Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-27

The Possible Cause Of the Loss Of the
Steamer Mohepan

sitiye Instrument renders it peculiar
ly liable to those sudden and capri
cious changes Of which many nayiga-
tors can speak from experience and
TO their sorrow.
The compass Of to-day is perhaps
as perfect a production as the high
n9et scientific skill and the most dcli-
2ate. mechanical manipulation can at
~ Nc, and yet, at critical moment,
by causes beyond human fore
Sight, theyagaries of its readings may
lead the most experienced seamen into
utter Disaster
\ Y, as has been said, there should ex-
list in the vicinity of the Manacles
PsakEfpl and uncertain magnetic field
H whose influence vessels have at
times been quito uucxplicably drawn
miles out Of their course, then the
terrible loss of the Mohegan might
well be explained by this hypothesis
alone, and it should be borne in mind
that this suggested solution of the
mystery is strengthened by refer
ence to the case Of the Palmyra, lost
+ On the Manacles ON March IA, 1855.
Here the commander, Capt. Minoif,
was steering as he believed due west
after passing the Eddystone, and
thought ne was some dozen miles off
the Manacles and four or FIVE from
the Lizard, when his snip struck the
fatal rocks.
But there are other causes which
may, separately or conformity with the
Supposed magnetic field in the vicin-
itg of the Mohegan's loss, have con-
tEibuted to disturb her compasses. For
instance, we are told that the yes
sci had recently undergone extensive
alterations, If, in the course Of car
TSing out these any considerable ham
mering of the beams or plating were
necessary, then that part of the met
adhc structure may have had its mag
netic polarity interfered with, even to
the point Of reversal. If such were
the case, it would be interesting to
know whether the compasses were
r&dljasted to meet the altered condi-
ti1ns, before the vessel proceeded on
her last, and, as it proved, calam-
itous voyage. Again, there is the pos
sibility of compass deviation due to
the presence Of the dynamo, whose
large external magnetic field would
probably be lying dormant until the
lights were switched on, perhaps only
some hour or less before the Mohegan
sfr1ek. Such DETECTION would, Of
Nd%Ae, vary steadily-that is, with
Gut oscillation Of the needle-directly
as the number of lights turned on.
In the experiments on the Royalist
lone wire from the dynamo was led
J under the standard compass at dis
lance Of 13 feet, the return being
separated only five feet from it. With
these conditions it was observed that
current of about 100 ampheres
caused detection Of eight degrees
in the compass, which, indeed, re-
solved itself into an excellent dead
beat galvanometer, the DETECTION in
creasing and decreasing without os-
cillation, for every variation Of the
current
That such exaggerated conditions
existed on the Michigan we do not
for moment suggest, but that these
disturbing influences may have been
produced on a minor scale is we'll
within the bounds of probability. We
have seen sensitive needle Jump"
to the influence of the magnetized
ibis Of an otherwise inoffensive and
innocent-looking umbrella, and many
of ms have suffered the inconvenience
of magnetized watch-a small mass
of metal, truly, but perhaps in the
pocket of an officer near the bin
nacle all sufficient to deviate the sem
sitiyeiy poised compass card. Hith-
erto, with one exception, we have
atAalt only with possible and unfore-
seen disturbing causes that may have
existed within the ship and batlied
even so experienced navigator as
Capt. Grifiiths, OF disturbing in
fuences beyond the ship, probably
the most troublesome Of all is the
.'subpermanent' source Of error due
to the constant action of the earth en-
deavoring to form in that part Of the
sAship nearest north pole repellent
bfe the north point of tie compass
source of error the peculiar dan