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4

Distance


(a) CHARTS

CHARTS are constructed upon the True Meridian, or Mercator's Scale, the degrees noted on the margins being proportioned to the position charted — north or south of the equator, on Which 60 nautical miles are represented by each degree.

When "Admiralty Charts" are issued by the London Chart Agent, they are supposed to have received all necessary corrections up to date.

When they are once out of the agent's hands there is no guarantee that further corrections will be made before they are sold by local firms at the different ports, and purchasers should obtain some assurance that the charts are correct to date.

All small corrections of any importance that can be made by hand are notified by Notices to Mariners.

Extensive corrections that cannot be conveniently made in this way are put upon the plates, after which fresh copies are issued.

The Track Chart of that part of the ocean which is being traversed at the time is publicly posted, together with the observations noted at noon each day, on all regular passenger ships. The course sailed is marked as a line with figures denoting the exact latitude and longitude and the number of miles covered since noon of the previous day, together with remarks as to the state of the weather, wind and sea, according to the Beaufort notation formula, which will be found below on page 54.


(b) MERIDIANS ADOPTED BY FOREIGN NATIONS*

Austria, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United States of America, and Holland (for all charts published at Batavia and for some published at the Hague), adopt the Meridian of Greenwich.

Holland, for most charts published at the Hague, adopts the Meridian of Amsterdam (W. Tower of Wester Kerk), which is assumed to be in longitude 4° 53' 4" E. of Greenwich.

France adopts the Meridian of Paris Observatory, assumed to be in longitude 2° 20' 15" E. of Greenwich.

Spain adopts the Meridian of San Fernando Observa­tory, Cadiz, assumed to be in longitude 6° 12' 24" W. of Greenwich.

Portugal adopts the Meridian of the Marine Observa­tory (Lisbon Castle), assumed to be in longitude 9° 8' 24" W. of Greenwich.

The Pulkowa Observatory of St. Petersburg (sometimes referred to in Russian Charts) is assumed to be in longitude 30° 19' 40" E. of Greenwich.

The Royal Observatory of Naples (sometimes referred to in Italian Charts) is assumed to be in longitude 14° 14' 43" E. of Greenwich.

[*From Lloyd's Calendar, by kind permission.]

Nautical Measures

(c) LENGTH OF DEGREES OF LONGITUDE

A degree of longitude at   1° of latitude=60 miles.

A degree of longitude at 10° of latitude=59 miles, about
A degree of longitude at 20° of latitude=56½ miles, about
A degree of longitude at 30° of latitude=52 miles.
A degree of longitude at 40° of latitude=46 miles..
A degree of longitude at 50° of latitude=38½ miles, about
A degree of longitude at 60° of latitude=30 miles.
A degree of longitude at 70° of latitude=20½ miles, about
A degree of longitude at 80° of latitude=10½ miles, about
A degree of longitude at 90° of latitude=   0 miles.


(d) NAUTICAL MEASURES

12 inches           = 1 foot
3 feet                  = 1 yard
6 feet                  = 1 fathom
3 nautical miles = 1 league

Sea or Nautical mile = one-sixtieth of a degree of latitude, and varies from 6,046 ft. on the Equator to 6,092 ft. in lat. 60°.

Nautical mile for speed trials, generally      6,080 feet
called the Admiralty Measured                    1.151 statute miles
Mile                                                                 1,853 metres

Cable's length = the tenth of a nautical mile; or approximately, 100 fathoms or 200 yards.

A Knot = a nautical mile an hour, is a measure of speed, but is not infrequently, though erroneously, used as synonymous with a nautical mile.

 

(e) TABLE FOR CONVERTING SEA INTO LAND MILES.

The Sea Mile=6080 feet.

The Statute Land Mile=5280 feet.

