Jane's glossary defines a ship as making a stated number of knots when it covers that many nautical miles in one hour. A knot is therefore a rate of speed, not a unit of distance. The period volume gives the associated sea mile as 6,080 feet, so saying that a voyage covered a number of knots confuses two related measures. The distinction matters when older naval sources move among sea miles, nautical miles, and speed figures.
Notable Point · 30:39
Why knots measure speed, not distance
A Jane's glossary entry separates the nautical mile from the knot: one is distance, while the other is speed.