DICTIONARY OF

Common Bend 92 Compass Correction
Common Bend. Name sometimes given to a single sheet bend when not rove through a
thimble.
Common Bill. Name sometimes given to a Promissory Note.
Common Carrier. One who contracts to carry any goods offered subject only to the
statutory exceptions of fire, restraint of princes and act of God.
Common Law. Unwritten laws that, by long usage, have been accepted as having the same
authority as statutes.
Common Pilotage. Name formerly given to that branch of navigation that deals with the
conducting of a ship by methods that do not involve celestial observations and calculations.
Now termed 'Pilotage'.
Common Whipping. Binding on end of rope, made by passing turns of twine from an inch
or two from end and towards end. Finished oft' by passing end of twine under last few turns.
Commutator. Drum of insulated copper discs on shaft of dynamo. Used for converting
alternating current to direct current. 2. Switch for reversing direction of current.
Companion. Hood, or covering, over a ladder leading from one deck to another.
Companion Ladder. Steps going from one deck to another below or above; particularly
from poop or raised quarter deck to main deck.
Companion Stairs. Companion ladder when consisting of stairs.
Companion Way. Stairs or ladder leading to cabin.
Company Flag. Flag bearing special device of a shipowning company.
Comparison of Chronometers. Comparing the time shown by chronometer with time
indicated by time signal, or by another chronometer, and recording any difference observed.
Compartment. Any one of the spaces into which a ship is divided by watertight bulkheads
and doors.
Compass. Instrument for ascertaining direction, relative to the meridian, by means of
magnetic needles, directional gyroscope, or alignment on a known bearing; the last being
known as a 'dumb' compass.
Compass Bearing. Direction of an observed point or object as indicated by compass.
Compass Box. Case or box in which a compass is kept.
Compass Card. Graduated card, with its directive needles and cap, that is the essential part
of a compass. Graduations may be in points, points and quarter-point, degrees measured
clockwise from north, or quadrantly, e.g. NE, 045°, N45°E.
Compass Correction. As applied to a compass bearing, is the amount to be applied to the
bearing to reduce it to a magnetic bearing, or to a true bearing. In former case it would be the
Deviation; in latter case it would be a combination of Deviation and Variation—known as
'Total Error'. The name of the correction will be opposite to that of the error.