Ripley County democrat., 1918-03-15
SEA CLOCKS ARE
IN Big DEMAND
War Causes Shortage. Of chro-
nometers Used in Ocean
Navigation.
ZONE IN THE OPEN MARKET
Prlcs Jumps From $500 to $500 and
Over -EnoIIshman Who Perfected
instrument Won Prize Of $780,
600 and Thsnks Of Mankind.

Washington.--Among the busiest
people supplying the United States
with war materials are the makers Of
chronometers. Great care and, pre-
cision are necessary In turning out
these navigating instruments, which
are the most accurate portable time
keepers known to science.
Hundreds of chronometers have gone
to the bottom Of the ocean since
the war began. This alone would
cause a shortage In the ordinary sup.
ply, while the eQulpplng Of the new
American merchant marine is creating
an unprecedented demand for new In
struments. IN
At present there are virtually no
chronometers to be had In the open
market. Before the war England sup
piled the world with most of Its fine
chronometers.
In ordinary times a good chronome.
ter costs about $500. The present price
Is $500 or better. according to the trade
made. The supply In this country
passes through the hands Of a few ex-
perts, who are doing their utmost to
meet the demand.
From six months to q year and a
half are necessary to make and adjust
q chronometer. The mechanism is Of
the finest metals, and specially adapt
ed to resistance to extremes Of tenn
perature.
I'd Errors Are Noted.
No clock or watch has ever yet kept
perfect time, SO there is always
slight gain or loss to o chronometer.
!, For this reacon the .ehronometer's rate
Of dairy gain or loss IS determined by
observation ashore, and q card show.
ing the rate Is made out, and dellv-
cred with the instrument. This rate
Of error is allowed in oil notations Of
time made from the instrument for
working up observations made at sea.
The chronometer completes, with
the compass and sextant, the trio Of
Indispensable instruments required In
modern navigation. By Its aid. longi-
tude, or the east or west position Of o
ship, is determined.
Longitude bafiled oil navigators ln-
I'll the chronometer came into use In
1875. The ancients and later naviga-
tors, including oil the great discover
ers. could find their latitude by OBJ
servations Of the suns height, but they
could determine their longitude only
by "dead reckoning" or estimating
their ships progress from day to day.
This system was uncertain, and
caused great many shlpwrecks.
Longitude is merely the difference
Of time between two points on the
enrth's surface. and 1t became appar-
ent to students of the problem 1t pre-
sented that II an instrument could be
devised that would keep accurate time
at sea, II would be possible to find the
longitude Of a ships position whenever
weather conditions were favorable.
Time at the ship could be determined
by an east or west observation Of the
sun, morning or afternoon, worked out
by accepted tables, II the time Of a
given point on shore was known
aboard the ship, the difference in time
would give the longitude Of the ship.
England was the first nation to cope
with this great problem. In 1714 1t ap.
pointed commissioner for the Dis.
covery Of Longitude at Sea-" and au.
thorized the payment Of large prizes
to stimulate research to the desired
end. This commission existed until
1923. and distributed more than $780,.
600 IN prizes.
Wins 100000 Prize.
THE chief prize offered by the com
mission, 100000. was won by John
Harrison. a Yorkshire matchmaker
who spent his life in perfecting the
chronometer.
Harrison made the best watches n
England. Although Of limited educa
tlon. he conducted many original re
searches in the expansion of metals
In search Of materials for an improved
watch or clock. that would prove I'm
pervious to changes of temperature
His first great feat was the production
Of "gridiron pendulum clock" tht
first chronometer which in 1875 ht
took to the royal commission. It was
tested BY the commission BY being
sent on voyage to Lisbon.
The test was not decisive, and Har
rison continued to work on his chro
nometer. seeking the great prize, for q
| period of 26 years. In 1861. when six
ty-eight years old. Harrison announced
J that he hnd solved all problems In
volyad Ia his VI. .rk. He produced q