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BUT LITTLE IS KNOWN OF ORIGIN OF
INSTRUMENT USED BY MEN AT SEA.
ITS USE BY THE CHINESE.
This Wonderful People Knew of the
Magnetic Needle Long Before the
Christian Era—The Claims of Gioia,
the Pilot, and the Credit Due Him.
Much interest must forever attach to
the discovery of that valuable iustru
ment the mariner's compass, aud yet
there are few subjects concerning
which less is known. For a period the
honor of the invention was ascribed to
Gioia, a pilot, born at Fasitano, a
small village situated near Amalfi,
about the end of the thirteenth cen¬
tury. His claims, however, have beeu
disputed.
Much learning and labor have been
bestowed upon the subject of the dis¬
covery. It has been maintained by one
class that even the Phoenicians were
the inventors, by another that the
Greeks and Romans had a knowledge
of it. Such notions, however, have
been completely refuted.
One passage, nevertheless, of a re¬
markable character occurs in the works
of Cardinal de Vitty, bishop of Ptole
mais, in Syria. He went to Palestine
during the fourth crusade, about the
year 1204. He returned afterward to
Europe and subsequently back to the
Holy Land, where he wrote his work
entitled “Historia Orientalis,” as uear
ly as can be determined, between the
years 1215 aud 1220. In chapter 91
of that work he has this singular pas¬
sage:
“The iron needle, after contact with
the loadstone, constantly turns to the
north star, which, at the axis of the
firmament, remains immovable while
the others revolve, and hence it is es¬
sentially necessary to those navigat¬
ing on the ocean."
These words are as explicit as they
are extraordinary. They state a fact
and announce a use. The thing, there¬
fore, which essentially constitutes the
compass must have been known long
before the birth of Gioia. In addition
to this fact, there is another equally
fatal to his claim as the original dis¬
coverer.
It is now settled beyond a doubt
that the Chinese were acquainted with
the compass long before the Europe¬
ans. It is certain that there are allu¬
sions to the magnetic ueedle in the
traditionary period of Chinese history,
about 2,000 years before Christ, and a
still more credible account of it is
found in the reign of Chingwang of the
Chow dynasty, before Christ 1114.
All this, however, may be granted
without in the least inmairinsr the lust
Features Of Fall m
' 7. |P -7 v - Clothing
& *
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SWANN COMPANY 9 Georgia on
//u<i
claims or uioia to tne gratitude or man¬
kind. The truth appears to be that
the position of Gioia in relation to the
compass was precisely that of Watt in
relation to the steam engine—the ele¬
ment existed; he augmented its utility.
The compass used by the mariners
In the Mediterranean during the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries was
a very uncertain and unsatisfactory
apparatus. It consisted only of a mag¬
netic needle floating in a vase or basin
by means of two straws on a bit of
cork supporting it on the surface of
the water.
The compass used by the Arabians
in the thirteenth century was an in¬
strument of exactly the same descrip¬
tion. Now, the inconvenience and in¬
efficiency of such an apparatus are ob¬
vious. The agitation of the ocean and
the tossing of the vessel might render
it useless in a moment
But Gioia placed the magnetized
needle on a pivot, which permits it to
turn to all sides with facility. After¬
ward it was attached to a card divided
into thirty-two points, called rose de
vents, and then the box containing it
was suspended in such a manner that,
however the vessel might be tossed.
It would always remain horizontal.—
Electrical Engineer.
Stung.
The old gentleman went into the par¬
lor the other night at the witching
hour of 10:30 and found the lights out
and his daughter and a dear friend
enjoying a tete-a-tete In a corner by
the window.
“Evangeline,” said the old man stern¬
ly, “this is scandalous!”
“Yes, papa,” she answered sweetly.
“It Is candleless because times are
hard. Lights cost so much Ferdinand
and I said we would get along with
the starlight.”
And papa turned about in speech¬
less amazement and tried to walk out
of the room through a panel In the
wall paper.—Exchange.
A backwoodsman went to New York
city for the first time, says the Satur¬
day Evening Post. He stopped at a
Broadway hotel which was pretty well
downtowu. Next morning his nephew,
who lives in New York, came to take
him out and show him the sights. They
walked down Broadway until they got
to Canal street. The backwoodsman
stopped and contemplated the great
congestion of traffic there, hundreds of
trucks going every way.
“Son,” he said to his nephew, “you
have a nice city here, but it 'pears to
me that your folks is a hull passel be¬
hind in their haulin’.”
