BOARD of LONGITUDE Inventors

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

BOARD OF LONGITUDE Inventors Observations on Mr Mudge’s application to parliament for a reward for his timekeepers Date made Object ref. Credit 1793 RGO 14/23: 176 Cambridge University Library Description Questions Sir Joseph Banks wrote this letter to 1. How many watches had John Arnold Parliament to request they reward made in the time it had taken Mudge to watchmakers based on how accurate make three? their watches were. Thomas Mudge’s 2. What three reasons does Banks give not timekeepers had been shown to be less to reward Mudge? accurate than John Arnold’s in official trials. Yet this extract shows Parliament 3. Why do you think Banks wanted was considering giving him a much to support the improvement of the higher reward. watchmaking trade in Britain? Jisc-funded BOARD OF LONGITUDE Inventors Transcription ‘[no] Evidence has been brought forward to invalidate the Fact of Mr. ARNOLD’S Time- keepers going better than Mr. MUDGE’S. Justice therefore demands, that if Mr. MUDGE were to receive any further Reward, Mr. ARNOLD should receive a much greater; for, besides superior Accuracy, Mr. ARNOLD has an additional Claim upon the Generosity of the Nation, his Time-keepers having been many Years in the Possession of the Public, he having sold at least a Thousand, during a Period in which Mr. MUDGE is not known to have made more than Three; so that if Mr. ARNOLD could only have received common Salvage for the Ships that have been saved from Shipwreck by the Use of his Instruments, there is little Doubt that he would, at this Time, have been, in point of pecuniary Circumstances, much above demanding or receiving a Reward even out of the Money of the Nation. To reward Mr. MUDGE, and neglect Mr. ARNOLD, will not only be a manifest injustice to the superior Merit of the latter, but will also check the rising Hopes, and discourage the assiduous Application of many ingenious Artists, now employed in the Improvement of the Principles of Watch-making; Men who have been taught by the Board of Longitude to believe that Rewards will be granted to them proportioned to the Degrees of Perfection they may hereafter attain...’ Jisc-funded.

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Articles Articles
Articles Articles ALEXI BAKER “Precision,” “Perfection,” and the Reality of British Scientific Instruments on the Move During the 18th Century Résumé Abstract On représente souvent les instruments scientifiques Early modern British “scientific” instruments, including du 18e siècle, y compris les chronomètres de précision, precision timekeepers, are often represented as static, comme des objets statiques, à l’état neuf et complets en pristine, and self-contained in 18th-century depictions eux-mêmes dans les descriptions des débuts de l’époque and in many modern museum displays. In reality, they moderne et dans de nombreuses expositions muséales were almost constantly in physical flux. Movement and d’aujourd’hui. En réalité, ces instruments se trouvaient changing and challenging environmental conditions presque constamment soumis à des courants physiques. frequently impaired their usage and maintenance, Le mouvement et les conditions environnementales especially at sea and on expeditions of “science” and difficiles et changeantes perturbaient souvent leur exploration. As a result, individuals’ experiences with utilisation et leur entretien, en particulier en mer et mending and adapting instruments greatly defined the lors d’expéditions scientifiques et d’exploration. Ce culture of technology and its use as well as later efforts sont donc les expériences individuelles de réparation at standardization. et d’adaptation des instruments qui ont grandement contribué à définir la culture de la technologie. In 1769, the astronomer John Bradley finally the calculation of the distance between the Earth reached the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall and the Sun. Bradley had not needed to travel with his men, instruments, and portable tent as far as many of his Transit counterparts, but observatory after a stressful journey.
