Chapter C: Y. The projection of the knee of the head (4)

There are commonly two capsterns in a ship of war, the _main_ and the _gear_ capstern; the former of which has two drum-heads, and may be called a double one. This is represented by fig. 12. of plate II. the latter is exhibited in fig. 11.

Formerly the bars of the capstern went intirely through the head of it, and consequently were more than twice the length of the present ones; the holes were therefore formed at different heights, as represented in fig. 10. plate II. But this machine had several inconveniencies, such as the persons who heaved at the higher bars incommoding those at the lower ones; the bars being lifted or lowered by the persons who heaved at their opposite ends; some of the bars being too high, and others two low, &c. It has therefore been long intirely disused in the navy. Some of these sort of capsterns, however, are still retained in merchant ships, and are usually denominated crabs. The situation of the bars in a crab, as ready for heaving, is represented in fig. 13. plate II.

_To rig the_ CAPSTERN, _garnir_, is to fix the bars in their respective holes, and thrust in the pins in order to confine them.

_Surge the_ CAPSTERN, _choquer_, is the order to slacken the rope heaved round upon it, of which there is generally two turns and a half about the barrel at once, and sometimes three turns.

_To heave the_ CAPSTERN, _virer au cabestan_, is to go round with it heaving on the bars, and drawing in any rope of which the purchase is created.

_To come up the_ CAPSTERN, is to let go the rope upon which they had been heaving. See the French term CABESTAN, and the phrases annexed thereto.

_To pawl the_ CAPSTERN, is to fix the pawls to prevent it from recoiling during any pause of heaving.

CAPTAIN _of a ship of war_, _capitaine du haut bord_, the officer who commands a ship of the line of battle, or a frigate carrying twenty or more cannon. The charge of a captain in his majesty’s navy is very comprehensive, inasmuch as he is not only answerable for any bad conduct in the military government, navigation, and equipment of the ship he commands; but also for any neglect of duty, or ill management in his inferior officers, whose several charges he is appointed to superintend and regulate.

On his first receiving information of the condition and quality of the ship he is appointed to command, he must attend her constantly, and hasten the necessary preparations to fit her for sea. So strict indeed are the injunctions laid on him by the lord high admiral, or commissioners of the admiralty, that he is forbid to lie out of his ship, from his arrival on board, till the day of his discharge, unless by particular leave from the admiralty, or his commander in chief.

He is enjoined to shew a laudable example of honour and virtue to the officers and men, and to discountenance all dissolute, immoral, and disorderly practices, and such as are contrary to the rules of discipline and subordination, as well as to correct those who are guilty of such offences, as are punishable according to the usage of the sea.

He is ordered particularly to survey all the military stores which are sent on board, and to return whatsoever is deemed unfit for service. His diligence and application are required to procure his complement of men; observing carefully to enter only such as are fit for the necessary duty, that the government may not be put to improper expence. When his ship is fully manned, he is expected to keep the established number of men complete, and superintend the muster himself, if there is no clerk of the check at the port.

When his ship is employed on a cruising station, he is expected to keep the sea the whole length of time previously appointed; but if he is compelled by some unexpected accident to return to port sooner than the limited time, he ought to be very cautious in the choice of a good situation for anchoring, ordering the master, or other careful officers, to sound, and discover the depths of water, and dangers of the coast.

Previous to any possibility of engagement with an enemy, he is to quarter the officers and men to the necessary stations according to their office or abilities, and to exercise them in the management of the artillery, that they may be more expert in the time of battle. See the articles EXERCISE and QUARTERS.

His station in an engagement is on the quarter-deck; at which time he is expected to take all opportunities of annoying his enemy, and improving every advantage over him; to exhibit an example of courage and fortitude to his officers and crew; and to place his ship opposite to his adversary in such a position as that every cannon shall do effectual execution. See ENGAGEMENT.

At the time of his arrival in port after his return from abroad, he is to assemble his officers, and draw up a detail of the observations that have been made during the voyage; of the qualities of the ship, as to her trim, ballast, stowage, and manner of sailing, for the information and direction of those who may succeed in command; and this account is to be signed by himself and officers, and to be returned to the resident commissioner of the navy at the port where the ship is discharged.

CAREENING, _faire abattre_, (_cariner_, Fr.) the operation of heaving the ship down on one side, by the application of a strong purchase to her masts, which are properly supported for the occasion, to prevent them from breaking with so great a strain.