THE COVINGTON NEWS
Rob. Norton Hurt.
Mr. Robert Norton sustained a very
painful injury caused by a fall one
night last week when he fell through
the trestle on the Central of Georgia
railway in this city.
Mr. Norton had just left his engine,
of which he is fireman, in the Central
yard and started for his home on Cor¬
ley Hill. To make a short cut he de¬
cided to cross the trestle and when he
had gotten only a short distance his
foot slipped, causing him to fall be¬
tween the ties. In trying to catch
his right hand was badly lacerated
and sprained and he also sustained
slight injuries to his legs. He is out
again and will be able to go back to
his duties within a few days.
His Money Was Melted.
Bearing a blackened mass of molt¬
en silver, representing the wreck and
ruin of a small fortune to himself,
John Fish was in Americus one day
recently to ascertain the value of his
property.
Fish’s house was burned several
nights before and among other valua¬
bles consumed was a considerable
amount of bank notes totally des¬
troyed. The silver money was melted
into an unrecognizable mass. Fish
was afraid of banks and kept all his
money concealed in his dwelling.
Why He Was a Heathen.
Sir Arthur Faushnw related an amus¬
ing story of a Mohammedan servant
who when asked his religion replied:
“Beg pardon, sar. I’m a heathen.”
When asked by his master what he
meant by a heathen the man answer¬
ed:
“Beg pardon, sar, a worshiper of
stocks and stones.”
“Confound it,” remarked the master,
“I can't keep a man like that in my
service.”
To which came the Immediate re¬
joinder:
“Beg pardon, sar, in your highness’
service no time to worship anything!”
—London News.
He Spoke Too Soon.
A well known business man attended
his daughter’s commencement exer¬
cises at an eastern college. He had
been greatly pleased with the beauty
and dignity of the exercises and was
discoursing to his wife upon the refin¬
ing influences of college life. Sudden¬
ly his impressive monologue was cut
short. A girl in cap and gown came
dashing down the steps of the main
hall waving her diploma and shout
ine. “Educated, by gosh.'”—Ladies’
LOCALS
Hon. J. W. Black, one of West
Newton’s progressive planters,
was mingling with his many friends
here Saturday.
The season is almost here for sow¬
ing winter grain, and it is believed that
more will be planted this year than
for a long time.
Messrs. W. L. Gibson and Frank
Patrick, of Brick Store, were in the
city one day last week.
Just suppose that good roads would
bring twice the cotton to Covington
that now homes, would it pay?
Mr. D. J. Adams, one of the most
influential and prosperous citizens of
the county, was in from Dixie Monday.
Mr. Newton C. Adams, formerly of
this city, but now of Lawreneeville,
spent several days last week with rel¬
atives in the city and county.
Mr. Chas. E. Hardman, one of the
pioneer citizens of Mansfield, was a
visitor to the city one day last week,
shaking hands with his many friends.
The many friends of Mr. J. D.
Archer in the city will be glad to
know that he has returned to Coving¬
ton, and is again connected with the
popular drug store of Mr. Geo. T.
Smith.
Col. L. F. Livingston, who has held
the fifth district congressional seat
down for the past twenty years, was
mingling with his friends here Satur¬
day, and seems confident that the
seat referred to above will not be too
warm for him another term.
Mr. R. L. Middlebrook, of Starrs
ville, one of the county’s prosperous
and progretsive citizens, came to the
city last Thursday for the purpose of
buying one hundred bales of cotton
off the wagons which bring this
commodity in to town from the differ¬
ent sections of the county. Mr. Mid¬
dlebrook stated to a News man that
he was paying from 13 1-4 to 13 7-16
for the fleecy staple, and it is useless
for us to say that he bought nearly
all the cotton that came to market on
that day.
Dry Pine Wood delivered anywhere
in town. Apply to S. A. Brown. 4t
—Barred Plymouth Rocks, Wm. El¬
lery Bright Strain, the kind that will
please. Eggs, $1.00 for 15.—The Dairy
Farm, W. P. or Henry Odom. tf
The Well Known Optician From
A. K. Hawkes Co.
will be at my store on
OCT. 25 and 26
two days only.
You can have your eyes test¬
ed absolutely free of charge.
You can have your glasses
m fitted properly and save one
half the price by having
them fitted up here. If you
need glasses don’t miss this
opportunity. Remember the
place; remember the date,
Monday and Tuesday, Oct.
25 and 26, two days only.
Respectfully,
E. H. MOBLEY
Covington, Ga.