[Show full text]
Hordern House Rare Books Pty
77 vICTORIA STREET • POTTS POINT • SyDNEy NSw 2011 • AUSTRAlia • TElephONE (02) 9356 4411 • fAx (02) 9357 3635 HORDERN HOUSE RARE BOOKS PTY. LTD. A.B.N. 94 193 459 772 E-MAIL: [email protected] INTERNET: www.hordern.com DIRECTORS: ANNE McCORMICK • DEREK McDONNELL HORDERN HOUSE RARE BOOKS • MANUSCRIPTS • PAINTINGS • PRINTS • RARE BOOKS • MANUSCRIPTS • PAINTINGS • PRINTS • RARE BOOKS • MANUSCRIPTS • PAINTINGS Acquisitions • October 2015 Important Works on Longitude 2. [BOARD OF LONGITUDE]. The 3. [BUREAU DES LONGITUDES]. Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Connaissance des tems, a l’usage des Ephemeris, for the Year 1818. Astronomes et des Navigateurs pour l’an X… Octavo, very good in original polished calf, faithfully rebacked. London, John Octavo, folding world map and two Murray 1815. folding tables; an attractive copy in contemporary marbled calf, gilt, red Rare copy of the Nautical Almanac for spine label. Paris, l’Imprimerie de la 1818, a fundamental inclusion in the République, Fructidor, An VII, that is shipboard library of any Admiralty- circa August 1799. sponsored voyage. The Almanac was used for reckoning the longitude at sea A handsome copy of this rare work by the lunar method, and was closely by the French Bureau des Longitudes, studied by officers of the Royal Navy. for use by naval officers for the year The continued publication of such 1802 and 1803. The volume includes a almanacs is further proof that the handsome map of the world showing invention of the chronometer, (whilst the track of a solar eclipse that revolutionary), did not completely occurred in August of that year. Much supersede the necessity for other fail- like the British equivalent, these tables 1.
[Show full text]
“Precision,” “Perfection,” and the Reality of British Scientific Instruments on the Move During the 18Th Century Alexi Baker
Document generated on 09/29/2021 11:28 a.m. Material Culture Review “Precision,” “Perfection,” and the Reality of British Scientific Instruments on the Move During the 18th Century Alexi Baker Volume 74-75, 2012 Article abstract Early modern British “scientific” instruments, including precision timekeepers, URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/mcr74_75art01 are often represented as static, pristine, and self-contained in 18th-century depictions and in many modern museum displays. In reality, they were almost See table of contents constantly in physical flux. Movement and changing and challenging environmental conditions frequently impaired their usage and maintenance, especially at sea and on expeditions of “science” and exploration. As a result, Publisher(s) individuals’ experiences with mending and adapting instruments greatly defined the culture of technology and its use as well as later efforts at standardization. National Museums of Canada ISSN 0316-1854 (print) 0000-0000 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Baker, A. (2012). “Precision,” “Perfection,” and the Reality of British Scientific Instruments on the Move During the 18th Century. Material Culture Review, 74-75, 14–29. All rights reserved © National Museums of Canada, 2011 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research.
[Show full text]
Century Regulator by John Roger Arnold Expert Adviser's Statement
Case 5 2010-11 : An early 19 th -century regulator by John Roger Arnold Expert Adviser’s Statement EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Brief Description of item • What is it ? Longcase regulator • What is it made of ? Mahogany, brass and steel. • What are its measurements ? Height 193 cms. • Who is the artist/maker and what are his/her dates? John Roger Arnold (1769 – 1843) • What date is the item? 1795 – 1800 • What condition is it in? Good and original. 2. Context • Provenance From the time of manufacture to the recent sale at Bonham’s London Auction House (15th December 2009), making an assumption of inheritance, the regulator has a traceable provenance – see appendix 3 below. • Key literary and exhibition references The regulator has not been exhibited and has not featured in any published work. 3. Waverley criteria • Which of the Waverley criteria does the item meet? (If it is of ‘outstanding significance for the study of some particular branch of art learning or history’ which area of art learning or history). Waverley Criteria1 and 3. • Very briefly why? Waverley Criterion 1– It is so connected with our history (including local history) and national life that its departure would be a misfortune. This regulator is important because it is intimately connected with the life and business of one of Britain’s internationally recognised and celebrated chronometer making businesses and with the history of precision timekeeping in this country - an area in which London clock, watch and chronometer makers lead the world for over a century. The Arnold business had a history of providing regulators of the highest quality to observatories, perhaps the most celebrated examples being two regulators commissioned from John Arnold senior in April 1772 for the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
[Show full text]
The Early History of Chronometers : a Background Study Related to the Voyages of Cook, Bligh, and Vancouver
