You tweaked my curiosity ...

A web search on "North and by East" gives a number of very old (16th and 17th
century) references, plus one comment that "and by" means a "half point." This
would mean North by a half East, or 5 5/8 degrees. Thought this may be correct,
I'm unconvinced by one google reference.

Bowditch, in 1802, gives the more modern half and quarter points, without any
other terminology. Most of his navigation is given in degrees and minutes, but
courses are generally given in points. The departure tables are provided both
in quarter points and degrees and minutes; trig and log values are only given in
degrees & minutes.

-jeff



"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
A correspondent wrote me with this question:

"a niggly question that arose during some of my research.
What is the difference between a bearing of
"North by East," "North and by East"?

I could not provide a confident response.
Any ideas?

Brian Whatcott Altus OK