The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-31
MI0RK OF a GIRL SCIENTIST
ATTRACTS MUCH ATTENTION
Interesting Article on The Navigation OF the 81
Clair River.
DATA FROM HER EXPERIMENTS
Clair River.

mentioned. A side range fixes the line
of each section and q front range deter
mines the location of each station
With the method OF accurately locating
the points of observation known, the STU
dent may imagine himself transported 10
the scene of the work on the Unteu
States lake survey tug. Here he IS trans
ferred to the actual vehicle OF obserVa-
zion the catanlaran. This peculiar float
ing structure consists of two hollow cigar
shaped hulIs about so feet long, and p!ac-
ed about Is feet apart Upon these hulls
and directly over the water is a small
house equipped with all the instruments
and paraphcrnalia necessary for taking
and recording observations. Through a
hole in the floor of the catamaran the
meters used in determining the velocity
of the current and the volume OF water
are lowered. a full outfit for the work
now in hand consists of the tug, Two
catamarans, thirteen current meters.
electrical registering apparatus, small
hand dynamo, batteries, anchors, buoNs.
etc. Six men are required to DO Inc
work on the catamaran-the observer, a
recorder, and four men for handling lines
anchors and meters. The tug is kept
busy the greater part of the time in pick
ing up the lines. anchors, etc. and doing
other work in connection with moving
the catamaran.
TAKING OBSERVATIONS.
The catamaran is held in position by
heard line, 400 feet long. leading TO a
large anchor, and by side line paid out
from a reel and leading to a small anchor.
As the side line is paid out from the
reel, the force OF the current striking
the catamaran propels 1t along the sec
ton from station to station.
10 tan, N hpnc 4
station upon :. section, VIC are now pre-
pared 10 take observations and measure
ments. The meters. which resemble
nothing SO much as the stern wheel OF
a steamer attached to a sort Of wind
mill. with bulb connecting them. are
about two and one-half feet long They
are made OF brass. are weighted with
lead, and are Very heavy. These meters
are suspended by a cable through which
run wires. One meter records the Cirec-
ton OF the currents as we'll as the
velocity. Expensive Instruments are
these meters. costing about 500 each. SO
that by The time a Catamaran is equipped
with eleven of these Uncle Sam has quite
a valuable bit OF property afloat in a
snail space.
The meters once lowered and the cleo
tric connection made with the registers,
a ticking sound begins. which causes the
uninitiated 30 think he has entered a
telegraph Office. For each revolution
made by the wheel of the meter 4 num-
Der is recorded on the register witt,
light tick. These registers are supplied
with stop watches. and the readings of
the instrument are taken for every 20,
90, Go. or 200 seconds. as the observer
decides. The observations are taken at
every tenth OF the depth of The stream,
and al average measurement of the Yeloc-
i:y OF the current and volume of water
flowing per second is made from the
total of these. At mid-depth the read
ings are taken for the longest period.
200 seconds. These observations are
repcatcd al every station.
The discharge of the river is ascer-
tanned from tliess measurements to be
approximately 10000 cubic Feet per
second.
WHERE SWIFTEST.
The current is generally found to be
the swlftest at about one-tenth Of the
depth. At the bottom It Is very slow.
but gradually increases as It rises. until
Nithin one-tenth Of the depth. whore It
begins to decrease until 1t reaches the
surface. One meter Is suspended from
q boom outside the catamaran in order