To those taking this course in Navigation:

These lectures have been written with the idea of explaining, in as simple language as possible, the fundamental elements of Navigation as set forth in Bowditch's American Practical Navigator. They will be given you during the time at the Training School devoted to this subject. At present this time includes two morning periods of one and a half hours each, separated by a recess of fifteen minutes. In general the plan is to devote the first period to the lecture and the second period to practical work.

Not many examples for practical work have been included in this book, but one example, illustrating each new method, has been worked out. If you understand these examples you should be able to understand others similar to them.

Toward the end of the course a portion of each second period will be devoted to handling the sextant, work with charts, taking sights, etc. In short, every effort will be made to duplicate, as nearly as possible, navigating conditions on board a modern merchant ship.

Department of Navigation,

Officers' Material School,

Naval Auxiliary Reserve