Large compasses were mounted on gyroscopic rings, permitting the instrument to balance horizontally, even in heavy seas. The compass body and rings are brass, and have survived in good condition. The protective copper was thinner copper, and has been eroded away by the corrosive effect of saltwater immersion.
Manufactured in Great Britain , this is one of several binnacle compasses carried by the Aleutian . It was recovered from the Aleutian 's wheelhouse floor, where it was perched over a jagged opening yawning deep over the decks below.
The glass bezel is unbroken, and the original alcohol is still present inside the compass. Although the compass card is discolored and the inner copper workings have corroded slightly, amazingly it still works! The compass swings and points unfailingly north, even after more than 70 years underwater.
As the Aleutian 's primary navigational tool, this compass was mounted on a wooden stand inside the wheelhouse. The two rings visible around the main compass are the gyro assembly, which allowed the compass to remain level, even in rough sea conditions.
