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Tables of Computed Star Altitudes and True Azimuths
(See page 1279 this issue)
Commander Arthur A. Ageton, U. S. Navy.—The tabulation suggested by Lieutenant Hutchings is not revolutionary. In its essence, it is a tabular arrangement of Weems’ Star Altitude Curves, with the following noteworthy improvements:
(1) It uses L.H.A.T (to the nearest integral degree) as an argument instead of L.S.T., which makes the table simpler to use with the Air Almanac.
(2) It tabulates five bright navigational stars at one time (and on one page) instead of three, a distinct advantage, and at least four of these stars have sufficient spread in azimuth to give a good “cut.”
(3) It tabulates time azimuths (Z„). The star curves give azimuth only by use of a protractor to measure the bearing of a line perpendicular to the line of position of a star.
(4) It is a good “star spotter.” With L.H.A. of T, it is possible to pick out the altitude of the star ahead of time, set it on the octant, face the bearing, and find the star in the octant’s field.
(5) The data from the tables can be used directly on a chart or plotting sheet in a well-lighted cabin at night.
(6) It is probably as brief to use, or briefer, than the star curves.
It is believed that, as the war progresses,
we shall want, increasingly, to be able to bomb areas at night without benefit of “pin-point” navigation, or coming down for a terrestrial fix. The need of air navigators in the services today, both Army and Navy, is for rapid and accurate celestial navigation. The British have a “gadget” which gives them the rapidity, but almost total darkness in the plotting- room and high precision of alignment (to one thirty-second of an inch) are required. It is no faster, in my opinion, than Mr. Hutchings’ tables would be.
The Tryanny of Red Tape
(See page 919, July, 1942, Proceedings)
Captain W. S. Hullfish (S.C.), U. S. Navy.—I was rather surprised in reading the subject article to find it inaccurate in several respects. Anyone unfamiliar with the Navy Supply system would gather from this article that it is exceedingly complicated, whereas the reverse is true and, since the outbreak of the war, much has already been done to simplify it.
So far as stores accounting aboard ship is concerned, the Paymaster General has already issued instructions that navy yards issue supplies to small vessels at any hour on penciled memoranda. The case of the monkey wrench cited by Lieutenant Lanier was extremely unfortunate, in that it is a Title “C” item, could be drawn from store on a penciled stub requisition, commonly called a “chit,” and having been drawn it would be gone forever as far as the accounting system is concerned.
Even if it were a Title “B” item, only one form (S&A No. 154) would have surveyed it, one other (S&A No. 71) would have expended it, and one more (S&A No. 44) would have replaced it. The use of stock numbers, type or drawing numbers, is for the purpose of insuring his getting the article he needs, and tends to prevent paper work in the nature of inquiries along that line.
With regard to custody receipts, it is not a question of the honesty of commanding officers or any other person, but of being able to locate articles required for the operation of the ship. Without any record of the location of articles of equipage, it is quite probable many would not be at hand when required, and the commanding officer would not know whether they were lost or not, and might very easily find himself at sea without a badly needed piece of gear.
Equipage returns and inventories have already been eliminated for the duration of the war. Some simplification of replacement of material can doubtless be accomplished, and it is probable that steps along this line are now being taken.
Certainly the attitude of the Secretary of the Navy and the Commander in Chief, as expressed in recent letters on the subject of reduction in paper work, is such that serious efforts are being made by all to reduce such work when within their own power and to make suggestions to that end when action by higher authority is required.