Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-05-20
SPEED OF SHIPS.
The Way sailors Ascertain How
Many Knots They Are Going.


The Way sailors Ascertain How
Many Knots They Are Going.
How do you ascertain the speed OF
shipg" is a question frequently ad-
dressed to naval men. and an explana-
ton viii therefore probably be OF in
terest to many readers. There are sew
eral methods. says Army and Navy IL.
Illustrated. the commonest and most an
cient being by the use OF the log. This
instrument consists of three parts, the
logship. the line and the marks. The
logship is n piece OF wood about half
an inch thick and shaped like quad
rant. with piece OF lead let in round
the circular edge TO make II float pes
pendicularly In the water. Ii Is hung
by lines at each angle. the three lines
being Joined together about two feet
from the logship. Two OF the lines
are securely fixed to the ship. ana the,
other has a bone peg at the end. which.
being pushed into hole in the ship,
temporarily fastens IL there.
From the point OF juncture OF the
treessifnes sufficient length is meas
ured. generally about 100 feet, to take
the logship well clear OF the ships
wash. This Is called the "stray line"
and is marked with piece OF bunting.
From the bunting is measured AZ feet
inches and the line marked here with
a piece of leather. Then another Al
feet 3 inches is measured OF and
marked with two knots. then another
space the same length and marked
with three knots. Halt way between
each batch of knots one single knot is
made. The log line is then ready for
use.
The space between the knots is.found
from the simple little rule of three
sum-as $500 seconds number of sec
onds I'm an hour is to twenty-eight sec
ondS Oength OF sandglass). so are 6.0S0
feet (number of feet i'm n nautical mile)
10 the length OF line required, which
works out to ~ feet inches.
To use the log four persons are re
quired-two men TO hold the reel on
which the line is wound. the quarter
master TO hold the glass and the mid
shipman OF the watch to heave the log.
The last named puts the peg firmly in
the logShip and then gathers three or
four coils OF line in his hand. sufficient
10 admit OF the logship being, thrown
NtH NtcstI OF the snip lie asks. clear
glass. quartcrmaster?" Clear glass.
sir" comes the reply. and overheard
20 the logship and line. the reel rap
idly revolving. Presently the MILDLY
feels the piece Of bunting passing
through his hand. and ne gives thc-or-
der Turn" The Quartcrmaster turns
the glass and watches the sand. while
one "rccler" holds well over his head.
80 rs 10 %yivc the line fair play When
the sand has run out. stop cries the
quartermaster. The midshipman grasps
the line. assisted 10y the other ''reeler"
and looks for the nearest knot. finding
a single one close TO his hand. Then
the line is hauled I'm. and four knots
appear, which signify that the ship is
going four ana onc-half knots through
the water. The jerk OF the line drags
the peg from the logship. which now
floats on its flat side and is easily
hauled i'm. When ship is going over
four knots. a fourteen second glass is
used. the speed being double that
shown 10y the knots on the line.-Home
Journal and News.