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a : ' : "TAE. MARINE. REVIEW 31 Hence, this custom has undoubtedly been handed down from father to son. Compare the two methods. However, mention is made of this method by some writers who claim that it is much more convenient to name the half and quarter points in this manner, admit- ting as they do, that it is a sacrifice of system for sim- plicity. They agree it would of course be more system- atic, as a matter of geometry, to reckon the quarter points always from N to S, because the ship's course is reckoned from the meridian. Where the advantage is to be gained in "backing up" on these readings of the compass as al- ready stated; is more than we can see. We'll admit that quite as accurate navigation can be done by boxing the compass in this slip-shod way as by the correct way. The question then suggests itself would it not be advantageous for the lake navigator to change the reading of the compass in this respect? The sug- gestion relates to the benefits to be derived from one or the other. In the slip-shod method the only convenience there is is in continuing a habit, whereas in the correct method there is the ultimate advantage to lake navigators of being brought into accord with the whole range of nautical literature--a small change with a great result, at least to the rising generation of navigators. We know of no book on navigation which is based upon this principle. All government sailing directions, bearings in lighthouse books, courses printed on charts, in coast pilots, etc., box the compass according to the proper way. We know of a great many cases where lake captains have found it a difficult matter to understand the courses as they are given on the charts, simply be- cause they did not know how to box the compass the cor- rect way. For instance, NNE 34 E would be NE by N 4 N to him, and from his lack of knowledge on the sub-. ject, the lake captain would be unable to make the con- version of the one into the other. 'The student of the compass should learn to box the compass both ways. To a person who is familiar with both methods it makes no difference which way the card is read, or in which manner the course is given him. To box the compass backwards is to read the courses, or directions, from north continuously to the left back to north, that is, from north by way of west, south and east. Again, the compass may be boxed by naming each reverse point, starting as usual with north, thus: North, the reverse of whichis south, N 4% E--S 4% W, N % E--S %W,N % E--S % W,N by E--S by W, and so onall the way round. Examine the compass diagram again and you will catch the meaning of same. The points and quarter points of the compass also have a numerical value, or number, as well as by name and de- gree; as north-one-point-east would likewise be N by E, and N 11° 15' E; there being no difference whatever in the three expressions. South-three-points-east would be the same thing as SE by'S, or S 33° 45° E, and so. on: By consulting your table: of compass points. and angles, you will understand what this means. Should you receive such an order as "south-two-points-east," you would understand it as an SSE course, and head the ship accord- ingly. Should you be told to head the ship "south-five- and-a-half-points-west,' you would bring the ship's head to SW by W % W. It is very essential that the navigator should be familiar with this mathematical arrangement of the compass card, as it is the foundation of dead-reck- oning and other problems of navigation. It will now be seen that there are several different ways of boxing the compass. These are by repeating the names assigned to each of the points and quarter points, by the number of points and fractions of points in each course of reckoned from north and south, and by the number of degrees made by each point and fractional point from the meridian. The next thing to be learned is the number of points in each.course; how many courses of each kind there are and why they are so named. The points are counted, as you will see by referring to the table of angles, from north and south around to east and west. There are then four one-point courses-- N by E, N by W, S by E and S by W. There are then four two-points courses--NNE, NNW, SSE and SSW. There are four of each other kind of courses, as you will see by re- ferring to the table, except the eight-point courses, east and west, and the meridian courses, north and south, or as fol- lows: 2 meridian courses--north and south. '4 one-point courses--N by E, N by W, S. by E and oS by W: 4 two-point courses--NNE, NNW, SSE and SSW. 4 three-point courses--NE by N, NW by N, SE by S and SW by S. 4 four-point courses--NE, NW, SE and SW. 4 five-point courses--NE by E, NW by W, SE by E and SW by W. 4 six-point courses--ENE, WNW, ESE and WSW. 4 seven-point courses--E by N, W by N, E by S and W by S. 2 eight-point courses--east and west. It is to be understood that each quarter point has a value in the number of points in each course, for instance, N by E &% E, is a one-and-a-quarter-point course, of which there are four in number, N by W 4 W,S by E YE, andS by W \% W. : Again, NE % N is a three-and-a-half-point course, be- -cause it is three and a half points from north. There are also four three-and-a-half-point courses, as will be seen by referring to the table again. . Now, why are these called one-point courses, two-point courses, three-point courses, four-and-a-half-point courses, etc.? Because they are that number of points and quarter points frem either north or south. There are four one-quarter-point courses, which are N 4 E,N 4% W,S 4% EandS % W, and so on. See compass card for this information. ' Now, we'll see where the advantage is to be derived in being acquainted with this system of naming the point courses. For a person unacquainted with same and desir- ing to express himself, thus, instead of saying "in boxing the compass the correct way, you should repeat the name of each point, together with its fractional part, four times, except the three-point courses and the seven-point courses,' he would have to say " * * * except on the points NE by N, SE by S, SW by S and NW by N, and F by N, E by S, W by N and W by S." Again, supposing the un- tutored desired to say that the "deviation of his compass -- was more on the 6, 7 and 8-point courses than on the I, 2 and .3-point.courses,' he would have «to say, "the deviation on the courses ENE, WNW, ESE and WSW, and on E by N, E by S, W by N and W by S, is more than it is on the courses N by E, N by W, S by E and S by W, and on NNE, NNW, SSE, SSW, and on NF by N, NW by N, SE by S and SW by S,' a good deal of talk, but little said. Which is the more intelligible? It seems needless to say. These point courses are again named according to the number of degrees, minutes and seconds they represent from north and from south, in a manner similar to the system enumerated above. There are two 90° courses,' east and west, which are the 8-point courses. There are two zero, or meridian courses, north and south. There