New Britain herald., 1924-01-18
MARINER KNOWS
 SEA AND TIDES
Recent GrOundinss of LeViathan and Majestic Show Complications

Washington. Jan. lT.--"The recent groundings Of the worlds two big gnsf ocean liners. ihr Leyiathan and the Ma iesiic. show how usscntial to ihe safety Of the worlds shipping ts an intimate knowledge ot he campli- ratcd tidal and current fluctuations of tine worlds great harbors." says a bulletin Of the National Geogra phic Society. issued from ifs Washington headquarters today "au1 emphasize he importance Of one ot Inc phases of the work or the r. <. Coasl and Geodetic Survey.
 Nov York harbor Is moi singlr waterway. but series of communi- eating ones. With tWo entrances from the sea. A territory larger than Massa- ehusetts. Connecticut and Rhode Island together, drains into tho At- lantic through three bays four straits, and one great and several small tidal rivers The fresh water from this large area complicatcs the problem of giving the nat gator definite data as to flood and cbb and current SD that he may safely maneuver his craft at all times.
 Aids a,igation
 'The L. $. Coast and Geodeiic Sur Vey has given to navigators q definite picture of the conditions they must meet in berthing their great liners; 10 wharf engineers tho information necessary 10 tho proper arra HEcment of docking facilities; and to sanitary engineers new and basic data that has an important bearing on the problem of sewage disposal
 Working quietly on the great Fundamental problems of navigation. fhe Coast and Geodetic Survey doesn't make much copy. aId the world at large hears paratiyrly little of one Of the most highly technical of the scientific bureaus of the United states government
 And yet every ship that sails tho seas, every passenger that comes into port. every article on the supercarEo' manifest arc served in very concrete. if unsuspcctcd, way by the Survey.
 Two things the navigator must have if he is to bring bis craft with its human and material cargu safely into port-s knoHlcdGe Of the tricks of Inc compass sHl picture of chan nei and harbor conditions.
 iagaii,s of Compas- Needle
 aThg needle Of the mariners com pass has been shown 10 be as fuii of xagarfes as mid- March weather. Men used to think that it ryuid always be depe n.Ied on tho point t0 the aague- tic pole. But local ahinitics distract fl from its proper affection iu ways that are sometimes startling. II the sailor has q sweetheart in rvery port, the magnetic nteBir has q s yoHB#ry at- traction in many quarters. Looking at ma gntic daciinatiOn chart HF sf deeply waved curves which proclaim IogdlT thr inhucnre 0f these aff3uiti.s iB wes1.8g the needle away from the straight and narrow Of its true dires- tisn. Magnetic sur, cyS Ou ths sra in z neral and along the coats in pariicu- lar. afe 2 suprtme nac.ssity Co fHs srcBFate guidance of ships 0ser fine trsckiess ocean and into the worlds ports.
 "Eaxamininr the line Of the i5 1a- gree west 5eciination we find it suenp D. rnb over the sea in q north R esteriy direction. with comparatively smalI variations from nornalcy until | ap- breaches fhe North Shore Of Masss- ehusefts There it swings radically 10 the west. and as land is reached suings bark until it points almost due north sasf al more than right angle b is recent position as if rounds thf Cape Ann Peninsula.
 fsoeS on spree in New York. The same condition obtains in the 10 degree west declinstion which