see also Netherlands
Holmes, Robert 60
Home, Robert, Jesse Ramsden (c.1791) 170, 173
Hooke, Robert 45, 53, 60, 93
horizon 22
Hornsby, Thomas 164
House of Commons Committee 39, 43
Houtman, Frederik de 30
Houtman Abrolhos 30
Howe, Lord 99
Howells and Pennington, no. 4 (c.1794) 163
Howells, William 166
Hudson’s Bay Company 16, 155
human error 28, 31
Hunter, John 150
Huygens, Christiaan 57, 58, 60–3, 60, 77
Hydrographic Office 188, 197
hydrographic surveying see surveying
Illustrated London News 192
India 17–19, 25
Indian Ocean 16, 24, 30, 202
Indonesia 19
Industrial Revolution 158, 162
Inman, James 150
innovation 158, 161, 162, 175
International Meridian Conference, Washington D.C. (1884) 221
Investigator (sloop) 150
Irwin, Christopher 66, 99–101
marine chair 66, 99, 101, 181
Isabella (ship) 197
isochronism 77
Jamaica 92
James II 19
James, Thomas 28
Java 30
Jefferson, Thomas 155
Jefferys, John 89, 117
Jennings, Henry Constantine 184–5
insulating compass (c.1818) 184, 184
mercury log glass (c.1817) 183, 184
Jervas, Charles, Isaac Newton (1717) 38
Jervis, John 145
Johnson, Samuel 158
Juan Fernandez archipelago 30
Jupiter’s satellites 73, 99–101, 109, 137
Chavasse’s observing platform (1813) 179, 181
eclipses 39, 45–51, 53, 92, 99
marine chair for the viewing of 66, 99, 101, 181
Parlour’s shoulder-mounted apparatus for observing (1824) 180, 181
Kamchatka 151–4
Kater, Henry 198
Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii 144
Keech, Joseph 113
Kempthorne, Rupert 13
Kendall, Larcum 116
K1 (1769) 116, 117–19, 121–2, 133, 139, 140–1, 145
K2 (1771) 119, 145–7, 145
K3 (1774) 119, 121, 141, 148, 150, 154, 154–5
King, John Lawrence, log of the Owen Glendower 212–13
King, James 137–40, 141–4
King, Philip Parker 210, 214
King, Thomas, John Harrison (c.1765–66) 89, 89
Lacaille, Nicolas Louis de 99, 108
Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep) 25
Lalande, Jérôme 119, 120
Lapérouse, Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de 151, 152–3, 154
latitude 12, 73, 92, 93, 216
definition 20–1, 20
errors in the measurement of 31
latitude sailing 25, 30, 133
measurement 20–2, 20–1, 23, 25, 42–5, 109, 184
plotting geographical position by 20, 21
Le Dieu, Franciscus 61
Le Roy, Pierre 166
montre marine 118, 120
lead and line 24, 25
Lenoir, Étienne 173
Lesseps, Jean-Baptiste Barthélemy de 151–4
Leven (sloop) 202
Lewis, Meriwether 155
lignum vitae 77, 78–9, 85–7
Lisbon 60
trial of H1 to 77, 82
Livorno 50
Lochard, Lieutenant 23
log
log book 22, 23, 31, 82, 82, 157, 212–13
chip-log (ship-log) 22, 25, 31
mechanical 178, 178
Logan, James 93
London Magazine 99
long-distance travel 12, 16–19, 25, 96–101
longitude
by dead reckoning 22, 25, 28, 82, 98, 131, 131, 178
definition 20–1, 20
determining at sea 21, 25–8, 32, 76, 96, 98, 133, 156, 212–13, 221
determining on land 21, 25
by Ditton and Whiston’s method 39–42, 45
early measurement attempts 25–8
errors in the measurement of 28
importance of 16–19
by Jupiter’s satellites 39, 45–51, 53, 66, 73, 92, 99–101, 99, 109, 137, 179–80, 181
by magnetic inclination 43–5, 73, 202
by magnetic variation 43–5, 46–7, 73, 181–4
octant, use for determining 92, 93–5, 94
plotting geographical position by 20, 21
problem of determining 12, 19, 21, 22, 32–3, 34, 36, 76
