Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-11-20
IT rs A WATER CLOCK
A CURIOUS INDICATOR WHICH TELLS
THE OCEANS TIDES.

Bay-Though simple In Construction, It
Plays an Important Part In Navigation.
The Old Keeper.
The tidal station at Fort Hamilton
performs double duty. Not only does
It secure :. record of the rise and fall of
every tide for the United States coast
and geodetic survey, but it also points
out to the pilots and navigators of in
going and outgoing vessels the exact
condition of the water at all hours of
the day. This is done by means of
tidal indicator, or what might more
properly be called water clock. Water
clocks are not, by any means, attached
to all tidal stations, and this is the only
one in this part Of the country.
The station itself, a substantial look
ing structure not much larger than a
good sized closet, is on the end of the
government pier at the upper end of the
fort. The clock, a half circular affair,
spreads itself on the top like fan. The
figures on it are visible nearly two
thirds of the way across the Narrows
with the naked eye, while powerful
glass reveals them miles away. While
pilots and seamen are as familiar with
the tides as any one can be there are
times when the clock proves to be al
most invaluable to them. A strong wind
will very often cause the tide to be ex-
ira low or extra high. Such conditions,
of course, knock out all estimates and
tide tables, but not the clock. No mat
ter how hard the wind blows, or what
the prevailing elements may be, the ar
clock point out the state of the tide
with the same regularity and precision
with which we'll kept watch tells the
time. The sole duty Of one arrow is to
tell which way the tide is running.
This is in the lower part of the center,
or on the exact spot where an open face
would be held. When the arrow is
pointing up the tide is running in, and
when the tide is running out, the ar
rows point is reversed. The duty of the
upper arrow is to tell how many feet Of
water above mean low tide there are in
the bay. The figures are placed as on
an ordinary clock, except that they form
only half circle Zero represents mean
low water, and the numbers run as high
as six There are marks to indicate the
half feet.
This clock needs no winning. 1t
works automatically and is as simple as
possible in its construction. Behind
the clock, and not visible, is large
wheel attached to which is the indicat-
ing arrow. One end of a stout string is
fastened partly around this wheel and to
the other end is fastened a small, cop
per, alright float, which rests on the
water. As the water rises the wheel re-
wolves, so that the arrow works over to
the higher numbers, and when the tide
is falling the reverse happens. This
copper float is we'll guarded, and no
matter how rough the water is it rests
rs snugly as possible in a sort of cell it
occupies The cell is like a sunken box
set in the water which is protected by
another similar but larger box. There
are small holes near the bottom to let
the water in.
The records of the tides are preserved
for future reference and are also used in
computing tides in advance. A station
is not permanent feature, few years
being long enough for the survey to find
out the accurate condition of the water
for any locality, and in this way the
records perpetuate themselves and could
suffice, at any rate, for many decades.
This station at Fort Hamilton was es-
tablished to take the place of the one
formerly at Sandy Hook. Two instru-
ments are used in preserving the record
made by the water clock, and these are
also automatic in their workings. Each
has a distinct float in separate cell,
and each regulates lead pencil fasten-
ed in such position that it rests on a
moving roll of paper. The pencil moves
to either side, being regulated by the
water. The roll Of paper, which is 60
feet long, and lasts one month, is slow
ly unwound from one roll to the other
at the rate of about an inch or so an
hour. This is done by clockwork. An
other clock is SO regulated that at every
hour pin is touched and the pencil
pressed so as to make an extra heavy
mark. Not until the 30 days are up can
these sheets be taken off and the records
made up in proper form. In the mean
time the keeper keeps watch on the
instruments to see that they are run
ming regularly and at the rise and fall Of
every tide takes notes to help him out at
the end of the month.
James g. Spaulding is the keeper Of
the Fort Hamilton station. For quar-
ter of century he has been doing this
kind of work. He had charge of the sta
tions at Penobscot bay, Maine, at the
mouth of the Savannah river, and also
at Sandy Hook. To make up the reports
from the sheets requires the most care
full figuring, the water being gauged to
the hundredth part of a foot. Brooklyn
Eagle.