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Henry,
I suppose the coordinates of the rock were not known.
(Japanese did not practice Cel Nav (or any Nav whatsoever)
at that time: even construction of the ocean-going ships
was forbidden.
But I agree with the previously given explanations that
the rock was needed to instal instruments like
theodolite, meridian circle or a sextant on a tripod.
Or maybe a telescope for Jupiter satellites: this
Russian ship was very well equipped).

Another suggestion, on pendulum clock, I don't understand:
what was a pendulum clock for if they had chronometers?
And how can you check your chronometers using a pendulum clock,
after a year of ocean voyage.

Alex.


On Tue, 15 Nov 2005, Henry C. Halboth wrote:

> Alex, much depends on whether or not the Longitude of the "rock" was
> accurately known. Pending confirmation of such knowledge their purpose
> must remain in the realm of supposition.
>
> Henry
>
> On Mon, 14 Nov 2005 19:36:31 -0500 Alexandre E Eremenko
>  writes:
> > I am reading a book by a famous Russian XiX century
> > author, Goncharov, on his voyage to Japan in 1853/4.
> >
> > (The Russians were trying to "open" Japan for trade
> > at that time, the same thing did the Americans (at exactly the same
> > time).
> > Japan was "closed to foreigners"; no one could land
> > etc. I don't want to describe all details.
> > Anyway, the Russians were negotiating with the Japanese
> > authorities for a permission to land. The following episode
> > in this long and complicated negotiation, which lasted several
> > months, attracted my attention. The Russians asked for a
> > permission to land on some rock between their ship place
> > and the land. Apparently a small uninhabited island.
> > The reason they clamed for this permission was the
> > "Necessity to check chronometers".
> > Apparently they thought that this was a good reason
> > for landing on a rock).
> >
> > Unfortunately the author of the book was not interested
> > in navigation and did not want to explain to the readers
> > this point. WHY did the Russians think that this was a
> > legitimate reason?
> >
> > Why exactly did they need land to check their chronometers?
> > Or, more precisely, why did they think that "checking chronometers"
> > is a legitimate reason for a landing?
> >
> > What was the proper procedure of "checking chronometers" they had in
> > mind?
> > Was this by the Lunars?
> > Did they mean that a firm ground
> > is needed for the Lunars? Or Jupiter satellites? to install a
> > powerful
> > telescope?
> >
> > (They were at ancor in the Nagasaki harbor at that time. Nagasaki
> > was one of the few cities where foreigners were permitted to stay on
> > ancor
> > at that time). To finish this part of the story I just say that they
> > were
> > not permitted. The Japanese quickly built some structure on the
> > rock,
> > as an evidence that this rock was "land", rather than some "rock in
> > the
> > sea"
> > or "uninhabited (and unclaimed?) island" where anyone can land.
> > Before
> > arriving
> > to Nagasaki, the Russians signed the paper that they will not land
> > without
> > the permission of the authorities.)
> >
> > But I only wanted to discuss the CelNav part of the story.
> > Why did the Russians think that "checking chronometers" was a
> > legitimate
> > purpose of landing on a rock?
> >
> > Alex.
> >
> > P.S. I am well aware that the first underwater transoceanic cable
> > layings
> > were made at about the same time. So the Lunars were doomed, already
> > then,
> > even as a
> > mean
> > of checking chronometers:-(
> >
>

   

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