DR. STETSON OUTLINES VALUE OF GYROSCOPE

Perhaps the greatest invention to make for the safe navigation of ocean-going ships since the introduction of the sextant and wireless, has been the gyroscopic-compass. Since the first introduction of the mariner's compass by the Chinese, every ship's compass, however improved the type, has depended upon the magnetic properties of the earth for its direction, and been subject to no end of disturbing forces arising from iron and steel in the construction of the ship itself. Many marine disasters have been caused by local disturbances of which the ship-master himself was not aware. The well known property of a spinning gyroscope to maintain its axis in a constant direction suggested the possibility of using such an affair as a means of locating direction.

It remained, however, for Mr. Elmer A. Sperry to so master the riddle of the spinning top that he could harness the earth till it should compell his gyroscope to swing into the meridian no matter in what direction it may have been initially, and thus make possible a non-magnetic compass. Such an instrument removes all uncertainly about the location of the north magnetic pole of the earth since it indicates always true north and depends upon the rotation of the earth as an astronomical body for its directive force. This is perhaps the latest vindication of the fact that "the earth does move."

Compass First Adopted by Navy

The Navy was the first to perceive the inherent value of Mr. Sperry's invention and for some time, dreadnaughts, destroyers, and submarines have directed fire from the "crows nest," bridge, or conning tower by the aid of the numerous "repeaters" which respond instantly to the pulse of the master-gyro protected by the heaviest armor.

Not contented with the achievements of the gyroscope as a compass Mr. Sperry turned his attention to further application of the gyroscope, the most remarkable of which perhaps is the Ship Stabilizer, which will make rolling and pitching a thing of the past, and it is possible that in the near future the automatically steered ship will be an ordinary rather than an extraordinary occurrence.

Arrangements have been made by the Department of Astronomy to have Mr. Sperry lecture in the Living Room of the Union Monday evening at 8 o'clock.