Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-06-16
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 &c
the discovery of that valuable instru
ment the maiiuer's compass, and yet
there are few subjects concerning
which less Is known. For period the
honor OF The invention was ascribed to
Gioia, pilot, born AT Pasitano, n
small village situated near Amalf,
about the end of the thirteenth cen.
fury. His claims, however. have been
disputed.
Much learning and labor have been
bestowed upon the subject of the dis
covery. II has been maintained by one
class that even the phocnicians were
the inventors, by another that the
Greeks and Romans had knowledge
Of II. Such notions, however, have
been completely refuted.
One passage, nevertheless. of II 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 ufterward to
Europe aud subsequently back 10 the
Holy Land. where he wrote his work
entitled "Historia Orientalls." as near
ly as can be determined. between the
years 1915 and 1920 In chapter 81
Of that work he has this singular pas
sage:
The iron needle, after contact with
the tombstone, constantly turns TO the
north star. which. at the axis of the
| armament. remains immoyable while
/ the Others revolye, and hence II Is es-
sentially necessary 10 those navigat-
Ing on the ocean"
| These words are as explicit as they
are extraordinary. They state u fact
and announce II 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 rs the original dis
coyerer.
IL Is now settled beyond Il doubt
that the Chinese were acquainted with
the compass long before the Europe
ans. 1t IL certain that there are allu-
sions TO the magnetic needle In the
Evolutionary period of Chinese history,
about 1000 years before Christ, and n
still more credible account of II IL
found IN the reign of Chingwang OF the
Chow dynasty. before Christ llli.
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 Gioin In relation to the
compass was precisely that Of Watt In
relation to the steam engine--the ele'
ment existed; he augmented It's utility
The compass used by the mariners
In the Mediterranean during the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries was
very uncertain and unsatisfactory
apparatus. 1t consisted only of q mag
netic needle floating In vase or basin
by means Of two straws on bit OF
Nuih ~ WI thS ouiADNN VI
the water.
The compass used by the Arabians
In the thirteenth century was an In
strument Of exactly the same descrip
ton. Now, the Inconvenience aud In
efficiency Of such an apparatus are oh
vious. The agitation of the ocean and
the tossing OF the vessel might render
II useless In moment.
But Gioia placed the magnelized
needle on II pivot, which permits II 10
turn TO all sides with facility. After.
ward II was attached to card divided
into thirty-two points. called rose de
vents. and then the box containing II
was suspended In such manner that
however the vessel might be tossed
1t would always remain horizontal
Electrical Engineer.