Sea Miles Land
Miles
Sea Miles Land Miles Sea Miles Land Miles Sea Miles Land Miles
1.00 1.151   7.00   8.060 13.00 14.969 19.00 21.878
1.25 1.439   7.25   8.348 13.25 15.257 19.25 22.166
1.50 1.729   7.50   8.636 13.50 15.545 19.50 22.454
1.75 2.015   7.75   8.924 13.75 15.833 19.75 22.742
2.00 2.303   8.00   9.212 14.00 16.121 20.00 23.030
2.25 2.590   8.25   9.500 14.25 16.409 20.25 23.318
2.50 2.878   8.50   9.787 14.50 16.696 20.50 23.606
2.75 3.160   8.75 10.075 14.75 16.984 20.75 23.893
3.00 3.454   9.00 10163 15.00 17.272 21.00 24.181
3.25 3.742   9.25 10.651 15.25 17.560 21.25 24.468
3.50 4.030   9.50 10.939 15.50 17.848 21.50 24.757
3.75 4.318   9.75 11.227 15.75 18.136 21.75 25.045
4.00 4.606 10.00 11.515 16.00 18.424 22.00 25.333
4.25 4.893 10.25 11.803 16.25 18.712 22.25 25.621
4.50 5.181 10.50 12.090 16.50 18.999 22.50 25.909
4.75 5.469 10.75 12.370 16.75 19.287 22.75 26.196
5.00 5.757 11.00 12.666 17.00 19.575 23.00 26.484
5.25 6.045 11.25 12.954 17.25 19.863 23.50 27.000
5.50 6.333 11.50 13.242 17.50 20.151 24.00 27.636
5.75 6.621 11.75 13.030 17.75 20.439 24.50 28.212
6.00 6.909 12.00 13.818 18.00 20.727 25.00 28.787
6.25 7.196 12.25 14.106 18.25 21.015
6.50 7.484 12.50 14.193 18.50 21.103
6.75 7.772 12.75 14.681 18.75 21.590

(f) MEASURED MILES
List of Ports in the United Kingdom where there are "measured miles" used for speed and other trials

London. — Near Maplin Sands and in Longreach.

Humber. — Eight Miles below Hull.
Middlesbrough. — At Sandy Bay.
Hartlepools. — North of Hartlepool.
Sunderland. — At Ryehope.
The Tyne. — At Whitley.
The Forth. — At Galleon Bay.
The Tay. — North side.
Aberdeen. — North of Harbour.
Clyde. — At Wemyss Bay.
Dundee. — North side of River.
Liverpool. — In Crosby Channel.
Plymouth. — Whitesand Bay (Admiralty).
Southampton. — At Stokes Bay.
Cowes. — At Stokes Bay.
Belfast. — In Belfast Lough.


(g) OCEAN DEPTHS
Name of Sea
Depth in Yards
Average Maximum
Atlantic
Pacific           
Indian
Arctic
Antarctic
Mediterranean
Irish
English
German
Levant
Adriatic
Baltic
4026
4252
3658
1690
3000
1476
240
110
96
72
45
43
7750
9310
6040
5300
3950
2860
710
300

 

(h) DISTANCES AT SEA

The earth being round, its convexity limits the vision even on a level expanse like the sea. The line of vision on the seashore, of a man of ordinary height (say six feet), would be intercepted by the horizon at 3.24 miles. If he were looking at an object 44 feet in height, say a flag on a masthead, the flag would seem to be on the horizon if it were 9.35 miles distant. In this case add the height of the object, 44 feet, to the height of the eye from the ground, 6 feet equal 50 feet, and find the corresponding distance in the list below. A carrier pigeon at a mile above the earth would only command a field of 96 miles in radius.

This table shows the distance from sea-level at which objects are visible at different elevations: —

Height in
Feet
Distance in Miles Height in Feet Distance in Miles Height in Feet Distance in Miles
        0.582 1.00 15   5.12     80 11.83
  1 1.31 16   5.29     90 12.25
  2 1.87 17   5.45   100 13.23
  3 2.29 18   5.61   150 16.22
  4 2.63 19   5.77   200 18.72
  5 2.96 20   5.92   300 22.91
  6 3.24 25   6.61   400 26.46
  7 3.49 30   7.25   500 29.58
  8 3.73 35   7.83 1000 33.41
  9 3.96 40   8.37 2000 59.20
10 4.18 45   8.87 3000 72.50
11 4.39 50   9.35 4000 83.70
12 4.58 65 10.25 5000 93.50
13 4.77 70 11.07 1 mile 96.10

