The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-12-01
MARINERS COMPASS,
Little Known of the Real Origin of
the instrument.
ITS USE BY The CHINESE,

This Wonderful People Knew Of the
Magnetic Needle Long Before the
Christian Era-The Claims Of Gioia,
the Pilot, and the Credit Due Him.
Much interest must forever attach to
the discovery Of that valuable instru-
ment the mariners compass, and yet
there are few subjects concerning
which less is known. For a period the
honor Of the invention was ascribed to
Gioia, a pilot, born at Pasitano, a
small village situated near Amalf,
about the end Of the thirteenth Gen.
fury. His claims, however, have been
disputed.
Much learning and labor have been
bestowed upon the subject Of the dis
covery. 1t has been maintained by one
class that even the Phoenicians were
the inventors, by another that the
Greeks and Romans had a knowledge
Of it. Such notions, however, have
been completely refuted.
One passage, nevertheless, of a re-
markable character occurs in the works
of Cardinal de Witty, bishop Of Ptole-
mails, In Syria. He went to Palestine
during the fourth crusade, about the
year 1904. He returned afterward to
Europe and subsequently back to the
Holy Land, where he wrote his work
entitled "Historia O%rientalis," as near
~ as can be determined, between the
years 1915 and 1920. In chapter 81
of that work he has this singular pas
sage:
1.-The iron needle, after contact with
the loadstone, constantly turns to the
north star, which, at the axis Of the
armament, remains immovable while
the others ~revolve, and hence it is es-
sentially necessary to those navigat-
ing on the ocean,"
These words are as explicit as they
are extraordinary. They state a fact
and announce a use. The thing, there
fore, which essentially constitutes the
compass must have been known long
before the birth of Gioia. In addition
to this fact, there is another equally
fatal to his claim as the original dis
coverer.
1t is now settled beyond q doubt
that the Chinese were acquainted with
the compass long before the Europe
ans. 1t is certain that there are allu-
sions to the magnetic needle in the
traditionary period of Chinese history,
about 1000 years before Christ, and a
still more credible account Of it is
found in the reign Of Chingwang Of the
Chow dynasty, before Christ lila.
All this, however, may be granted
without in the least impairing the just
claims Of Gioia to the gratitude Of man
kind. The truth appears to be that
the position Of Gioia in relation to the
compass was precisely that Of Watt in
relation to the steam engine-the ele-
ment existed; he augmented its utility.
The compass used by the mariners
in the Mediterranean during the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries was
q very uncertain and unsatisfactory
apparatus. 1t consisted only of a mag
netic needle floating in a vase or basin
by means Of two straws on a bit of
cork supporting it on the surface Of
the water.
The compass used by the Arabians
in the thirteenth century was al in
strument Of exactly the same descrip-
ton. Now, the Inconvenience and in
efficiency Of such IN apparatus are OBJ
vious. The agitation Of the ocean and
the tossing Of the vessel might rende
1t useless in a moment.
But Gioia placed the magnetized
needle on a pivot, which permits it to
turn to all sides with facility. After
ward it was attached to a card divided
into thirty-two points, called rose de
vents, and then the box containing it
was suspended in such a manner that.
however the vessel might be tossed,
1t would always remain horizontal
Electrical Engineer.