The Early History of Chronometers : A Background Study Related to the Voyages of Cook, Bligh, and Vancouver SAMUEL L. MAGE Y The purpose of this paper is to outline the historical developments relat ing to the chronometer, which played so crucial a part in the voyages of discovery made by Cook, Bligh and Vancouver. The inventor of the first successful chronometer — a technological marvel of precision watchmak ing — was John Harrison. His most famous model was the prize-winning H4 of 1759. Kendall's copy of this, known as Ki, helped Cook to plot the first charts of New Zealand and Australia. Ki was also used by Van couver, while K2 was once carried by Bligh on the Bounty.1 It is generally well known that in 1714 the British Admiralty offered a prize of twenty thousand pounds (possibly a million dollars in modern terms) for a method that could determine longitude on board a ship to within half a degree (or approximately thirty miles) on a passage to the West Indies. It is, however, less well appreciated how important a part the need for deter mining longitude had already played in the process of developing accurate clocks and watches for use on land as well as on the sea. Commander Waters has pointed out that "By about 1254 the Medi terranean seaman" knew his "direction between places to within less than 30 of arc", as well as his distances; "By about 1275 ... he had also a remarkably accurate sea chart of the whole of the Mediterranean and Black Sea coastlines", together with the sea compass and relevant table.2 Though there are claims that the sea compass was a European inven tion of slightly earlier date, Price feels that the use of the loadstone in navigation was probably of Chinese origin.
[Show full text]
Committed to Science Arnold at Christie's
102 Nature Vol. 291 14 May 1981 ment of those results by using the relevant research community's own judgements of Arnold at Christie's scientific value, both directly (through con An 8-day marine timekeeper which is fidential questionnaires) and indirectly being offered for sale on 3 June at (through publication rates and citation Christie's London auction rooms is frequencies). thought to be a prototype for the modern A preliminary version of the radio marine chronometer, and it has been astronomy study was read last year at a suggested that the spring detent which it closed session of the Organization for employs could be the earliest ever, pre Economic Cooperation and Development, dating the putative "Earnshaw" pattern and was very well received; but the wide cir by several years. Made by John Arnold in culation of that paper, particularly in the London around 1775, the design of this Netherlands and West Germany, whose un-numbered chronometer throws light own radio telescopes were also assessed on the many problems which confronted (not all favourably) led to recrimination Arnold in his efforts to construct a from Jodrell Bank, which did not do so timekeeper which would be accurate and well in the study. And now North-Holland, reliable and could also be made in the publisher of Research Policy, in which quantity at a relatively low price. the final paper was to appear, is said to be His chronometer (a term he himself refusing to publish the radioastronomy coined) was designed to keep the same work. rate of going in every position and it Moreover, the originator of the SPRU incorporates a mechanism to compensate study, Sussex physicist Dr Norman for changes in temperature.
[Show full text]
John Arnold, London, Invt. Et Fecit, Movement No. 43/344, 54 Mm, 119 G, Circa 1783 John Roger Arnold, London, Inv.T Et Fecit, Mo
139 John Roger Arnold, London, Inv.t et Fecit, Movement No. 2045, Case No. 2045, 58 mm, 187 g, circa 1808 An English pocket chronometer with spring detent escapement Case: silver, case maker’s punch mark “FT” (Frederick Thoms), London hallmark for 1891. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, Arnold’s spring detent escapement, Z balance with 2 weights and 2 screws, blued helical balance spring, very finely engraved balance cock. Chronometers made by John Arnold and his son John Roger Arnold were valued very highly and usually in use for decades. The watch at hand is an excellent example of this; the movement was fitted into a new, tailor-made case made by Frederick Thoms, who was most likely the most famous casemaker in his time. On the same occasion, the movement was updated with a new dial and a new set of hands. John Roger Arnold Inv.t et Fect — ，倫敦，英國懷錶時計，附發條衝擊式天文台擒縱 52200 C: 2, 22 D: 2, 22, 32, 33 M: 2, 41, 51 6.500 - 8.500 EUR 7.700 - 10.000 USD 58.500 - 76.500 HKD 140 John Arnold, London, Invt. et Fecit, Movement No. 43/344, 54 mm, 119 g, circa 1783 A pocket chronometer - “OF THE SECOND QUALITY” - of historical interest with spring detent escapement and original mahogany box Case: silver, dedication engraving, case maker’s punch mark “WW”. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, Arnold’s spring detent escapement, OZ balance, helical gold balance spring, very finely engraved pierced balance cock. The engraving on the silver case next to the compulsory hallmark and the date stamp of 1783 states that “This chronometer travelled around the world with captain James Cook and was presented to the honourable Mr.