Careening is used to heave one of the ship’s sides so low in the water, as, that her bottom being elevated above its surface on the other side, (See Plate I. fig. 5.) may be cleansed of any filth which adheres to it, by BREAMING, which see.

When a ship is laid on a careen, every thing is taken out of her: she is also said to careen, when inclining to one side at sea, as pressed with a weight of sail.

CARGO, _chargement_, the whole lading, or quantity, of whatever species of merchandise a ship is freighted with, in order to proceed from port to port.

CARLINGS, _entremises_, short pieces of timber ranging fore and aft, from one of the deck beams to another, into which their ends are scored: they are used to sustain and fortify the smaller beams of the ship, and are exhibited in the DECK, plate III.

CARPENTER _of a ship_, _charpentier_, an officer appointed to examine and keep in order the frame of the ship, together with her masts, yards, boats, and all other wooden machinery.

It is his duty in particular to keep the ship _tight_; for which purpose he ought frequently to review the decks, and sides, and to calk them when it is found necessary. In the time of battle he is to examine up and down, with all possible attention, in the lower apartments of the ship, to stop any holes that may have been made in the sides by shot, with wooden plugs provided, of several sizes, for that purpose.

CARTEL, _cartel_, a ship commissioned in time of war to exchange the prisoners of any two hostile powers; also to carry any particular request or proposal from one to another: for this reason the officer who commands her is particularly ordered to carry no cargo, ammunition, or implements of war, except a single gun for the purpose of firing signals.

CASTING, in navigation, _abattre_, the motion of falling off, so as to bring the direction of the wind on either side of the ship after it had blown for some time right a-head.

This term is particularly applied to a ship when her anchor first loosens from the ground, when she is about to depart from any place where she had anchored; and as she had probably rested at anchor with her head to windward, it is plain she must turn it off, so as to _fill_ the sails before she can advance in her course, which operation is called casting.

Hence she is said to cast the right way, or the wrong way. See TRIM.

CAT, _chatte_, a ship employed in the coal trade, formed from the Norwegian model. It is distinguished by a narrow stern, projecting _quarters_, a deep _waiste_, and by having no ornamental figure on the prow.

These vessels are generally built remarkably strong, and carry from four to six hundred tons; or, in the Language of their own mariners, from twenty to thirty _keels_ of coals.

Cat, _capon_, is also a sort of strong tackle, or complication of pullies, to hook and draw the anchor perpendicularly up to the _cat-head_. The use of this machine is represented in plate II. fig. 14.

CATAMARAN, _catimoran_, a sort of raft or float, formed by the fastening a number of poles to each other sideways, and laying boards, planks, &c. on the top, so as to convey goods or passengers to some distant place by water when no boat can be procured. This, however, can only be performed when the surface of the water is not much agitated.

CAT-HARPINGS, a purchase of ropes employed to brace in the _shrouds_ of the lower masts behind their yards, for the double purpose of making the shrouds more tight, and of affording room to draw the yards in more obliquely, to _trim_ the sails for a side-wind, when they are said to be close-hauled.

CAT-HEADS, _bossoirs_, two strong short beams of timber, which project almost horizontally over the ship’s bows, on each side of the bow-sprit, being like two radii which extend from a center taken in the direction of the bow-sprit.

That part of the cat-head which rests upon the fore-castle is securely bolted to the beams: the other part projects like a crane, as above described, and carries in its extremity two or three small wheels, or _sheaves_, of brass, or strong wood, about which a rope called the _cat-fall_ passes, and communicates with the cat block, which also contains three sheaves. The machine formed by this combination of pullies is called the _cat_, which serves to pull the anchor up to the cat head without tearing the ship’s side with its flukes.

The cat-head also serves to suspend the anchor clear of the bow, when it is necessary to let it go: it is supported by a sort of knee, which is generally ornamented with sculpture.

The cat-block is fitted with a large and strong hook, which catches the ring of the anchor when it is to be drawn up. See a representation of this article plate II. fig. 14.

CATS PAW, _echars_, a light air of wind perceived at a distance in a calm, by the impression made on the surface of the sea, which it sweeps very lightly, and then decays.

CAULKING. See the article CALKING.

CEILING, the inside planks of a ship. See FOOT-WALEING.

CENTER _of a_ FLEET, _or_ SQUADRON, _corps de bataille_, the middle of the line, which is always the station of the admiral or commander in chief, and ought to be the strongest proportionably, as it reaches from the van and rear. See LINE OF BATTLE.

