DISTANCES

ZETETIC COSMOGONY:
OR
Conclusive Evidence
THAT THE WORLD IS NOT A
ROTATING—REVOLVING—GLOBE,
BUT
A STATIONARY PLANE CIRCLE.
By Thomas Winship
1899

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(Post 10/47)

DISTANCES.

If the world be a globe, the distances which are sailed by ships "sailing round the globe" would answer to the theory, and measurements as made by such ships would always answer to the theoretical distances of the astronomer. That such is not the case, as I shall presently show, disproves the theory. First, let us enquire how distances are obtained, say in sailing on an easterly or westerly course. In obtaining the longitude by dead reckoning, an allowance for the supposed convergence (or shorter longitude) according to the latitude would have to be made, when the result obtained should not vary much from longitude obtained by observation. When currents have to be reckoned with, the allowance for their known velocity in any direction would bring the result of the dead reckoning up to that obtained by observation; always remembering that if a ship is steering east, for example, the allowance FOR THE DIRECTION of the current cannot be the same as would have to be made by a vessel in the same latitudes steering west. If the allowance for currents be made in the same direction when the ship is steering west as when she is steering east, IT IS VERY EVIDENT THAT THIS IS DONE TO BRING THE THEORETICAL RESULT INTO LINE WITH THE ACTUAL FACTS. Navigators are often at a loss to account for the great differences between dead reckoning (even when the allowance for currents has been made) and the ship's position as obtained by observation. Believing that they are sailing on a globular surface, nothing presents itself to the mind, but the usual theories by which they unsuccessfully endeavour to account for the discrepancy. Did they know that the surface of the ocean is a plane surface (they OUGHT TO KNOW THIS), something new would present itself for consideration, theories would be abandoned, and investigation instituted. The result could not fail to be advantageous to navigation generally. In "South Sea Voyages," by Sir James C. Ross, Vol. 1, page 96 states:

"We found ourselves every day from 12 to 18 miles by observation in advance of our reckoning."

Page 27 states:

"By our observations at noon we found ourselves 58 miles to the eastward of our reckoning in two days."

"Voyage towards the South Pole," by Captain Jas. Weddell, states:

"Feb. 11th, at noon, in lat. 65° 53' South, our chronometers gave 44 miles more Westing than the log in three days."

Lieutenant Wilkes says that in less than 18 hours he was 20 miles to the east of his reckoning, in latitude 54° 20' South. In "Anson's Voyage round the World," by R. Walter, page 76, the following statement is made:

"It was, indeed, most wonderful that the currents should have driven us to the eastward with such strength; for the whole squadron esteemed themselves upwards of 10 degrees more westerly than this land (Straits of Magellan); so that in running down, by our account, about 19 degrees of longitude, we had, not really advanced half that distance."

Captain Woodside, of the American barquentine Echo, at Capetown, on 26th June, 1898, reports that on 12th January, 1896, being without observation for two days and going 250 miles a day on a straight course, he expected to be 100 miles south and a long way to the eastward of Gough Island in latitude 40° south, but was startled to find his ship making straight for the island, and barely escaped shipwreck. The Philena Winslaw was wrecked there 25 years ago, and there are remains of numerous other wrecks.

The fact that in sailing either east or west the currents are allowed the same way, proves that the rotundity idea is the factor which effectually debars our navigators from obtaining a correct solution of the difficulty. Let it be acknowledged that, as the surface of all standing water is level, the world is a plane and not a globe, and investigation may be instituted into the causes of the discrepancies to which we have alluded. But so long as the globular idea prevails, so long will it be impossible for the navigator to arrive at the truth of the matter. I have further weight of evidence on this important branch of our subject, by comparing the theoretical measurements of the supposed "globe" with the distances actually made in sailing. These data, which I now submit, prove clearly to any unprejudiced mind, that the world cannot be the globe of astronomical imagination; but that it is an outstretched circular plane, without axial or orbital motion.

Sir Robert Ball, in his "Story of the Heavens," page 163, informs the reader that: "The dimensions of the earth are known with a high degree of accuracy."

This writer is recognised as an able exponent of globular hypotheses, and it is generally conceded that what he says may be regarded as correct. Let us now enquire with what high degree of accuracy the dimensions of the earth are known. If the earth be the globe it is generally said to be, it is evident that the further we go south from the equator, the smaller will the circles be, and no circle south of the equator could be equal to that at the equator.

The S.S. Nithsdale, of Glasgow, Captain Hadden, sailed from Hamelin Bay, in Western Australia, on 8th January, 1898, arriving at Port Natal on 1st February, 1898, having steamed 4,519 nautical miles. Her log, of which the chief officer, Mr. Boyle (also a passed Master), kindly gave me a copy, shows that she did not make quite a rhumb line track.   

Hamelin Bay is in latitude 34° south and longitude 115° 5' east. Port Natal is situated in latitude 29° 53' south and 31° 4' east longitude. The difference of latitude being so small, we shall not get far out if we take the middle latitude, viz.: 32° south. The difference of longitude is 84° 1' or 4.28 of the complete circle of 360° round the world. Something must be added to the ship's log so as to bring the distance up to the rhumb line track, say 100 miles; therefore, to find the distance round the world at 32° south it is only necessary to solve the following problem:

According to the ship's log, the distance travelled is 4,519 nautical miles, and we added 100 to that to approximate the rumb line track. 4,619 nautical miles is 5,390 statute miles. This is the distance travelled along 84° 1' of the circumference of a 360° circle at 32° south latitude. X/5,390=360/84 therefore X=(5,390)(4.28) thus X=23,000 miles, nearly.

This is several thousand miles in excess of what the distance would or could be on a globe. And further south on a globe, the distance would be less.

In the "Cruise of H.M.S. Challenger," by W. J. J. Spry, the distance made good from the Cape of Good Hope to Melbourne is stated to be 7,637 miles. The Cape is in latitude 34° 31' south and Melbourne in latitude 37° south, the longitude of the Cape being 18° 30' east and Melbourne 145° east. The middle latitude is 35½°. Difference of longitude 126½°, which makes the distance round the world at that latitude (35½°) to be over 25,000 statute miles and as great as the equator is said to be. This latter distance is many thousand miles more than the purely theoretical measurement of the world at that latitude south. Thus we see on reliable evidence that the further we go south the greater is the distance round the world. This latter distance is many thousand miles more than the purely theoretical measurement of the world at that latitude south. From the same work, we find the distance from Sydney to Wellington to be 1,432 miles. The middle latitude is 37½°, and the difference of longitude 23° 36', which gives as the distance round the world at latitude 37½° south, 25,500 statute miles! This distance is again greater than the greatest distance round the "globe" is said to be and many thousands of miles greater than could be the case on a globe. Thus, on purely practical data, apart from any theory, the world is proved to diverge as the south is approached and not to converge, as it would do on a globe.