Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-08

From time TO time, as ship con
struction continued and vessels took
on more steel. there was an increas-
ing growth OF troubles from the
compass. by which the officer OF the
deck directed the course of the ship.
1t was found that in the steel ships
the old-fashioned compass was worth
less so IL became necessary to invent
compass that would not be affected
by the metals used in the craft.
There came into being what Is known
as the gyro- compass, which is OPP
Grated by electricity. Clever devices
are so placed in the gyro-compass as
TO permit Of any correction that may
be necessary. The compass takes
about four hours to get fully "set
After that ii does not vacillate, but
remains active and accurate until the
electric current has been cut off.
Leaving the compass room, you go
to the place where the inspection OF
articles used in navigation takes
place, and here you find that in ac-
curacy each instrument must be up
to the standard or il IS summarily re-
jected.
on also during the war. with the re-
cult that the men OF the fleets did
not have TO accept things that were
made by bungling contractors.
x y X =
THE Observatory library is the sec
i ond largest astronomical library in
the world. the largest, IL it has not
been destroyed, being located in Rus
STA The Washington collection has
works on astronomy from the pens
Of the worlds greatest authorities.
The repair shops are prepared to
DO all sorts OF work. Here is the
finely equipped watch and clock re-
pair shop. There are many delicate
instruments. Conspicuous are the
larger lathes, on which expert work
men, under the direction OF Jacob
Rheinbold, do all the heavier work.
Unless one sees some Of the devices
used in these shops he cannot appre-
ciate just how many OF the more
delicate instruments are repaired.
There are many things that measure
up to such a point Of exactness that
a powerful glass must be used to see
the markings. There arc tables OF
which fine work is done by keen
blades that shave of just the desired
amount There are tiny bits that
screw into place the things that call
for fine adjustments. There are heavy
lamps to be fixed. binoculars that need
overhauling, a thousand and one other
things that have to be put in tip-top
shape before they are sent out to the
ships.
The following is a list OF those now
on duty at the Observatory; Capt. ".
D. MacDougall. superintendent; Capt.
Austin Kautz. assistant TO the super
intendent; Commander (retired) Har-
ry KimmelI, inspection and survey;
Commander W. F. Newton. compass
once and aviation; Lieut.. Commander
J. G. Stevens, nautical instruments
and time service; Lieut.. Commander
r c. Cunningham, gyro-compass d.
vision; Capt. ". S. Eichelberger,
Nautical Almanac. and Commander
Asaph Hall. in charge OF the 26-inch
telescope.
The names Of Gilliss. Maury,
Goldsborough, wilkes, Charles Henry
Davis, father and son; John Rodgers.
Asaph Hall and Simon Newcomb OF
the Navy and George William Hill
will ever be honored by those who are
familiar with this American scientific
branch, and one would be remiss II
he did not add TO this list Rear Ad
miral ]. A. Hoogew who was SUI
perintendent until succeeded by Capt.
G. L. Gelm, who was followed by
Capt. MacDougall.