_To_ CHAFE, _racquer_, is to rub or fret the surface of a cable, mast, or yard, whilst the ship is agitated by the motion of the sea, or otherwise.

CHAIN-PUMP. See the article PUMP.

CHAINS, _cadenes_, strong links or plates of iron, the lower ends of which are bolted through the ship’s side to the timbers.

They are placed at short distances from each other on the ship’s out-side, as being used to contain the blocks called _dead-eyes_, by which the _shrouds_ of the masts are extended. The disposition of the chains, and that of their _channels_, is represented by the letters I, I, in the plane of ELEVATION, plate I. as also by fig. 16, plate II.

CHAIN-SHOT, a particular kind of shot formed by fastening two cannon-balls together with a short chain, and designed to mangle and ruin a ship’s sails and rigging, or to destroy her masts and yards. See SHOT.

_Top_ CHAIN, a chain to sling the sail-yards in the time of battle, in order to prevent them from falling down when the ropes, by which they are hung, happen to be shot away, or rendered incapable of service.

CHAIN-WALE. See CHANNEL.

CHANNEL, _manche_, in hydrography, the deepest part of a river, harbour, or streight, which is most convenient for the track of shipping.

CHANNELS, or CHAIN-WALES _of a ship_, _porte bossoirs_, broad and thick planks projecting horizontally from the ship’s out-side, a-breast of, and somewhat behind, the masts. See plate II. fig. 16.

They are formed to extend the shrouds from each other, and from the axis or middle line of the ship, so as to give a greater security and support to the masts, as well as to prevent the shrouds from damaging the gun-wale, or being hurt by rubbing against it. See also SHROUD.

Every mast has its chain-wales, which are either built above or below the second deck-ports in a ship of the line: they are strongly connected to the side by knees, bolts, and standards, besides being confined thereto by the chains, whose upper ends pass through notches on the outer edge of the chain-wales, so as to unite with the shrouds above.

CHAPELING _a ship_, _faire chapelle_, the act of turning her round in a light breeze of wind when she is close-hauled, so as that she will lie the same way she did before. This is commonly occasioned by the negligence of the steersman, or by a sudden change of the wind.

CHARGE _of a cannon_. See the article CANNON.

CHART, (_charta_, Lat.) a marine map or draught, upon which are represented the coasts, isles, banks, rocks, and dangers of the sea, together with the rumbs of the wind, and the entrance of bays and rivers, whereby to shape and regulate the various courses of a ship in her voyage.

CHARTER-PARTY, _charte-partie_, a deed or writing made between merchants and sea-faring men, concerning their merchandise and maritime affairs.

A charter-party of affreightment settles the agreement in relation to the freight and cargo of a ship between the merchant and master, or commander of the vessel. It binds the master to deliver the cargo in good condition at the place where his ship is to be discharged, &c.

In those charter-parties, if the dangers of the sea are excepted, it has been adjudged that such exception extends as well to any danger upon sea from ships of war or pirates, as to common hazards by shipwreck, tempests, &c.

CHASE, a vessel pursued by some other, which she apprehends or knows to be an enemy.

_Bow_ CHASE, a cannon situated in the fore-part of a ship to fire upon any object a-head of her.

_Stern_ CHASES, the cannons which are placed in the after-part of a ship’s gun-room, pointing a-stern, and intended to strike any ship which chases her, or other object in her rear.

CHASING, the act of pursuing a ship or fleet, supposed or known to be hostile. The admiral displayed the signal for a general chace, i. e. gave the alarm to the whole fleet or squadron to pursue some other fleet in sight.

CHEARLY, a phrase which usually implies heartily, chearfully, or quickly, as row chearly in the boats! lower away chearly! i. e. row heartily, lower speedily, &c.

CHEEKS _of the mast_, _jottereaux_, the faces or projecting parts on each side of the masts, used to sustain the frame of the top, together with the top-mast, which rests immediately upon them.

CHESTREES, _taquets d’ amure_, two pieces of wood bolted perpendicularly, one on the starboard, and the other on the larboard side of the ship. They are used to confine the _clue_, or lower corners of the main-sail; for which purpose there is a hole in the upper part through which the rope passes that usually extends the clue of the sail to windward. See the article TACK.

The chess-trees are commonly placed as far before the main-mast as the length of the main-beam.

_Clerk of the_ CHECK, an officer in the royal dock-yards, who keeps a muster or register of all the men employed aboard his majesty’s ships and vessels, and also of all the artificers and others in the service of the navy at the port where he is settled.

