KNOTS
SIR,—For some years I have been a regular, careful and interested reader of The Spectator and do not remember having noted any departure from good grammar, but this week you have let yourself down badly! I refer to the issue of March 5th and your paragraph on "Faster Merchant Ships" on the front page. In the ninth line of this paragraph you refer to a ship "capable of doing fifteen knots an hour." A " knot " is one nautical mile per hour, and to add "an hour" after the words "knots" is to apply the terminology used to describe acceleration! This termi- nology is never used to describe speed or velocity (speed in a given direction). As you never hesitate to publish criticism of your paper, perhaps the insertion of this letter may prevent some reader from making a similar mistake. I conclude by thanking you for the excellent quality and sustained interest of your paper.—Yours faithfully,
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