The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-07-21
MARINERS GUIDE
THE MOST VALUED POSSESSION
OF THE SEA CAPTAIN.
The Making Of Chronometers a Re-
fined Art That Is Followed
By But Few.


the country. is the center OF an i'm
tortant industry on which depends n
q laree measure the safety of thou
sihLs 0. o can travellers, says the
! hiladelpiila Ledger. This is the man
u.acturing, and particularly the rating,
OF marine chroncmeters. Nearly
every shipmaster. upon entering New
York after an ocean voyage, obtains
from the customhouse permit to land
his chronometer, so that 1t may be
rated according to standard time.
This rating may be hkened to the
daily comparison which the man with
the fine watch makes with his jew
eler's timepiece.
In the case OF n chronometer the ad-
juster leeps careful record OF its
variation, and this record goes with
the CLOCK when 1t is returned to the
ship. The importance to captain OF
knowing whether his chrono,neter is
running fast or slow cannot be over
estimated, for, although it may vary
only five seconds month, each sec
ond makes difference of To-. miles
in ships course, and a iniatai.e OF
such short distance, II not corrected,
might result in wreck and the loss
OF many lives. Knowing the exact
variation of his chronometer, the cap
tain Is, therefore, able to ma.e the
necessary allowance for it when he
ascertains the latitude and longitude
OF the vessel after taking his sight, or,
In other words, after determining the
angular position OF the sun through
the use OF the sextant.
Many OF the large ocean liners carry
three chronometers. the ordinary ves-
sel one and the deep-water ships
sometimes two or three, but the life
of an ocean timepiece, IL well taken
care Of. is 100 years and more, and
accordingly the maker has to meet no
great demand. AS matter OF fact,
q chronometer really goes out of serv-
ice only when 1t sinks with a vessel.
A shipmaster, when about to abandon
his command at sea, Invariably thinks
Of four things that should be saved
his logbook, sextant, compass and
chronometer. With these and a fair
supply OF provisions he feels a GER
tain sense OF security when he risks
his life In an open boat. A derelict
with chronometer on board is Indeed
"a rarity. And when one reads OF a
captain who has been unable to save
his chronometer the story is in
dubitable proof that the summons to
leave the vessel was 30 urgent as
not to admit moments delay. Leave
the ships cat IL you will, but save the
chronometer, might well be taken as
an ocean maxim
Though carefully nursed, the chro-
nometer meets with many adventures.
1t may go through flre, shipwreck and
other periis OF the sea. but rarely does
the regular, distinct ticking ever stop
forever. II a captain dies or his ves-
SCI is condemned 1t flnds another own
or or another berth and this it shifts
about from ship to ship, changing
hands continually and travelling At odd
times all the seven seas.
The manufacturing Of marine chro-
nometers in this country is confined
to four firms three OF which are To-
Gated In New York. and probably the
whole output for year amounts to
$50 or even fewer Az with other arti-
cies, the price of chronometers varies
according to quality and workmanship.
The cheapest cost about $500 each.
while the United States government.
which naturally buys the best, pays
sometimes as much as 1916.
The movements Of chronometers are
usually imported blank" from Eng
land-that is. only the plates and
wheels are brought over. The manu-
facturer here provides the balance,
springs. pivots. jewels and other
parts needed to complete the whole,
together with the brass-bound box In
which the clock is placed Being set
in gimbals within the box, the
chronometer will remain In horizon
tai position when the vessel rolls or
pitches, and by this means the poise OF
the balance is not disturbed.
1t takes about three months to man
ufacture chronometer and another
three months to adjust It. though maxi
ers declare that the timepiece should
not be sent to sea for two years after
completion. as the delicate mechanism
must be tested In various ways to obtain
a perfect regulation. This adjustment,
as the regulation is called. is something
that requires the utmost skill and really
lie the most important feature Of the
makers art. Sudden changes Of temper
ature, humidity and electric currents
will affect the speed, balance and hair
spring. and therefore all the running
parts must be so compensated and regu-
lated that whatever contingency may
arise there will still be the steadiness
which allows no capricious variations.
Old-fashioned chronometers were built
to run eight days without winding, but
these have been superseded by the So
hour timepiece Fifty years ago the
chronometer vas brought to its present
state OF perfection. and since that time.
despite modern Ingenuity. makers have
found no reason to make any alteration
In the principal parts Of its mechanism.
A Natural Mistake.
The Terror Do people often throw
tntn0a AZ vou Mr. Doughbr4