The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-26

The solarometer is that instrument. and
| IS the invention of Lieutenant Commander
| w. II. Bcehler OF the navy. In brief the
| solaromtter substitutes an artificial hori-
| zon for the natural one and this is done
| by a series of swinging rings actuated like
! lhe DoWl OF compass, which keeps the
| soarometcr always horizontal, no matter
| how the ship may roll. Now, by night or
| day, using the sun at one time or a star
| at the other. the declination or angle Of
| which is known and qualified by tables
| readily accessible to every navigator and
again We have the principle of triangula-
| ton as We had it in the range finder aud
, the stadimeter, but this time to determine
| the position OF the ship itself---the height
of tho star and horizon being known to
| establish base of measurement. Just SO
| the glow Of the star can be seen or the
| faint sense OF the half hidden sun observed
u makes no difference whether or not the
horizon be dimmed by fog or haze or
broken by a tumbling sea. Too much en-
phasis can not be laid upon this aid TO
| naVieation. and though The instrument IS
not yet perfect. 1t is a long. long advance
| upon previous facilities.
LEAK SHOPPERS.
! The Colonies leak stopper embodes an
other use of corn pith callulose. A circular
bag filed with cellulose and with hole
in the center through which the shaft cf
a pick is passed and backed by a waslcr
form the principal parts Of the eontrlyance.
! When hole is made man rushes to it
from the inside, and with such a stopper
as he may sse is needed. He pushes tie
shaft through, standing to one side. and
allows the pick to engage ON the outside
! Next he pushes the bag of celulose onto
| the shaft, backs it with a broad washer
and with double handled turn screw
readily forces the bag up against the hole
In moment the cellulose. now wet. ex-
pands and nils the irregular outlines of the
| hole. by experiment 21-inch hole und r
"A head Of twelve feet of water, was ef-
! fectually closed in three mnut san op-
Grafton that necessitated the fitting Of tN o
arresters.
FRANKLIN LIFE BUOY.
The safety of the ship herself is not
alone the consideration of naval architects.
and some provision must be made for tho
immediate relief Of the man who fails
overheard. Before boat can be lowered
IN response to that dreaded cry. "Map
oVeFboard!' the ship perhaps going at ton
speed there is time and plenty Tor ev, n
a ialrly skillful swimmer to drown ~
guard against such mishap there must h.
some means of instant relief. ami thai IL
embodied in the Franklin life buoy the
! ueslgn OF Chief Constructor Philin Hon
uorh' me nuoy Is an annular tank OF con-
per- divided into several water ti9ht co,n.
prtnehts' ana TWO upright swinging arms
t,eis az inc lower ends, are hNed TO
| the sldes. The lower ends of these arms
/ which are pipes-are filed with phcsnhIdo
OIL calclum' chemical which ignites ~
the action Of water. -
III response to the Cry the Quarterna ster
or man nearest the position of the hno,,
against the vessels side trips the trlrre.s
anu uoWh 10 p,nnges, No matter which siIc
euIhS uppermost, ihe Weighted ends of tho
| arms with their burden of phosohido -
calcium, swing under the water ana f,o,s
.he upper end OF the tubes bright flame
phins at night 10 guide the drifting mon
4 or cloud OF smoke does like ssr1.,c- ~
aay. The buoy will hold one man nm ~
Suing position and support two clinpjnr
. TO H. and pendant life chain within he
rug readily enables men to get IN into n
! ana rest. Several lives have alresd1, 49,
saved, and the buoy has never fai,sI ~ ~
work where reasonable care had looltea a.,
for its efficiency 'u'
CARE FOR THE sEAMEN.
Everything Imaginable contrlhu,ss !, -,
comfort the convenience and the health
- ~''-NNts 0hV crew, ana nothing Is snarn
10 make the ship thoroughly h,bitab,e
home for some four or I'VE hundred cxac,-
ing persons Sanitation is Of he be.t ana
me most serupulous care Is exercl on n
Guard against those awful germs tbs, ola
people tell us never existed in tber d.
seamen died of low fsyerz and cold NIX
q frequency not now rememberei. and Mi,
blessed providence knows how much 81 4,
vas due 10 the presence OF rottlny W.
constant dampness poor food ,ain, =
water, and quarters SO badly ysnt,l5,o"
.hat tho term hlrty applies 10 the stiaipa
dim liz aceommoaaions in the Ssy s''r ms
by. Today, thanks to watchfulnsss e9he
ioou Is OF the best, and in cold s,o.li
Is practically fresh week In ami wsa ,S'ss
wen though far out at sea. Fresh 81, ~,
pu,nPsa or sucked down through the ~ 70
nsht N plenty hnds its WAY ~ an sum
spavesi water of the purest il 10 he , an'ns
m.Nty the quarters are n,yer ~. "su \
assraeuye facilities for bathing n o', ana
ess Tsi crime not to be ts,sratcs un-
ne modern fighting shin Il avar,,.,
y human skill and human foresight san