[Show full text]
The Arnold Family Association of the South Quarterly ______
The Arnold Family Association of the South Quarterly _____________________________________________________________________________ Vol. I Winter Issue No. 2 _____________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents Page From the Editor's Pen 37 Meet Our Members 37 Hotton's Ships' Lists, et al 41 Revolutionary Records 43 Addenda to Francis Arnold's Records 44 Elisha Arnold of Henry County, Virginia 45 Arnolds-Logan County,Kentucky Wills and Administrations 45 Abstract of Leonard Andrea's Notes-Part I 51 Some Virginia Marriages 54 Continuation of Swem's Index 60 Roswell, Georgia. Cemetery Records 65 The Richard D. Winn story of Daniel Hopkins Arnold 66 Edward S. Arnold's Administration-Greenvi1le, S.C 66 Spartanburg,South Carolina Deeds(Books A-Z),Cross index 68 All other spellings of the name Arnold Arnolds-Franklin County, Tennessee Miscellaneous 72 Sim's Index to Land Grants in West Virginia 76 1800 Census: Spartanburg, Laurens and Union Counties, 77 South Carolina. Arnold and allied fami1ies. Reviews 80 In Forthcoming Issues 83 Pardon Our Miss Steaks 83 Queries 84 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Arnold Family Association of the South Quarterly is published each Fall (August 1), Winter (November 1), SprIng (February 1), Summer (May 1) at 2431 Eaton Gate Road, Lake Orion, Michigan, 48035. All contributions for publica- tion or comments to the Editor, Mrs. Hazel Arnold MacIvor, should be sent to the above address. Purpose: The purpose of the Arnold Family Association off the South is to bring into contact with one another all those who are researching Arnold and allied families, who either originated in the South, or came through it and stayed long enough to leave records.
[Show full text]
True Solar Time, Wherever and Whenever You Are
92 | Invention Invention | 93 High Noon True solar time, wherever and whenever you are James Gurney 6 Arnold & Son’s new True North Perpetual is a paragon of clever thinking: unlike any other ‘equation of time’ watch, it can indicate the true solar time for any given location, allow for daylight-saving schemes and indicate true north once a day. Seemingly determined to live up to the traditions of its name, Arnold & Son has become a hotbed of invention. After all, why use such a name merely as dial decoration? Eric Loth, CEO of The British Masters has challenge that originally made John challenge of commercialising production taken the bit between his teeth when it Arnold’s reputation. As Dava Sobel’s of marine chronometers and who became comes to ensuring that his present-day excellent Longitude made clear, the the main supplier to the Royal Navy. Arnold & Son brand is a worthy successor competition to discover a reliable means to the original London clockmakers. of finding longitude was eventually won While the basic theory that midday Working closely with movement makers by John Harrison and his series of marine differences between a ship’s position and La Joux Perret (see ‘Venus’, p.82), Loth’s chronometers. It was however, Arnold & a reference time are sufficient to give team took as a starting point the Son that successfully rose to the longitude, performing the same operation White-gold variant of Arnold & Son’s True North Perpetual (£27,200). © QP Magazine 2007 94 | Invention Invention | 95 (Left) This CAD diagram at other times of the day is open to error, due to shows the equation the periodic difference between mean time and cam at a position that indicates the maximum solar time.
