In a very interesting paper which appeared recently the author, Capitão Mário Gama of the Portuguese Merchant Navy, describes a direct method for computing position lines from star (or planet) observations.

The principal feature of Captain Gama's method is the systematic manner in which he arrives at an intercept to the extent, not only of saving time in sight reduction, but also in reducing the possibility of blundering.

The method employs the Computed Tables of Altitude and Azimuth (HD 486) and involves timing a series of star-sights, the ship making headway meanwhile, by means of a stop watch which is set at zero at a noted chronometer time shortly before the observations commence. The following example, given in the original paper, in reducing sights of Vega and Denebola observed during morning twilight of 25 Feb. 1959, in D.R. position Lat. 10°10′ S., Long. 73°48′ E., will serve to illustrate the method.