El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-04


the true substance of the earth and its
magnetic power.
Every Nation Will Benefit.
The yastness of the subject and the
cost of its development has heretofore
prevented much practical work being
done. although scientists always have
had it in mind But to be of value OBJ
servations must be practical and scien-
tific, and only through the generosity
of an American philanthropist was the
establishment of properly equipped
department of terrestrial magnetism
made possible. Every nation in the
world will benefit by its work.
The discrepancies in the nautical
charts of the world, and the impossi-
bility Of taking absolutely correct OBJ
servation from vessel where the
presence of steel or iron united with
the magnetic forces of the earth IN at
fecting the position Of the needles Of
the compass. resulted in the building
of the most curious craft afloat, the
absolutely non-magnetic yacht, The
Carnegie
In the construction Of the carnegie
every effort was made to avoid the
use of steel or iron. The vessel is built
of white oak. yellow pine, Oregon pine
and teak wood. It's fastenings are To-
Gust tree nails copper and bronze bolts
chors are of manganese bronze. IL inch
hemp cables 120 fathoms long being
used instead Of anchor chains. Its sail
ing power comes from q Brigantfne rig
including 1900 square feet Of sail with
rigging Of special Russian hemp It's
auxiliary power is furnished by a $50
indicated horse power producer gas en-
CINE built practically of nom magnetic
metal-chiefly brOnzed. copper and
manganese steel. All the metal work
upon spafs, rigging and blocks Is of
bronze and gun metal Her cooking
ranges and refrigerating plant are Of
bronze and copper and the table cut
lery of Mexican silver.
Is First Ever Built.
The Carnegie carries two non-mag-
netic 2O-foot whale boats and one 16-
foot gig She is the first non-magnetic
vessel ever built and the first to be
equipped with producer gas engine.
The construction OF the Carnegie nat
urally attracted much comment Face
tious newspaper reporters stated that
an expert sailing master had been turn
ed down because he possessed an iron"
constitution and that only "bronzed"
seamen would be employed After q
long trial voyage, however, the obser-
vations taken from the Carnegie
proved that she will accomplish the
will profit bX her discoveries, since
most shipwrecks have been caused. by
compass errors brought about by
lack of knowledge Of the magnetic cur
rents. of the ocean.
The iron on board a vessel generally
affects the compass needle in one Of
the following ways: First, it distorts
and alters the normal position OF the
needle introducing the error known
as deviation OF the compass" second
~, 1t weakens the components of the
earth's magnetic forces acting upon
the compass These effects are not con-
slant but vary from place to place
They depend somewhat upon the ships
course and change with every altera-
ton in the course due to variable car
goes and other causes To overcome
the baneful effects Of an iron vessel
upon the compass the latter Is "ad-
justed. That is, other pieces of iron
and magnets are placed in the vicinity
OF the compass in such a way as to
exert an equal and opposite effect to
that or the ships own iron and mag
nettsm. But to correctly make this ad-
Justment II IS necessary TO know Just
how the compass would point in a CIV
en- location upon a vessel with no iron
upon It. This is the point that is being
determined by the Carnegie
oPAH8 Out haSnet1c currents.
The object of the Carnegie is to map
out the magnetic currents and forces
OF the ocean for the benefit Of the ma
riners of the world From It's non
magnetic construction it is possible
for observers on board the Carnegie TO |
get accurate observation for steering
a more direct course than was possible |
before. The work of the Carnegie is so |
arranged that she will average about |
a hundred miles Il day and there are
few days so stormy that some obser- !
walton cannot be made, owing to the /
superior quality of the instruments !
with which the yacht is equipped.
Some of these instruments have been
specially designed or invented for use /
in this great terrestrial magnetic sur
vey of the world. An important fea-
ture of the equipment of the depart I
ment of terrestrial magnetism Is the /
special instrument shop where new in