rewards for a solution to the problem of 36–9, 65, 69–70, 73, 76, 77, 82, 99, 101, 102–3, 104, 108, 114, 116, 121, 122, 164, 166, 173, 199
see also lunar-distance method of longitude measurement; timekeeping method of longitude measurement
Longitude Act 164 1714 (British) 33–4, 36–9, 37, 53, 65–6, 68, 69–73, 76, 82, 96, 102–4, 108, 114, 121–2, 197 1765 (British) 103, 104, 117, 122
lookout 22, 25
Louis XIV 50
Ludlam, William 116, 117, 166
lunar occultation 96
lunar distance
form to aid calculation 123
French trials 151
method of longitude measurement 39, 51–7, 66, 92–3, 95–101, 103–4, 117, 126, 150, 156–7, 178, 212–3
use on the Cook expeditions 129–31, 131, 133, 137–44
Lyons, Israel 110
Lyttelton, George 76
Macartney, Lord George 186–7
Madagascar Strait 19
Madeira 92
Madras (now Chennai) 193
magnetic inclination 43–5, 73, 202
magnetic variation 43–5, 46–7, 73, 181–4
Magnificent (ship) 188, 192
Malaspina, Alejandro 154–5
Maldives 25
Manila galleons 17
Maori 131
Mapson, John 110
Margaret, Lady Clive 114
Margetts, George, marine chronometer (c.1790) 203
marine timekeepers
affordable 157, 158, 162–4
value 145–7
see also chronometer; clock; watch
see also specific makers
Mars 28
Marshall, John, navigational workbook 193–6, 196
Martens, Conrad 210–11
The Beagle in Beagle Channel (c.1834) 206–7
‘Portrait Cove, Beagle Channel’ (c.1834) 210–11
Maskelyne, Nevil 98–102, 124
and the construction of affordable timekeepers 108–9, 116–17, 119
and Cook’s voyages 129, 131–3, 138
death 175, 197
and magnetic variation 181
and Mr Harrison’s Watch 116, 122
and the Nautical Almanac 109–14, 112–13, 192
Nevil Maskelyne (Russell, c.1776) 98
Nevil Maskelyne (van der Puyl, 1785) 111
and the observation of Jupiter’s satellites 101, 109, 181
observing suit 110, 112
and the Tables Requisite 109, 110–12, 147
and The British Mariner’s Guide (1763) 98–9, 98
and Thomas Earnshaw 171–2
and Thomas Mudge 164, 166
and timekeepers 108–9, 116–17, 119
mass production 172, 175
Massey, Edward 178
mechanical log 178
Matavai Bay, Tahiti 132–3, 134–5
Matthews, William 116
Maudslay, Henry 174, 175
Mauritius 150, 193, 202
Mayer, Tobias 66, 94, 95–9, 101–3, 104
Germaniae atque in ea Locorum Principaliorum Mappa Critica (1750) 95, 96
repeating circle 96, 96
mechanical log 178, 178
mechanization 162–77, 187
Medici family 50
mégamètre 151
meridian 14–15, 16, 20, 214, 221
Merlin (ship) 92
Mexico 19
Michaelis, Johann David 96
Mitchell, John 116
Mombasa 207
Montevideo 214
Moon
eclipses 25–8, 45, 96, 112
effect of the Sun on the motion of 56, 56, 96
Mayer’s map 96
transits 112
see also lunar-distance method of longitude measurement
moondial 25
Moore, John Hamilton 147, 196
Moore, Jonas 53
Moore, Joshua 113
Morin, Jean-Baptiste 51
mortars 41, 73
mortising machine 174, 175
Mouat, Thomas 166
Mozambique 202, 206
Mudge, Thomas 116, 120, 162, 164–6
‘Blue’ 164
‘Green’ (1777) 162, 164
Thomas Mudge (Dance, c.1772) 162
Mudge, Thomas junior 164, 166
Murray, Thomas, Edmond Halley (c.1690) 44
Muscovy Company 16
Napoleonic Wars 188
Narborough, John 28
natural hazards 17
nautical almanac 104, 108
Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Ephemeris 104, 108–14, 108–9, 124, 131, 138, 145, 154–5, 157, 175, 188, 192, 197, 212, 214
Nautical Magazine 192–3
navies 19, 154
