Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-02-18
HOW MUCH is A KNOTT
Few Landsmea Know Its Value Express
In Mil,a.

In Mills.
In day of record breaking by
ocean steamers, when every big steam
er that comes into port Ii expected to
carry record hung at n yardarm, so
10 speak, how many landsmen know
the meaning OF the term ''knot," In
which rate of speed ut sea is chiefly
expressed? 1t Is purely and wholly n
nautical term, having specific applica-
ton to the speed and distance made by
a vessel moving In the water, says the
New York Herald.
The word 'knot' is the mariners
term for nautical mile, and It's 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 given time. The log line
Is an important and n 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 n frequent hcaving
OF the log IA small block or section OF
WOOD with long line attached and
run out from the stern of the vessel for
specific number of secondsJ noting
the force and direction of the wind the
possible currents, or other influences
acting favorably or against the prog
ress OF the ship, the navigator Is en-
abled to calculate very nearly, in over
cast or foggy weather, about where his
ship Is at any hour of the day. mis- is
called working out the position of the
ship by dead reckoning"
Every one who studied the geograph-
ical table In his early school days will
recall that part Of the sing-song recita-
tion running like this "Sixty-ninc and
one-sixth statute miles, or sixty geo
graphical miles, equal one degree of
longitude at the equator" Now, the DIFF
ference between n statute mile and II
nautical or geographical mile Is that
tie latter Is about S06 feet greater than
the former. There are sixty Gcograph-
ical miles to each degree of latitude, OF
to each degree OF longitude at the elua,
tor, which divisions of miles are called
minutes" In the nautical vocabulary.
hence the old saying, IA mile n min
ute" AS there are 800 degrees, or mc-
ridians, of longitude, there are 2l,GOu
minutes, or miles. in the entire circum-
ference Of the world. ut the equator.
and 1t has ben mathematically deter.
mined that one minute-one geOgrapl-
equal to 6,OSG.7 feet. But it has been
the practice Of mariners not to be toe
exact on small fractions when measur-
Ing distance as great ns n mile, conse-
quently the practice OF defining knot
or nautical mile as equal to G.0S0 feet,
instead Of G,OS6.7 feet, has been gen.
orally adopted.
When the navigator desires to make
log-line by which to ascertain the
tx-htn tnI bt to, IL t.p
through the water, he follows the con
stant 6,OS0. AS the number of seconds
In an hour are to 6.OS0 feet, so are the
number of seconds in the time glass tic
be used for measuring the ships speed
to the number OF feet In each unit OF
measurement marked of on the log
line. II n half-minute Uhirty seconds
glass Is to be used. the knots must be
made fifty feet eight inches from each
other, and the lumber 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
conditions for speed continue.
For instance, If the engines OF n
steamship continue to make the same
speed during the hour, or II the force
of wind and spread or canvas OF n sail
ing vessel continue the same. the mum
Der of knots on the line passing from
the reel while the sand Is running
through the thirty-second glass Is a.
good an actual measurement OF the
vessels speed through the water as
could be obtained, except that the
course should be measured by an act
ual survey with instruments. If 1t was
shown that the vessel was making ter
knots, she would cover ten geograph
ical miles, or n little more than clever
and one-half land miles, or eleven anC
n half times $3.50 (5,2S0 feet being
equivalent to a land mile). Hence, tt
speak of the City of Paris having made
525 knots Of nautical miles in twenty
four hours, she covers n distance OF
0041a land miles, as comprehended ii
railroad distances, or n rate of twenty
five land miles an hour, which is faster
than most railroad trains travel.