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Re: [9686] compass points
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Sep 10, 11:42 +0100
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Sep 10, 11:42 +0100
kotleopold60-AT-yahoo.com sent this interesting question from the archive-
Can you please explain me the mystery (if any ;>) regarding some discrepancy
in naming compass points . I found by accident of course that in Mixter ,
"Primer of Navigation," page XX (in the end of the book) Ed.1940, Table F
provides compass points and degrees ("the quarter points are named according
to Merchant Marine Practice") some point names are different from that in
other books (Bowditch, Reed, you name it).
Specifically,
NNE
NExN3/4N
NExN1/2N
NExN1/4N
NExN
In Bowditch , Henderson, etc.
NNE
NNE1/4E
NNE1/2E
NNE3/4E
NEbE
Values of course the same but why are they counted from different
intercardinal points? I thought the this kind of basic info should be pretty
standard.
=======================
From George-
I was already aware of two incompatible "systems", as described in Norie's
Epitome of 1900 (and later), and in Raper's Practice of Navigation of 1856,
that were quite different. This interesting question has led me to two
further systems, that appear to be different again, in Mixter and in
Bowditch. No doubt others exist! These are just English-language texts, to
be found on my shelves, and it seems likely that yet further "systems" may
exist, especially in other languages. I attach scans.
Some of these systems have a certain logical consistency. Others are
completely unsystematic. One would indeed expect such notation to have been
standardised early on, especially as it comes up in vital instructions to
the helmsman. But no ...
The unfortunate midshipman, when taking examinations, was expected to "box
the compass", that is, to recite all the bearings in order, both clockwise
and anticlockwise. If he had been trained in a different school from his
examiner, that could be unfortunate.
The moral is that we shouldn't expect to find much logic in the way things
were done at sea.
George.
contact George Huxtable, at george@hux.me.uk
or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.
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