_To_ CHINSE, is to thrust oakum into a seam or chink with the point of a knife or chissel. This is chiefly used as a temporary expedient when calking cannot be safely or conveniently performed.

CHOCK, a sort of wedge used to confine a cask, or other weighty body, in a certain place, and to prevent it from fetching way when the ship is in motion, &c.

CLAMPS, _bauquieres_, thick planks in a ship’s side, used to sustain the ends of the beams. See the article MIDSHIP FRAME.

The clamps extend from the stem to the fashion-pieces of the stern, including the whole interior range of the side. They are placed close under each deck so as to be securely fayed to all the timbers, to which they are fastened by nails driven through the clamp, and penetrating two thirds of the thickness of the timbers.

The clamps of the lower and second decks ought to be equal in thickness to half the corresponding timbers in that part, and as broad as can be procured. In their disposition it is essentially necessary to avoid their being wounded by the ports, as the strength and firmness of a ship greatly depend on the substance and solidity of those pieces which lie horizontally in her frame.

CLAMPS are also small crooked plates of iron, fore-locked upon the trunnions of the cannon, to keep them steddy in their carriages at sea. These, however, are more properly termed cap-squares. See CANNON.

Clamps of the latter sort are likewise frequently used to fasten the masts or bowsprits of small vessels or boats.

CLAWING, or CLAWING-OFF, _chicaner_, in navigation, the act of _beating_ or turning to windward from a lee-shore, so as to acquire a sufficient distance from it, to escape the dangers of shipwreck, which often attend so hazardous a situation.

CLEAR, as a naval term, is variously applied to the weather, the sea-coasts, cordage, navigation, &c. The weather is said to be clear (_fin_) when it is fair and open, as opposed to cloudy or foggy.

The sea-coast is called clear (_saine_) when the navigation is not interrupted, or rendered dangerous by rocks, sands, or breakers, &c.

It is expressed of cordage, cables, &c. when they are unembarrassed or disentangled so as to be ready for immediate service. It is usually opposed to _foul_, in all those senses.

CLEATS, _taquets_, pieces of wood of different shapes, used occasionally to fasten ropes upon in a ship: some of them have one, and some two arms, fig. 17, _a_, plate II. others are hollowed in the middle, and have no arms at all, fig. 17, _b_: these are nailed to the deck or sides to fasten any thing to.

CLINCH, that part of a cable, or other rope, which is fastened to the ring of the anchor.

CLINCHER-WORK, _bordée à quoin_, the disposition of the planks in the side of any boat or vessel, when the lower edge of every plank over-lays the next under it, like the slates on the top of a house.

CLOSE-HAULED, in navigation, _au plus pres_, the general arrangement or trim of a ship’s sails, when she endeavours to make a progress in the nearest direction possible towards that point of the compass from which the wind bloweth.

In this manner of sailing the _keel_ commonly makes an angle of six points with the line of the wind; but sloops, and some other small vessels, are said to sail almost a point nearer. All vessels, however, are supposed to make nearly a point of _lee-way_, when close-hauled, even when they have the advantage of a good sailing-breeze and smooth water. The angle of lee-way, however, enlarges in proportion to the increase of the wind and sea.

In this disposition of the sails, they are all extended sideways on the ship, so that the wind, as it crosses the ship obliquely toward the stern from forwards, may fill their cavities. But as the current of wind also enters the cavities of the sails in an oblique direction, the effort of it, to make the ship advance, is considerably diminished: she will, therefore, make the least progress when sailing in this manner.

The ship is said to be close-hauled, because at this time her _tacks_, or lower corners of the principal sails, are drawn close down to her side to windward; the sheets hauled close aft; and all the bow-lines drawn to their greatest extension, in order to keep the sails steddy.

CLOSE-QUARTERS, certain strong barriers of wood stretching across a merchant-ship in several places. They are used as a place of retreat when a ship is boarded by her adversary, and are therefore fitted with several small loop-holes, through which to fire the small arms, whereby the ship’s crew may defend themselves and annoy the enemy. They are likewise furnished with several small caissons, called powder-chests, which are fixed upon the deck, and filled with powder, old nails, &c. and may be fired at any time from the close-quarters upon the boarders.

