There are no better charted coasts in the world than those bounded by the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The United States Navy has done and is doing magnificent hydrographic work. The charts issued by the Government are accurate, reliable, up-to-date and reasonable in price.

The top of a chart when spread out in front of you so that the reading part appears to you like the page of a book, and you can read it from left to right, is the North, the bottom is the South, the side on your right is the East, and the side on your left is the West. There are always compasses on a chart, either true or magnetic, by reference to which and with the aid of the parallel rulers the bearing of one point from another may easily be ascertained by the following method:

Lay the edge of the rulers over the two places; then slide them (preserving the direction) till the edge of one ruler is on the center of the nearest compass; when this is done read off the course indicated by the direction of the ruler.

To measure the distance between two places on the chart spread out the dividers till their points are over them, then apply to the graduated scale at the bottom of the chart, which will give you the required distance. This method, it should be remembered, is only accurate when applied to the large coasting charts. When measuring distances on general charts which extend across many degrees of latitude, the mean latitude of the two places must be measured from.

There are certain signs and abbreviations used on charts which are easily comprehended, such as hrd for hard, rky for rocky, etc. Lighthouses and lightships are clearly marked, and shoals, rocks and other obstructions to navigation are plainly defined. All the marginal notes on the charts should be made familiar by the navigator. I need scarcely say that charts, instruments and books of sailing instructions should be kept dry. There are cylindrical tin boxes for charts which are quite cheap, and these I recommend.

The position of a vessel may be ascertained simply and accurately by cross-bearings. Suppose you are in a ship at A in Fig. 6. The point with the lighthouse on it bears correct magnetic N. by W., and the point with the tree on it E. by N. You lay the parallel rules over the compass on your chart at N. by W., and work them to the lighthouse, preserving the direction. You then draw the line from the lighthouse to a. You then lay the parallel rules over the compass on your chart at E. by N., and work them in a similar way to the tree. Then draw the line from the tree to a. The spot where the two lines cut was the vessel's position on the chart when the bearings were first taken. The distance of the ship from both lighthouse and tree can be measured by taking in the dividers the distance between either and the ship, and referring to the scale on the chart.

It should be remembered that when sailing along the land cross-bearings will always determine your position, always allowing the proper corrections on the compass. In taking cross-bearings, try to have a difference between the two objects of as nearly ninety degrees as possible.

The old-fashioned log-ship and log-line for determining the distance run by a vessel need have no place in the equipment of a small yacht. There are several patent self-registering logs which record the distance run, either on the taffrail or on dials on the log itself. Their performance is fairly satisfactory, but they should be kept well oiled, and should be often examined and tested—for instance, in a run between two objects whose distance apart is well known.

By careful attention to the Lead, the Log and the Look-out, a boat may be navigated, by dead reckoning, with a certain amount of accuracy.

A nautical mile, or knot, is the same as a geographical mile. Its length is six thousand and eighty feet. A statute mile in the United States measures five thousand two hundred and eighty feet.