The Longitude Act offered a significant reward for a solution from "summary" of Longitude by Dava Sobel
In the early 18th century, determining longitude at sea posed a significant challenge for sailors and navigators. The inability to accurately pinpoint their location led to countless shipwrecks and lost lives. Recognizing the urgency of finding a solution, the British Parliament passed the Longitude Act in 1714. This landmark legislation promised a substantial reward to anyone who could devise a method for determining longitude with precision. The bounty offered by the Longitude Act was no ordinary sum. It was a princely reward of £20,000, equivalent to millions of pounds in today's currency. This sizable incentive was intended to attract the brightest minds and most innovative thinkers of the time. The hope was that by dangling such a tantalizing prize, the elusive problem of longitude could finally be solved. ...
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