We have known an English merchant-ship, of sixteen guns, and properly fitted with close-quarters, defeat the united efforts of three French privateers who boarded her in the late war, after having engaged at some distance nearly a day and a half with very few intervals of rest. Two of the cruisers were equipped with twelve guns each, and the other with eight. The French sailors were, after boarding, so much exposed to the continued fire of musquetry, and coehorns charged with granadoes, that a dreadful scene of carnage ensued, in which the decks were soon covered with the dead bodies of the enemy, several of which the boarders, in their hurry to escape, had left behind.

CLUE _of a sail_, _point_, the lower corner, and hence

CLUE-GARNETS, _cargues point_, are a sort of tackles fastened to the _clues_, or lower corners of the mainsail and foresail, to truss them up to the yard as occasion requires, which is usually termed _clueing-up_ the sails.

CLUE-LINES are for the same purpose as clue-garnets, only that the latter are confined to the courses, whereas the clue-lines are common to all the square sails. See these ropes, as represented in the article SAIL.

COACH, or COUCH, a sort of chamber or apartment in a large ship of war near the _stern_. The floor of it is formed by the aftmost part of the quarter-deck, and the roof of it by the poop: it is generally the habitation of the captain.

COAMINGS _of the hatches_, certain raised borders about the edge of the hatches of a ship, to prevent the water which may flow in upon the deck at sea, from running down into the lower apartments. They are represented in the DECK, plate III. as enclosing their respective hatchways.

COASTING, in navigation, _aller terre à terre_, the act of making a progress along the sea-coast of any country. The principal articles relating to this part of navigation are, the observing the time and direction of the tide; knowledge of the reigning winds; of the roads and havens; of the different depths of the water, and qualities of the ground.

COASTING-PILOT, _cotier_, a pilot, who by long experience has become sufficiently acquainted with the nature of any particular coast, and of the requisites mentioned in the preceding article, to conduct a ship or fleet from one part of it to another.

COAT, _braye_, a piece of tarred canvas nailed round that part of the masts and bowsprit which joins to the deck, or lies over the stem of a ship. It is used to prevent the water from running down into the hold, or between the decks.

Besides those above mentioned, there is a coat for the rudder nailed round the hole where the rudder traverses in the ship’s counter. This hole is represented at the upper part of the stern-post, exhibited in plate X.

COAT, _suage_, also implies the materials or _stuff_ with which the ship’s sides or masts are varnished, to preserve them from the sun and weather, as turpentine, tar, &c. In this sense we say, “Give her a good coat of tar.”

COBBING, a punishment sometimes inflicted at sea. It is performed by striking the offender a certain number of times on the breech with a flat piece of wood called the cobbing-board. It is chiefly used as a punishment to those who quit their station during the period of the night-watch.

COBOOSE, _fogone_ (_kambuis_, Dutch), a sort of box or house to cover the chimney of some merchant-ships. It is somewhat resembling a centry-box, and generally stands against the barricade on the fore part of the quarter-deck.

COCK-PIT _of a ship of war_, the apartments of the surgeon and his mates, being the place where the wounded men are dressed in the time of battle, or otherwise. It is situated under the lower-deck.

COCKSWAIN, or COXEN, the officer who manages and steers a boat, and has the command of the boat’s crew. It is evidently compounded of the words _cock_ and _swain_, the former of which was anciently used for a yawl or small boat, as appears by several authors[5]; but it has now become obsolete, and is never used by our mariners.

COIL, (_cueillir_, Fr.) the manner in which all ropes are disposed aboard ships for the conveniency of stowage, because

COILING, _rouer_, implies a sort of serpentine winding of a cable or other rope, that it may occupy a small space in the ship. Each of the windings of this sort is called a _fake_, and one range of fakes upon the same line is called a _tier_; there are generally from five to seven fakes in a tier; and three or four tiers in the whole length of the cable. This, however, depends on the extent of the fakes. The smaller ropes employed about the sails are coiled upon _cleats_ at sea, to prevent their being entangled amongst one another in traversing, contracting, or extending the sails.

COLLAR, _collier d’ etai_, a name given to the lower part of any of the principal stays of the masts, or the part by which the stay is confined at its lower end. Thus the collar of the main-stay connects the lower end of the stay to the ship’s stem. See the article STAY.

COLOURS, the flags or banners which distinguish the ships of different nations. See the articles ENSIGN, JACK, and PENDANT.

COLLIERS, certain vessels employed to carry coals from one port to another, chiefly from the northern parts of England to the capital, and more southerly parts, as well as to foreign markets. This trade is known to be an excellent nursery for seamen, although they are often found, from the constitution of their climate, to be not so well calculated for southern navigation.