(i) TABLE OF DISTANCES BETWEEN HEADLANDS, HARBOURS AND LIGHTS OFF THE COAST OF THE BRITISH ISLES

Terminal Points Miles
North Foreland to Goodwin Lightvessel    
  "            "      Galloper Lightvessel 
  "            "      Calais                         
  "            "      Dunkirk                                     
  "            "      Ostend                        
Nore Lightvessel to Mouse Lightvessel     
Mouse Lightvessel to Maplin Lighthouse
Gunfleet Lighthouse to Sunk Lightvessel
Sunk Lightvessel to Orfordness                 
Sunk Lightvessel to Shipwash Lightvessel
Shipwash Lightvessel to Orfordness           
Orfordness to North Foreland                     
Girdler Lightvessel to Prince's Channel Lightvessel
Prince's Channel Lightvessel to Tongue Lightvessel

Tongue Lightvessel to North Foreland
  "            "      Gull Lightvessel
Nore Lightvessel to Orfordness      
Orfordness to Lowestoft        
Lowestoft to Yarmouth Roads
Yarmouth Roads to Cromer Light  
Cromer Light to Dudgeon Lightvessel
Dudgeon Lightvessel to Spurn Head
  "            "      Flamborough Head
Flamborough Head to Scarborough
Scarborough to Whitby
Flamborough Head to Robin Hood's Bay 
Robin Hood's Bay to Hartlepool     
Hartlepool to Sunderland       
Sunderland to Tynemouth   
Tynemouth to Berwick           
Berwick to St. Abb's Head    
St. Abb's Head to Bass Rock
Bass Rock to May Island     
May Island to Inchkeith           
  "            "      Leith Roads
  "            "      Fife Ness
Fife Ness to Aberdeen                    
Aberdeen to Peterhead      
Peterhead to Kinnaird Head
Kinnaird Head to Duncansby Head           
Duncansby Head to Dunnett Head
Dunnett Head to Cape Wrath                     
Cape Wrath to Butt of Lewis
Butt of Lewis to Barra Island
Barra Island to Tiree
Tiree to Rhynns of Islay        
Rhynns of Islay to Mull of Cantyre
Skerries to Inistrahull
Inistrahull to Malin Head
Malin Head to Tory Island
Tory Island to Arran Island
Arran Island to Teelin Head
Teelin Head to Erris Head
Erris Head to Achill Head
Achill Head to Slyne Head                                                    
Slyne Head to Loop Head
Loop Head to Skelligs                                             
Skelligs to Mizen Head
Mizen Head to Fastnet
Fastnet to Old Head of Kinsale
Old Head of Kinsale to Poor Head
Poor Head to Ballycotton
Ballycotton to Hook Point
Hook Point to Saltees
Saltees to Tuskar
Tuskar to Carnarvon Lightvessel
Carnarvon Lightvessel to South Stack
South Stack to Skerries
Skerries to N.W. Lightvessel (Liverpool)
  6    
29    
29    
39   
57   
    
 4    
    
  14½
12    
  4    
43  
21  
41  
81  
  9  
60  
25  
  7  
30  
    22½
36  
57  
    14¾
15  
    22½
    24½
14  
    
50  
10  
19  
   2  
     
23  
    
  54½
25  
20  
65  
   11½
51  
40  
35  
30  
60  
40  
    23½
   7  
28  
19  
20  
48  
23  
    35½
51  
    54½
32  
12  
42  
17  
   7  
44  
11  
18  
76  
11  
   8  
43  


Distances between Important Ports


(k) DISTANCES BY SEA BETWEEN VARIOUS
IMPORTANT PORTS, IN SEA MILES *

Names of Terminal Ports
By
Magellan
Straits
By
Cape of
Good Hope
By
Suez
Canal
Plymouth to Melbourne
  Ditto     Sydney
  Ditto     Wellington
  Ditto     Valparaiso
  Ditto     San Francisco
  Ditto     Esquimalt
  Ditto     Honolulu
  Ditto     Bombay
  Ditto     Colombo
  Ditto     Calcutta
  Ditto     Singapore
  Ditto    Hong-Kong
  Ditto    Shanghai
  Ditto    Yokohama
13,090
12,910
11,710
 8,560
13,300
14,050

13,410
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11,870
12,340
12,910
 
 
 
 
10,450
10,150
11,380
11,350
12,790
13,540
14,220
10,670
11,200
12,110
 
 
 
 
 6,000
 6,490
 7,710
 8,050
 9,490
10,240
10,920

           

