COMPASS (continued)

Plate II

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.

C D, is the ring that supports the inner box.

E F, is the inner box, which contains the card and needle.

G H, one of it's axes, by which it is suspended on the ring C D.

I. is a place cut out in the wood, serving as an handle.

The magnet or needle appears passing through the center, together with a small brace of ivory that confines the cap to it's place.

The card is a single varnished paper, reaching as far as the outer circle of figures, which is a circle of thin brass; the edge whereof is turned down at right angles to the plane of the card, in order to stiffen it.

The compass is retained in the binacle at sea, as exhibited in plate I. fig. 6. For the other parts of the compass represented in the figure, see the article AZIMUTH.

Plate I

Reference Works