Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-29
TELLS LOST SHIP
WHERE She IS
System Of Triangu|ation Will Give
Bearings to BeWiIdcred
Craft.
ALL U. S. PORTS TO WATCH
Operators at Radio Stations Fiuure
Out Position Of Boat by Com.
passes-Used in Navy
for Years.

-'" i'ih iNol tlc leaSt OF Iic
dangers attending the business of be-
Ing mariner has been that Of losing
ones bearings while at sea. Time WIS
when the sailors life was more re-
piete with danger than in these days
or advanced maritime efficiency. But
though the ocean terrors were elm
mated one by one until there remain
little to be afraid of, there still was
the disconcerting possibility of a ship
losing Itself; of fogs and compass II
regularIties; of mishaps 10 instru-
ments and disabilities of steering
mechaniSmS Thus every SO often n
liner or freighter or wnrship was re-
ported lost in the fog" or "out Of
It's course"
The United States naval communlca-
ti0n service has perfected system Of
trianguation that has eliminated the
possibility of further maritime reports
OF this sort. II Is not the discovery
or any one man. Indeed, il truly can
not be classified as Il discovery. 1t Is
simply a perfection of Il basic rule Of
position finding that has formed the
fundamental of range determinations
In the army and ghtfOTWard
geometric thcorum concerning inter
sectng lines.
System Explained.
The perfected system has been IN
use In the American navy for "A year.
At ~ Whitehall street the system was
explained briefly by attaches of She
New York district central controlling
radio station.
1t is to be assumed that ship Is
n hundred miles off the middle Allan
tic coast She has lost her bearings.
Her navigators are unable to tell her
latitude and longitude. AT once the
hewildered ships radio flashes the
American coast demand to be told
the data she needs most:
"Where am II"
The request coming within the sec
tor for which the New York district
central controlling radio station is re-
sponstble, the appeal is received by
five radio compass stations located at
Montauk Point, l.. L.; Fire Island,
Rockaway Bcac,, Sandy Hook and
Mantolokng, \. J.
Each Of these stations IS connected
with "A Whitehall street by telegraph
and telephone. These radio compass
stations cannot communicate with the
Host ship, as they are receivers only
and not iransmittcrS. However, each
Of the radio compass stations notifies
the central station in Whitehall street
that ship within the district IL de-
handing to know its location. lmmc-
diately the central station radios the
heWildered mariner to continue flash
ing his call letters for ut least thirty
secon5s. And at the same time the
radio compass stations begin obtain
ing bearings on the ship.
Then Its Simple.
The operators in the five stations
turn their compass wheels until each
has an accurate bearing. These five
readings are transmitted to the CEN
trail station where, on Il huge chart
the five readings are combined. Each
reading will indicntc a certain num-
Der of miles between the ship and TIE
station that took the bearing. 1t Is Il
relatively simple matter then, to
project these lines upon the chart III
til the five lines interScct. And that
point of intersection Is the location
of the calling ship. Acknowledgement
from the ship completes the operation.
Every American port Is now beng
safegunrded by just such systems of
radio compaSscs and central stations.
Within Il few months, at any point
along the coast, mariners will be able
to approach channels, reefs and shoal
waters with an absolute assurance
that they win not proceed too near,
nor yet exercise such great caution
as TO throw them out of their course.
And thus also Is the danger attending
fog banks eliminated.
Lieutenant Commander r. =. Cof-
man, Z. S. ~, Is superintendent of the
central station at At Whitehall street.
Lieut.. NJ. W. ArpS, L. $. ~. is in
direct charge of the New York dis
trict.
--------------------------------