CAPTAIN BLACKBURNE'S "WORK.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14984, 3 June 1914, Page 11

CAPTAIN BLACKBURNE'S "WORK.

The nautical advu—r to the Mariae Dep_r___ent (Captain H. S. Bla-sbura.) is well 'known afl the author of navigation v _*zxs useful to mariners oa the New Z_-_a_~ eoaet, aad he has spent many yea_- in perfecting B~s_-_-.s for finding and correcting cour-es, with special study of astronomical obsorvationa. • An instance of the greet value of Captain 81-ckbume's work occurred a week or two ago, when the steamer hatotussled with a southerly gale. The facts are best told by Captain A. T. Norton, who ha* written » letter of appreciation to Cap-

tain Blackburne. ' Captain Norton says:— "On the passage from Auckland to Westport, being about abreast of Kaipar-, I ran into' the exceptionally heavy gale which passed over the Dominion on Sunday last. The wind was very heavy, and being a light ship, she would not face the mountainous sea thitt was running, so I waa compelled to heave hex to under'a main staysail and let her drift, . I had no sights at "all that day, but got fair sights the following day (Monday), when I found we hod been blown a long* way to the. west ward. , At 5 o'clock the same afternoon, the gale abated someVhat, and, I waa able to get about two pointe closer to our' course. The following day (Tuesday) the gale hr.d blown itself out, but theri was only an occasional glimpse of the sun during the forenoon, and I wae only able to obtain indifferent sights. Towards evening, however, it cleared up, and at 5.30 p.m., the horizon having quite cleared, I obtained a simultaneous observation of 'Canopu&' and 'Sirius.' working them both as ox-meridians. The result placed mc "i miles to the westward of my noon position, Westport bar bearing S.E. by S. magnetic, distant 190 <.miles." I set that course, and at 9.15 this morning I raised the breakwaters dead ahead. I think that this ift an excellent example of Hie value of your methods."