Times not too long ago the Sextant was the main tool of a ships navigation person,they had a Longstaff before that but that only gave Latitude,sort of?
If you want a good read on the ways of a true genius who made Longitude posible by designing the most accurate time piece ever made,read Longitude by Dava Sobel.
Dava Sobel,picture by Libi Pedder,check out the Dava Sobel web site here http://www.davasobel.com/
The 1714 notice of a twenty thousand Pounds prize for anyone who could perfect an accurate clock,it was some twenty years before its committee was to meet for the first time.
The sextant can only perform when we have a perfect time piece,so enters a Carpenter named John Harrision,read below for a primer.
John Harrison, basically designed and built a series of clocks to try to win the prize, he spent most of his adult life on this huge endeavour. Unfortunately he was up against the Board of Longitude whose members were, to say the least, biased.
This is a fabulous story, not because it is true, and it is, but because you would be hard pushed to come up with a better thriller if you were setting out to write one from scratch. It is beautifully written, and depending on which copy you get, you may have the illustrations that allow you to see and appreciate the endeavours of Mr Harrison. Nigel and I have copies of both in our collection, and I would recommend you to hold out for the illustrated version if you have a choice, but the other is excellent, too.
I will warn you however, reading either version of the book will make you go and see the real things in the museum at Greenwich Observatory - they are truly breathtaking objects.
Chrissi (1st November 2001)
If you want a good read on the ways of a true genius who made Longitude posible by designing the most accurate time piece ever made,read Longitude by Dava Sobel.
I was fortunate to be invited (by myself) to view some really classic items on the HBYC marina,the basic discussion seemed to be to preserve not only the instrument but also how to use them,I say Bravo to that!
One of just 500 made,the owner has two sons,they also own one,how fantastic is that.
For sure a collectors item.
Boxed checked and ready to use,dated 1958 I think?
The box is an important part of the instrument.
A work of art,now I want own too.
How hard can this be?
Dava Sobel,picture by Libi Pedder,check out the Dava Sobel web site here http://www.davasobel.com/
The 1714 notice of a twenty thousand Pounds prize for anyone who could perfect an accurate clock,it was some twenty years before its committee was to meet for the first time.The sextant can only perform when we have a perfect time piece,so enters a Carpenter named John Harrision,read below for a primer.
This book is one of those popular non-fictions that made a huge impact on the public consciousness. We English people like our underdogs, even when the over-dogs are those dastardly English as well, and Longitude provides dogged behaviour in spadefuls, (or should it be pooper-scoop- fulls?)
Longitude is the story of John Harrison, a carpenter turned clockmaker in the eighteenth century. At this point in history, sailors were able to tell their latitude (northly-southly) but not their longitude (easty-westy). This caused many deaths, not least when the English fleet grounded off the Scilly isles, and led the government to propose a prize to the man or men who could come up with a practical and usable method of finding Longitude. John Harrison, basically designed and built a series of clocks to try to win the prize, he spent most of his adult life on this huge endeavour. Unfortunately he was up against the Board of Longitude whose members were, to say the least, biased.
This is a fabulous story, not because it is true, and it is, but because you would be hard pushed to come up with a better thriller if you were setting out to write one from scratch. It is beautifully written, and depending on which copy you get, you may have the illustrations that allow you to see and appreciate the endeavours of Mr Harrison. Nigel and I have copies of both in our collection, and I would recommend you to hold out for the illustrated version if you have a choice, but the other is excellent, too.
I will warn you however, reading either version of the book will make you go and see the real things in the museum at Greenwich Observatory - they are truly breathtaking objects.
Chrissi (1st November 2001)
R Mc B
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