see also Royal Navy
navigation 12
by animals, birds and plants 22, 25
by coastal features 22
by man-made features 22
drive to improve navigational knowledge 31
mistakes 28
pilots (rutters) 22
Polynesian 131
practice of 22–5
workbook (Marshall) 193–6, 196
see also dead reckoning; Jupiter’s satellites; latitude; longitude; lunar distance; timekeeper method
Navy Board 150
Netherlands 16, 30
longitude research 36, 43
trade 17, 17, 19
see also Holland
New Holland (Australia) 150
New South Wales 150
New Spain (Mexico) 17
New Zealand 131, 141, 142
Newton, Isaac 31, 32, 39
and double reflection 93
and Flamsteed 56
inverse square law of gravity 96
Isaac Newton (Jervas, 1717) 38
and the measurement of longitude 42–3, 45, 56–7, 70–3
Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica 56, 56, 96
and the three-body problem 56, 96
Niebuhr, Carsten 96–8
Nootka Sound 128, 140, 140–1
Crisis 150
Norfolk Island 145
North, Lord 122
North America 155
north magnetic pole 202
North Pole 20, 145, 197, 199
North Sea 25
North-West Passage 28, 53, 128, 150, 184, 197–9
Norton Sound 140
Nunavut, Canada 28
observing platform (Chavasse, 1813) 179, 181
occultations, lunar 96
octant 96, 147, 194, 212
development 92, 93–5, 94
Hadley quadrant/octant 92, 95, 98, 124, 139
scales 172–5
see also Godfrey, Thomas,
Hadley, John
oil 92
Oman, Sultan of 207
Oosterwijck, Severyn 58, 60
Orford (ship) 82
Owen, Richard 189, 206–7
Owen, William Fitzwilliam 202, 206–7
Owen Glendower, log of the 212–13
Pacific islands 214
Pacific Ocean 16, 19, 28, 30, 82, 119, 128–33, 137, 137, 150–1, 154
palm oil 205, 207
parallel rule 211, 211
Paramore (ship) 45
Paris Observatory 36, 50, 50, 51
Parlour, Samuel 180, 181
Parramatta Observatory 214
Parry, Edward 197, 199, 200
Patagonia 210
Patterson, Robert 155
pendulum 57–8, 63, 76, 77
Pennington, Robert 166
Pepys, Samuel 22, 31
Tangier Papers (1683) 19
Philadelphia 25
Philip II of Spain 36
Philip III of Spain 36
Philip, Arthur 145, 151
Philippines 17, 19
Philosophical Transactions (journal) 25, 129
Phipps, Constantine 145
Pitcairn Island 147
Place, Francis, The Octagon Room at the Royal Observatory (c.1676) 57
plants 22
Point Venus, Tahiti 132–3, 134–5
polar exploration 197–202
Pole Star 21, 22
Pond, John 113, 114, 192
Porpoise (ship) 150
Port Desire 28
Port Essington 217
Port Jackson 150
Port Royal, Jamaica 92
Portsmouth dockyard 174, 175
Portsmouth harbour 192
Portugal 16, 17–19, 31
trade 19
Post Man 73
Price’s candles 205, 207
Prime Meridian 221
see also Greenwich Meridian
Prince Henry (ship) 98
Princess Louisa (ship) 101
Principles of Mr. Harrison’s Timekeeper (Harrison, 1767) 115, 119, 120–1
privateers 17, 30, 128
British 19
French 25
Proctor, John 82, 82
Providence (ship) 150
Ptolemy 20
quadrant
astronomical 139
Hadley 92, 95, 98, 124, 139
see also octant
Racehorse (ship) 145
Ra’iatea 129
Ramsden, Jesse 147, 154, 187
dividing engines of 171, 173, 175
Jesse Ramsden (Home, c.1791) 170, 173
sextant 143
Regiomontaus, Ephemerides 25
remontoire 85–7, 88
Resolution (ship) 122, 126, 128, 130, 131, 132–3, 134–5, 137, 140–1
Cook’s journal 131
Rio de Janeiro 214
Robbins, Reuben 113
Robertson, John 196
Robinson, John 122
rockets 73, 76, 206
Ross, James Clark 199, 202
Commander James Clark Ross (Wildman, 1834) 202
Ross, Captain John 184, 197, 199, 200
