The Sperry Gyro-Compass unfailingly points True North under all conditions of weather, ship or cargo. It relieves the navigator of calculation of errors, and tiresome compass compensations. It makes a great saving in time required to “swing ship.” The Sperry Gyro-Compass is, therefore, the Ideal Compass.
The Great Eastern laid the first Atlantic cable.
Advantages Attending the Use of the Sperry Gyro-Compass
URING the construction of a steel ship it is usual to build it on ways the direction of which lie in the East-West line. Should the ways be placed in a North-South line the riveting on the keel and plates tends to help the molecules of metal to place themselves parallel to the magnetic lines of force, and magnetize the metal. When placed in the East-West line the molecules of metal in the plates are at right angles to the magnetic lines of force, and are not as easily magnetized. The use of the Gyro-Compass eliminates the necessity of placing the ways in the East-West line.
After a large ship has been launched, and during the fitting out period, it is often necessary to have it swung end for end in order to neutralize or equalize the magnetism induced by the earth’s magnetic field. To swing a large ship end for end costs anywhere from one thousand ($1000) to three thousand ($3000) dollars. The Gyro-Compass is unaffected by any magnetic phenomena, and is so dependable that it makes the swinging of the ship unnecessary.
In constructing a ship it is customary to make all metal parts within approximately ten (10) feet of the magnetic-compass stand of bronze, brass or other non-magnetic material. The proximity of magnetic metals seriously affects the accuracy of the compass. All electric leads are run so as to clear the vicinity of the compass, as the magnetic fields set up by such conductors seriously influence the compass needle. Actual experience is on record that the total installation cost of the Sperry Gyro-Compass has been saved many times over by the elimination of special metals and special run of electric leads.
