The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-08-01
STELLAR
AZ|MUTH MACHINE
NEW YORK NAVIGATOR COM
MENDs INVENTION OF CAPTAIN
LAWLESS.

The stellar azimuth machine, con- |
ceived and patented by Captain r. r. |
Lawless of the Oceanic Steamship Com |
pany, TO which attention was called in
The Cali last November, has been given
the test of practical use and has prov
ed a most valuable addition to the mar
iner's aids to navigation. One of these
machines was used on board the flag
ship New York during the Just ended
cruise of the Pacific squadron and the
trial not only proved it's value, but de-
monstrated the wonderful possibilities
of Captain Lawless' invention.
According to the navigating officer of
the New York, the stellar azimuth ma
chine is an advanced step in the direc-
ton of a mechanical navigator which
will solve the problems of position and
courses with absolute accuracy, the
factor of mental miscalculation being
entirely eliminated. 1t is to this end
that navigators have been working
ever since they discovered the art of
laying out roads of travel on the track
less eXpanse of the worlds widest wa
ters. If Captain Lawless has solved
! this problem-if he has given to naVi-
! gators an instrument which will insure
| them absolute knowledge of their
whereabouts day or night, in all kinds
of weather, he has given to the science
of navigation the greatest help since
the discovery of the magnetic needles
proclivity to point to the north.
| Rear Admiral Henry Glass has taken
a great interest in the stellar azimuth
machine and the following letter is
self-eXplanatory:
U. S. Flagship New York,
r. May Z, 1903.
Captain r. r. Lawless-Dear Sir:
return by bearer your stellar azimuth
machine after giving it a very severe
trial on our cruise south, covering a
period of three months. l take pleas
ure in stating that it meets every re-
quirement mentioned in your descrip-
ton, both as to it, scope and accuracy.
l consider the machine a very valu-
able aid and friend to every navigator,
particularly on board a fast steamer,
where quick and accurate methods of
laying a course at night are essential.
The possibilities of the machine when
fully developed seem to be unlimited in
the solution of a spherical triangle, and
/ firmly believe that you are on the
road to produce a mechanical navigat-
or. Very respectfully,
c. d. STEARNS,
Navigating officer.
The stellar azimuth machine while a
fearful and wonderful complication to
the layman, is to the navigator an open
book whose value is reinforced by it's
extreme simplicity. The machine in it's
present form gives the true bearing of
any heavenly body, sun, moon, fixed
stars or planets; and projects the great
circle of shortest distance, from any
one point to any other on the earth's
surface. It's great value is in detecting
errors of the compass, a feature which
alone would give it an important place
in the navigator's equipment.
The mechanical navigator, which
promises to be the outcome Of Captain
Lawless' invention, will be in condition
for trial before long. The declination
circle and the altitude qffuadrant Of the
present machine will be graduated to
ten seconds Of arc and the clock face
made to read to four seconds of time.
Captain Lawless believes that these adj
ditions, with three verniers, will trans
form the stellar aZimuth machine into
the long sought-for mechanical navi-
gator.
The machine that went with the
squadron will be forwarded to the Navy