Names of Terminal Ports Miles
Aden to Bombay
  "   " Colombo
Ascension to St. Vincent
Bombay to Zanzibar
C. Virgins to Monte Video
Cape to St. Helena
  "   " Adelaide
  "   " Ascension
  "   " King George Sound
  "   " Melbourne
  "   " Sunda Strait
  "   " Sydney
  "   " Wellington
Colombo to King George Sound
    "    " Penang
    "    " Singapore
    "    " Sunda Strait
Fiji to Thursday Island
Gibraltar to St. Vincent
    "    " Malta
    "    " Naples
    "    " Madeira
Hobart to Port Chalmers
  "    " Cape Horn
  "    " Cape Virgins
Hong-Kong to Shanghai
Honolulu to Vancouver
    "    " Yokohama
King George Sound to Adelaide
Malta to Port Said
Melbourne to Cape Horn
    "     " Wellington
Plymouth to Canary Islands
    "    " Gibraltar
Plymouth to Lisbon
    "    " Cape Town, via Madeira
    "    " St. Vincent
    "    " Sierra Leone
    "    " Colon
    "    " New York
    "    " St. John's, Newfoundland
Rio to Monte Video
St. Vincent
San Francisco to Fiji
  "     "    " Hong-Kong
  "     "    " Honolulu
  "     "    " Sydney      
  "     "    " Yokohama
Shanghai to Yokohama
Sierra Leone to Canary Islands
  "     "   " St. Helena
Singapore to Hong-Kong
   "      " Manila
   "      " Yokohama
Sydney to Auckland
   "   " Vancouver
Suez to Aden
St. Helena to Ascension
St. Vincent to Madeira
1,640
2,130
1,640
2,530
1,170
1,700
5,760
2,380
4,880
6,030
5,010
6,500
7,070
3,380
1,270
1,560
1,770
2,240
1,560
   980
   960
   610
1,010
5,660
5,810
   810
2,410
3,440
1,040
   940
5,910
1,470
1,410
1,050
   770
5,890
2,250
2,700
4,520
2,990
1,910
   980
2,690
4,740
6,440
2,080
6,430
4,880
1,130
1,300
1,570
1,440
1,320
2,870
1,260
6,840
1,310
  680 1,040

* Reprinted by permission from the Navy League Annual.

             

LIVERPOOL TO NEW YORK (N. TRACK)
Terminal Points Distance from
Point to Point
Total
Distance
from
Liverpool
Liverpool (Rock Light) to Bar Lightship
Bar Lightship to Skerries
Skerries to Tuskar
Tuskar to Conningbeg Lightship
Conningbeg Lightship to Ballycotton
Ballycotton to Queenstown (Roche's Point)
Queenstown (Roche's Point) to Old Head of Kinsale
Old Head of Kinsale to Fastnet
Fastnet to Fire Island Lighthouse
Fire Island Lighthouse to Sandy Hook Lightship
Sandy Hook Lightship to Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook to New York
     11
        0.5
      94
      19
      50½
      11
      16
      42
 2,699
      30
       
      15½
         11
         61
       155
       174
       224½
       235½
       251½
    2,931
  29,921
    3,022¼
  30,281
    3,044½


LIVERPOOL TO BOSTON (N. TRACK)
Liverpool (Rock Light) to Queenstown (Roche's Point)
Queenstown (Roche's Point) to Fastnet
Fastnet to Boston Outer Light .
Boston Outer Light to Boston
 2351
     58
2,563
      81
      235½
      293½
   2,856½
   2,865


SOUTHAMPTON TO NEW YORK

Terminal Points Miles
Southampton to Needles
Needles to Portland Bill
Portland Bill to Start
Start to Eddystone
Eddystone to Lizard 
Lizard to Bishop Rocks
Bishop Rocks to Fire Island
Fire Island to Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook to New York
     20
     38
     50
     22
     40
     28
2,919
      36½
   154

 

LONDON (THAMES) TO NEW YORK

Gravesend to Nore
Nore to North Foreland

North Foreland to Dover
Dover to Dungeness
Dungeness to Beechy Head
Beechy Head to St. Catherine's
St. Catherine's to Portland Bill
Portland Bill to Start Point
Start Point to Eddystone
Eddystone to Lizard
Lizard to Bishop Rocks
Bishop Rocks to Fire Island
Fire Island to Sandy Hook Lightship
Sandy Hook Lightship to Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook to New York
    191
      20

      25
      24
      30
      60
      55
      50
      22
      40
      28
 2,919
      30
        6
    154


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