broken-down black-smiths

[zzjing]

The following excerpt is from Melville’s Moby-Dick (published 1851/public domain), Chapter 35:

and though he treats us to a very scientific account of his experiments in this crow’s-nest, with a small compass he kept there for the purpose of counteracting the errors resulting from what is called the “local attraction” of all binnacle magnets; an error ascribable to the horizontal vicinity of the iron in the ship’s planks, and in the Glacier’s case, perhaps, to there having been so many broken-down black-smiths among her crew;​

What does "broken-down" mean here? And how do these broken-down black-smiths affect the compass?

 

[CaptainZero]

I'd take "broken-down black-smiths" to mean blacksmiths who are tired, worn out, probably old. Because blacksmiths work with large pieces of metal (iron anvils, forges, sledgehammers, etc), their presence could conceivably affect the compass.

 

[zzjing]

I'd take "broken-down black-smiths" to mean blacksmiths who are tired, worn out, probably old. Because blacksmiths work with large pieces of metal (iron anvils, forges, sledgehammers, etc), their presence could conceivably affect the compass.

Well, every whale-ship has a blacksmith on board. Here it seems to imply that this particular ship has worn out many of them, and that somehow has to do with the compass, and I don't see how that makes sense.

 

[CaptainZero]

Well, every whale-ship has a blacksmith on board.

Yes, but this particular ship is stated to have "so many" of them, which seems to indicate a large number. Was there anything about this ship which might have necessitated additional blacksmiths, from your reading so far?

... and that somehow has to do with the compass, and I don't see how that makes sense.

As I mentioned above, blacksmiths work with large amounts of metal. Metal can affect compasses through "local attraction" (through magnetically attractive substances, such as metal, in close proximity to the compass). That's why the compass was kept high up in the crow's nest, away from the ship's decks.

 

[velisarius]

Well, every whale-ship has a blacksmith on board. Here it seems to imply that this particular ship has worn out many of them, and that somehow has to do with the compass, and I don't see how that makes sense.

It seems absurd. Perhaps it was intended as a joke.

 

[zzjing]

Yes, but this particular ship is stated to have "so many" of them, which seems to indicate a large number. Was there anything about this ship which might have necessitated additional blacksmiths, from your reading so far?

It's not clear but I don't think so.

As I mentioned above, blacksmiths work with large amounts of metal. Metal can affect compasses through "local attraction" (through magnetically attractive substances, such as metal, in close proximity to the compass). That's why the compass was kept high up in the crow's nest, away from the ship's decks.

Yes, and I could be wrong, but l don't think there are multiple blacksmiths with multiple sets of tools on board. So I'm not sure how this ship is different from any other. And if you don't know either, that's OK. There's no need to explain any further.

 

[zzjing]

It seems absurd. Perhaps it was intended as a joke.

It is indeed a joke. But even jokes should make sense on some level, and this one doesn't yet make any sense to me.

 

[Andygc]

It's all a joke. Melville wrote a satirical account of the invention of the crow's nest. He's saying that Sleet had a crew of former blacksmiths, and that they might affect the compass. Of course they wouldn't. Blacksmiths don't become impregnated with iron.

The real life Sleet was called Scoresby. There's plenty of information to be found through an Internet search.

 

[CaptainZero]

It seems absurd. Perhaps it was intended as a joke.

I agree - the passage comes across that way. I can't see how the iron in the ship's planks, or the blacksmiths' equipment could have any real effect on compass readings. I can only imagine that the "he" mentioned at the start of the quote is quite an eccentric character.

(x-posted)

 

[zzjing]

It's all a joke. Melville wrote a satirical account of the invention of the crow's nest. He's saying that Sleet had a crew of former blacksmiths, and that they might affect the compass. Of course they wouldn't. Blacksmiths don't become impregnated with iron.

That makes sense. I did consider the possibility, but I wasn't sure if that's actually what was intended.

The real life Sleet was called Scoresby. There's plenty of information to be found through an Internet search.

I do have all the necessary references at hand, so I don't ask any obvious questions.

 

[Andygc]

I can't see how the iron in the ship's planks, or the blacksmiths' equipment could have any real effect on compass readings.

Any iron in a wooden ship can affect the compass. The size of the effect depends on the amount of iron and how close it is to the compass. That's why a binnacle is fitted with correctors - the two black balls.

Part of the joke is the idea of taking a small compass up to the crow's nest to check the accuracy of the ship's compass - the normal ship's motion is amplified by height above deck and the compass would never settle.