'-
ing the sun and the stars 1t Is usetui IN oe'er'7
the compass errors of ships, an important co''S'u
ION II the device Will answer the requirements as
fully and as vel as the inventor claims II VIII De
OF much practical value to mariners
Thu soarometer is an instrument constructed IN
accordance with well-known principles OF nautical
astronomy. II is mounted on so-ca'iea co'S'n"'
level base. The base consists OF oow cohtaii''ns
about 400 pounds Of mercury. supported on s'i'D"'
In the bowl Is a compound float. weighing o." pouhos'
The eoat is in two parts. bowl and SOHO hoa'
flied with lead. The solid float IL united al us lows
point 10 the inner bowl BY oaI anu SocAe' JN"'
ton The inner bowl contains mercury anu '"~
solid aoat is free 10 swing in the bowl 10 .'''e'
extent The inner bowl floats freely IN the mercury
Of the outer bowl. The bowls are secto"s VI I'm
centric spheres. and the shape Of the segment oi
The mass O. mercury il always the same no matte
how much the bowls may be inclined Dy ,ne 'o''.ie
o. the ship. At times. when rolling qu4c"'y' '"'
effect OF the friction allows slight motion 10 oe
communicated 10 the inner bowl but sucn motion
Ia absorbed by the film OF mercury in the inner
bowl and no final motion Is TRANSMITTED u '"e
solid float The centre Of gravity OF 'he '"s' "''
Is below the horizontal plane Of the mercury III "e
inner bowl, and the metacentric height - O"1
inch above IT, assuring stability. The pNSes Vi .e
inner bowl and the sold float are PROVIDED WIN
grooves, one to one and one-haf inches deep Wh'cN
act as bll9a keels, and gives stili iurther sao.S
hoat The instrument is inecnahcal are e~
ton OF the astronomical triangle; me a. o,,i~e
sci.y as in that welknown problem put Ihe I'm I'm
circles represented. 10 fulhI an 'ie ''''''S
in the perfected instrument the horizon circle Is
below the tangent plane Of ane o., M through the
OF the celestial sphere a i9 S he mole
A shaft runs through the hour circle at opp3sitSe
points six hours from the meridlan liz ,h anaf
It reyoves in It's bearings. and the Angular ;a
cnaton of the equator or ho n be shaft carries
verner that moves over grauu t eftesn sec
circle and determines TIE a rcIe reVolves around
the pole Of the meridian circle and etance Of this
decnation circle from the meridian is me h hour
angle and that distance Is read from tie "ouI
circle i'm hours minutes and SECONDS Oh nm ~
Of the SUM- this hour angie rs ,i'r H Gd 10
parent time In Of star, IL ~ rev, IsouI line
local mean time by deduction from siue' eii
The horizontal circle has two oppoi'e ,eIesrone
carried by a bracket which Supports eort.ontal
carrier hinged at opposite points IN me no This
plane OF the OF the ceiesta' sp .be ele-
scope on its arc at it's middle point ,s ., the
When a body is on the meridian. tne a a. 'eDactlv
telescope will point TO II when the ANS aIeva
in the plane OF the meridian. The anguar &c he
ton Of the telescope bracket is mehs"Tyh ,e all
altitude OF the body above the horizon In rms a
tude is the apparent altitude. and Is not ~
for paraiIax. nor for refraction me r'J hod,es
never 10 he observed, and for all otnel un,e5
paralaS is ignored The telescope u inou" ~
radiaily on the telescope carrier anu P''t For con-
venience it is bent and the image OF me ec,iufo
reflected from an inclined mirror OF sp'. any
metal the polished surface OF wnich Preosshars in
double reflection into the eyepiece. 49, arford
the eyepiece at right angles 10 each o in The
means 10 determine when body Is exaG,y are in
the vertical and horizontal planes. hoHy in the
crosshars Ak the position OF the pouy nsi,ion
azmuth, the horizontal hairs sho" 80 sIid-
In altitude The declinaon circle ca lin into
Which bali pin pendant frSm ,n ne circle to the
telescope and TO permit perfect )nhcuon a. "
angles. . ,h reculiar
One feature of the instrument Is me pe IIndar
motion OF the azmuth and declinatlon ciIc'es ssriv
Some Conditions the change in aZmuth Is ne nain
ne as the change in hour sngcs oS an crosses
this change IL very different When Dony cIussi
the meridian In or near the zenith IL VIII INV "a
nzrnuth $50 degrees in instant OF iii a. the
snsnge very little in the azlmutn az Eccentric move
Dents throuebout m the instrument De SET a. III"