Rowe, Jacob 77
Royal Africa Company 16
Royal Commission 45
Royal Danish Expedition to Arabia 98
Royal Institution 197
Royal Mathematical School, Christ’s Hospital 31, 39, 193
Royal Naval Academy 193, 196
Royal Naval College, Portsmouth 192, 196–7
Royal Navy 95, 104, 129, 157, 178, 207, 217, 220
and the azimuth compass 184
and the Beagle voyages 210, 214
chronometer stock 192
First Fleet 145, 151
and Irwin’s marine chair 99
and magnetic variation 45
Masters of Navy ships 124–5
Scientific Branch 197
shipwrecks 30–1
and the slave trade 202
special expeditions 126
training 31, 150, 188, 193–7
see also Admiralty
Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope 197, 214
Royal Observatory, Greenwich 36, 50–1, 53, 56, 56, 70, 73, 99, 106, 188, 221
and John Arnold’s timepieces 166
chronometer testing 192
lunar observations 112
and the Nautical Almanac 108
Octagon Room 57, 57
and the production of affordable timekeepers 108–9, 116–17, 119
and Th
omas Earnshaw’s timepieces 171
and Thomas Mudge’s timepieces 164
time ball 192–3, 192
under the jurisdiction of the Board of Longitude 197
Royal Society 25, 34, 36, 39, 45, 50, 53, 56, 60, 63, 65, 70, 73, 120
and the Astronomer Royal 112
and Cook’s voyages 129, 133
and the Difference Engine 175
and John Hadley 93–5
and John Harrison’s clocks 77, 88
Rupert’s Land 155
Russell, John, Nevil Maskelyne (c.1776) 98
Russia 126
St Agnes lighthouse 24, 25
St George (ship) 30
St Helena 98, 133, 193
St Julian, harbour of 28
St Pierre, Le Sieur de 51, 53
Samgoonoodha harbour 137
Sandwich Sound 140
Saron, Jean-Baptiste Gaspard Bochart de 173
scales, divided 172–5
Scarborough Castle 22
Schee, Martin Archer, Thomas Earnshaw (c.1808) 166
Schetky, John Christian, ‘Loss of the Magnificent, 25 March 1804’ (1839) 190–1
science 34, 220–1
Scilly, Isles of chart of 24, 25
shipwreck 28–9, 30–1, 42
scoring machine, 174, 175
Scriblerus, Martinus (satirical character) 76
sea otter 144, 144
Selkirk, Alexander 30
Seller, John, Practical Navigation (1672) 24, 31
Senhouse, Joseph 181
Seven Years War 99, 129, 150
sextant 133, 139, 141, 147, 150–1, 155, 188, 194, 213, 214, 216
by John Bird (c.1758) 96, 97
by Nathaniel Worthington (c.1840) 172
by Ramsden (c.1772) 143
by Worthington & Allen (c.1831) 215
of John Lort Stokes 211
scales 172–5
Ship Cove, Nootka Sound 128, 140, 140
shipwreck 28–31, 28–9, 32–3, 42, 82, 188
Shooter’s Hill 41, 73
Shovell, Cloudesley 28–9, 30–1, 32–3, 42
Sirius (ship) 145
Sisson, Jeremiah 99
Sisson, Jonathan 94
slave trade 145, 202, 207
Sloane, Hans 73
Smith, Caleb 76
Snellen, William, marine timekeeper 119, 121
Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce 158, 177–8
Solar System, scale of 98
South America 28, 83, 154
South Pole 20
South Sea Bubble 69
South Seas 145
Southern Continent 128, 137
Southern Ocean 137
Spain 16, 19, 25, 31, 36, 43, 65, 126, 128, 154–5
Manila galleons 17
navy 154
and the Nootka Sound Crisis 150
trade 19
Spanish East Indies (Philippines) 17
Spanish Succession, war of the 39–42
speed of ship, measurement 22, 178, 184
see also log
spices 17
Sprat, Thomas, History of the Royal-Society of London (1667) 59, 60
spring-detent escapement 166, 171
Squire, Jane 73
stars 53
clock stars 112
observations of 112
Finding Longitude Page 23