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Show Excellent Work Dene by the Navy Stations There Is a constant Increase In the number of compass stations maintained main-tained by the Navy department along the various coasts. The latest statistics statis-tics available show that 1H..ST4 ship captains were shown their location during heavy fogs last year, and it is fair to assume that at least H) per cent of them might have been grounded ground-ed or wrecked had it not been for the assistance given by radio. A compass station is a wireless plant where special apparatus is used for telling the definite location ol a vessel. A ship Is lost in the fog; the wireless operator flashes out the signal, "Q. T E." The station receiving the message mes-sage adjusts the radio compass to meet the direction from which the message comes. This Is the "median leal ear" of the station and (he oper ator can tell exactly the direction down to a point of the compass Each station getting the message reports to a central station, where calculations are made as to the location of the ship. The distance from shore Is told by the strength of the signals. Then within five minutes of the time the vessel sends out the Inquiry the reply comes back and the ship's master knows just where he is and pilots his craft accordingly. |