Bruce's review
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time
by Dava Sobel
Bruce's review
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time by Dava Sobel
Bruce's review
rating:
I read this book several years ago. It is relatively small but is very well detailed regarding the efforts made to solve the problem of measurement of longitude on seafaring voyages. In the 17th and 18th Centuries, England was in great need of a way to accurately travel to far-flung reaches of its empire. Measurement of latitude is a simple enough affair because each degree of latitude was equidistant from the equator. Measurement of longitude was a far thornier affair because degrees of longitude would vary in distance with the latitude. What was needed was an extremely accurate timekeeping device, but the technology of the day was not sufficient.
This book recounts the efforts of John Harrison, essentially self-taught in matters of timepieces, who pursued the Longitude Prize, offered by the British government to whoever was able to provide the means by which to accurately measure longitude to a fairly exacting standard. The Prize, up to 20,000 British Pounds in early 18th Ce...more
This book recounts the efforts of John Harrison, essentially self-taught in matters of timepieces, who pursued the Longitude Prize, offered by the British government to whoever was able to provide the means by which to accurately measure longitude to a fairly exacting standard. The Prize, up to 20,000 British Pounds in early 18th Ce...more
