Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-06-19
rAe MARINE COMPASS
The E'-Lson Why It Varies During rhun-
 derstorns and In logs.

deFStorns and In IoGS-
 Apparently the cnmpasS k simple instrument, ncc,il, of steel suspended on pivot, the needle Iuagnctizrd either by a magnet ur battery. So that its points | arc attracted north and south. What at- | tracts and dcternnv> the PN>itlOn of the | needle, whether it be currents of elcc- triCity from north and south passing round the earth. or, aS vulgar sea knowl- | edge has it, the north polo. scientists yet are in doubt. of course every school child knows that the compass is useless as it approaches the north pole, the dip is so great, although instruments have been made for the use Cf vessels destined for voyages of discovery But this com mercial ago requires that all things should be practical
 The modern steel and iron vessels have made IL a nCCcS$lty that there | should be some test for the compass. In fact. upon an iron vessel tho compass k | useless unless tho lncAl attraction If the | irOn III the vessel can la nvutrahzcl or | CountrraCtCd. This k done hv placing small magnets in the plulhvU>r. which
 can only lN' done c,rIVtlv by swinging the vessel exactly north and s,Wth. then by small magnets overcome the l,x,al at
 traction, until the ncr,llc uf the compass is corrrCt. There The danger lrgin~. Tn n month ar >o the magnets Lt>r I,lrt ,f | their power; tho iron uf the VvS>vl :sl;- SorhS II. The CUn>rIurncc k that the | vessel k i'll dauSCr Au1thvl thuE, q | denso fNS will ncutralizr ur rather weaken the magnetic power If the nc,'. de ut the CNMvAs>. So If tL, It l'c thc | llaSt friction Ill the riNut the needle | swings upon. the vumIu>S iS faultv and the vessel k ashore. IL i~ a singular. unexplained fact that coming tu and | passing the straits of Mackilac the lucal | attraction of the shore is such that tho | compass cannot be dcpended upon for safe navigation. Many vessel might bc saved, if in q fog, by placing a compass at the masthead and "cOn" the course by the cali of the man placed there to observe it. If the ship is near the shore. | say within one mile. the needle of the compass will be deficcted One-fourth of point; the shore attracts it. A thun- derstorm will change the poles of the compass at times. and summer light | ming or any electric disturbance will | make difference. In the fall a bril- liant display of the northern lights (au- rora bOreals) will play hob with your compass. Sometimes the point, espe- cially in the spirit compass, may become very blunt Git is made of hrasS) and the compass cord will hang. It is a good plan for every captain navigating the lakes to test his compass. Take piece of steel or long knife, chiSel or file: apply it opposite the north pole of the compass and gradually try to pull tho needle either way. If after releasing the needle from the influence of the article used it swings back and points to the north, the compass is correct-that is, if the needle is placed right on the card.
 But when within a mile or more of the shore the lead is the instrument to be depended upon. Iventure to say that every shipmaster will tell you that at times the compass has its moods. But when We take into consideration the many surrounding influences that in our modern iron ship bear upon the efficien- cy of the compass we wonder there are not more errors.-E. R. F. Shurly in Chicago Inter Ocean.