COMMAND, in the royal navy, implies the rank and power of an officer who has the management of a ship of war, of whatever kind, under twenty guns, as sloops of war, armed ships, or bomb-vessels. He is intitled _master_ and _commander_, _capitaine du petit état_, and ranks with a major in the king’s army.

COMMANDER is also expressed of a large wooden mallet used on sundry occasions in a ship.

COMMISSIONERS _of the navy_, certain officers appointed to superintend the affairs of the marine, under the direction of the lord-high-admiral, or lords commissioners of the admiralty.

The duty of these officers does not extend to the internal government of ships invested with a military command, either at sea or in the port. It is more immediately concerned in the building, docking, repairing, and cleaning of ships in the dock-yards. In consideration of this, all ships of war are commissioned from a report of their qualities presented to the Admiralty by the Navy-board.

They have also the appointment of some of the inferior sea-officers, as surgeons, and masters of ships.

The principal officers and commissioners residing at the board are, 1, The comptroller. 2, Two surveyors, who are shipwrights. 3, Clerk of the acts. 4. Comptroller of the treasurer’s accounts. 5. Comptroller of the victualling accounts. 6. Comptroller of the store-keeper’s accounts. 7. An extraordinary commissioner. Besides these, there are three resident commissioners, who manage the affairs of the _dock-yards_ at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, under the direction of the board at the Navy-office.

COMMODORE, _chef d’ escadre_, a general officer in the British marine, invested with the command of a detachment of ships of war destined on any particular enterprise; during which time he bears the rank of brigadier-general in the army, and is distinguished from the inferior ships of his squadron by a broad red pendant tapering towards the outer-end, and sometimes forked. The word is corrupted from the Spanish _comendador_.

_Commodore_ is also a name given to some select ship in a fleet of merchantmen, who leads the van in time of war, and carries a light in his top, to conduct the rest and keep them together.

COMPANION, a sort of wooden porch placed over the entrance or stair case of the master’s cabin in a merchant-ship.

COMPANY, the whole crew of any ship, including her officers.

COMPASS, an instrument employed to determine the ship’s course at sea, and consisting of a card and two boxes. The card, which is calculated to represent the horizon, is a circle divided into thirty-two equal parts, by lines drawn from the center to the circumference, called points or rumbs. The intervals between the points are also subdivided into equal parts called degrees, 360 of which complete the circle; and consequently the distance or angle comprehended between any two rumbs is equal to 11°, 15´ The four principal rumbs are called the _cardinal points_, deriving their names from the places to which they tend; viz. the two which extend themselves under the meridian, opposite to each other, pointing to the north and south, are called the _north_ and _south_ points. That which is towards the right hand as we look north is termed _east_, and its opposite the _west_ point. The names of all the inferior ones are compounded of these, according to their situation. Along the north and south-line is fixed a steel needle, which being touched by the load-stone acquires a certain virtue that makes it hang nearly in the plane of the meridian, and consequently determine the direction of the other points toward the horizon.

The compass being of the utmost importance to the purposes of navigation, it is reasonable to expect that the greatest attention should be used in its construction, and every attempt to improve it carefully examined, and adopted, if proper. Great errors and irregularities, however, have been found incident to the construction of common compasses, arising from the shape of their needles, by which they have not only turned from the true direction, but from that of each other[6]. To remedy these inconveniencies, the learned Dr. Knight was induced to contrive a new sea-compass, which is now used aboard all our vessels of war[7]. The needles of the other instruments were generally composed of two pieces of steel wire, bent in the middle, and approaching each other towards the ends, where they met. Others were made of one piece of steel of a spring temper, and broad towards the ends, but tapering towards the middle; but the needle in Dr. Knight’s compass is quite straight, and square at the ends, and consequently has only two poles, although the curves are a little confused about the hole in the middle. Needles of this construction, after vibrating a long time, will always point exactly in the same direction; and if drawn ever so little on one side, will return to it again, without any sensible difference.

In order to illustrate the above description, we have exhibited a view of the several parts of the compass, plate II. where fig. 19, is the card, with the needle N S, and its cap fixed upon it.

Fig. 21, is the pedestal that supports the card, containing a sewing needle fixed in two small grooves to receive it, by means of a collet C, in the manner of a port crayon. D, the stem, is filed into an octogon, that it may the more easily be unscrewed.

A B, fig. 20, is the box in which the compass hangs in the binacle.