[Show full text]
Hornet History Collection 'James Cook'
Instrument Collection DBG A watch with two heartbeats With a timepiece that references to John Arnold and his son’s watchmaking heritage, Arnold & Son unveils the DBG. The initials stand for the watch’s two major complications, “double balance” and “GMT”. It features the newly developed manufacture A&S1209 calibre. Conceived, designed and manufactured in-house, this superbly engineered wristwatch heralds in the Instrument Collection that combines instrument precision with classical styling. A masterpiece of perfect symmetry, the Instrument DBG Equation GMT features two separate time displays, each driven by its own barrel and gear train with its own escapement and balance. This highly unusual technical specification permits the two displays to be set independently of each other. Although it is a standard feature of watches displaying two or more time zones for the hour hands to be set to different times, being able to set the minute hand as well opens up other possibilities. It means, for instance, that the display can be set to show the precise time in zones that differ from Greenwich Mean Time by a fraction of an hour, such as a quarter or a half. In addition, a subdial at 12 o’clock shows the equation of the two time zones on a 24-hour basis. This enables the wearer to see the time difference between the two zones and also to ascertain whether it is day or night in the second zone. Both time zones share a common permanent seconds in the shape of the long slender hand emanating from the centre of the dial, which is a hallmark feature of the new Arnold & Son’s Instrument collection.
[Show full text]
The World's Greatest Living Watchmaker, George Daniels, Is
THE WATCHMAKERS The world’s greatest living watchmaker, George Daniels, is renowned for making every single part of his watches – right down to the spring and screw – by hand. And now another master watchmaker is following in his footsteps… Fe at u r e Jo Durden-Smith P h o t o g r ap h y Christopher Furlong passion l T i m e p i e c e s When in the late 1980s George Daniels visited the Manchester ‘He took me out to the workshop at the back of his house,’ School of Horology in the north of England, the buzz soon went remembers Roger Smith, ‘and looked at it. And then he said: round. He was the world’s greatest living watchmaker, the “W ell, you got it to work – that’s good. But it looks hand-made. It teachers said, and he did something almost incomprehensible: he ought to look as if it’s been created out of thin air, like a work of made every single part of his pocket watches and wristwatches art – there should be no tell-tale marks from the maker. So what by hand – dial, case, hands, mechanism, all the way down to you should do now is put this at the back of your bench. Start a the tiniest spring and screw . He was a living anachronism, a fr esh watch and concentrate on finish this time”.’ contemporary incarnation of the great British craftsmen of the Once again Smith took Daniels’s advice. But his next watch, a W18th and early 19th centuries – John Harrison, Thomas Mudge, tw i n - b a r r el, four-year repeating calendar watch, with a one-minute John Arnold and Thomas Earnshaw – who had fought an often tourbillon, took him five and a half years to make.
[Show full text]
Articles Published in Antiquarian Horology Volumes 1-29 December 1953 - June 2008
Articles published in Antiquarian Horology Volumes 1-29 December 1953 - June 2008 VOLUME 1 1953 Vol.1/1 Roll of Founder members ............................................................................................................................................ 3 No Real Night by H Alan Lloyd ................................................................................................................................. 4 An Unorthodox Watch by C S Jagger........................................................................................................................ 6 The Tower of Babel by John W Castle ...................................................................................................................... 7 Vol.1/2 A neglected Chapter by T P Camerer Cuss .............................................................................................................. 10 A Viennese Flower-Vase Clock by Dr H von Bertele .............................................................................................. 13 Bejamin Lewis Vulliamy by S Benson Beevers ....................................................................................................... 15 15th & 16th Century Clocks by C B Drover................................................................................................................ 17 Early Oxford Clockmakers by Dr C F C Beeson ...................................................................................................... 19 Vol.1/3 The Huygens Collection by F A B Ward ..................................................................................................................
[Show full text]