The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-04-17
HOW MUCH IS A KNOTT
Very Few Landsmen Know Its Value
Expressed in Miles.

Very Few Landsmen Know us value
Expressed in Miles.
In this day of record breaking by
ocean steamers, when every big steam
er that comes into port is expected to
carry record hung at yardarm, so
to speak, how many landsmen know
the meaning of the term knot" in
which rate of speed at sea is chiefly
expressed? 1t is purely and wholly a
nautical term, having specific applica-
ton to the speed and distance made by
a vessel moving in the water.
The word 'knot" is the mariners
term for a nautical mile, and its use
is really derived from the log line used
by navigators of the ocean when they
wish to determine the speed and the
distance that the ship has probably
sailed in a given time. The log line
is an important and very necessary
part of ships fittings; especially is
this the case when, for several days at
sea, the navigator is unable, because
of the sun being hidden by clouds or
thick weather, to get peep at it with
his sextant, from which the actual po-
sition of the ship is worked out. With
the data taken by frequent heaving
of the log "a small block or section
of wood with long line attached AMI
run out from the stern of the vessel
for a specific number of seconds), not
ing the force and direction of the wind,
the possible currents, or other influ-
ences acting favorably or against the
progress of the ship, the navigator is
enabled to calculate very nearly, in
overcast or foggy weather, about
where his ship is at any hour OF the
day. This is called working out the
position of the ship by dead reckon
ing
Every one who has studied the geo.
graphical table in his early school days
will recall that part of the singsong
recitation running like this: "Sixty-
nine and one-siXth statute miles, or
sixty geographical miles, equal one de-
gree of longitude at the equator"
Now, the difference between a statute
mile and a nautical mile is that the
the former. There are sixty geographic
cal miles to each degree of latitude,
or to each degree of longitude at the
equator, which divisions of miles are
called minutes" in the nautical vO-
cabulary, hence the old saying, "a
| mile minute" AS there are $50 de-
grees, OF meridians, of longitude, there
are 1,600 minutes, or miles, in the en-
tire circumference of the world, at the
equator; and it has been mathemati--
geographical mile-at the equatorial
circle is equal to 6,0S67 feet But it
has been the practice of mariners not
to be too exact on small fractions when
measuring distance as great as mile,
consequently the practice of defining
a knot or nautical mile as equal to
6,0S0 feet, instead of 6,0S6.7 feet, has
been generally adopted.
When the navigator desires to make
log-line by which to ascertain the
speed which his vessel is making
through the water, he follows the con-
slant $3.50. AS the number of seconds
in an hour are to 6,0S0 feet, so are the
number Of seconds in the time glass
Ito be used for measuring the ships
speed to the number of feet in each
unit of measurement marked off on the
log-line. If half minute go seconds)
glass is to be used, the knots must be
made 80 feet 8 inches from each other,
and the number of these knots which
pass from the reel over the stern while
the sand is running from the top bulb
to the lower bulb of the glass is equal
to the number of knots or nautical
miles that the vessel would make in
an hour, providing the same cOndi-
tions for speed continue.
For instance, if the engines of a
steamship continue to make the same
speed during the hour, or if the force
of wind and spread of canvass of a
sailing vessel continue the same, the
number of knots on the line passing
from the reel while the sand is rum
ming through the thirty-second glass is
as good an actual measurement Of the
vessels speed through the water as
could be obtained, except that the
course should be measured by an &C.
tual survey with instruments. If it
was shown that the vessel was making
ten knots, she would cover ten geo.
graphical miles, or little more than
liz land miles, or eleven and half
times $3.50 $3.50 feet being equivalent
to land mile). Hence, to speak Of
the City Of Paris having made 525
knots or nautical miles in twenty-four
hours, she covers a distance Of 6041S
land miles, as comprehended in rail-
road distances, or a rate of Is land
miles an hour which is faster than
many railroad trains travel.-New
York Herald.