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Transcript of the 23 Longitude Acts

 

The Board of Longitude existed from 1714 until 1828. The original Act of Parliament that created it, or to be more precise, appointed the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea (also referred to as the Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude) was passed in 1714. As well as appointing the Commissioners, the act also spelt out their duties and the awards at their disposal. First added to in 1741, the act was subsequently amended, or repealed and replaced on numerous occasions until the Board was dissolved by Act of Parliament in 1828.

The act of 1776 (16 Geo 3. c.6) which concerned the discovery of a north west passage and can be regarded as the precursor of sections 9–14 of the 1818 Longitude Act (58 Geo 3. c.20). It built on an earlier act, by adding the Commissioners of Longitude to the Commissioners appointed by an act of 1745 (18 Geo. 2, c.17) to administer the rewards offered for ‘discovering a north west passage through Hudson’s Streights’. Although the 1745 act did not involve the Comissioners for the Discovery of Longitude, it is included below because of its significance as a precursor act. There are 23 acts in total.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Act 1: 1714 (12 Anne. c.15.)

Transcribed from Pickering's The Statutes at Large, Vol 13, p.116 (1764)

 

*****
 
An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at Sea.
 
















Commissioners appointed for discovering the longitude, and receiving proposals relating to it.








Commissioners to certify the probability of such discovery to the commissioners of the navy, who shall make out a bill for 2,000l. for making the experiments.




14Geo.2.c39.
26Geo.2.c.

To be paid by the treasurer of the navy.		 WHEREAS it is well known by all that are acquainted with the art of navigation, That nothing is so much wanted and desired at Sea, as the discovery of the longitude, for the safety and quickness of voyages, the preservation of ships, and the lives of men: and whereas in the judgment of able mathematicians and navigators, several methods have already been discovered, true in theory though very difficult in practice, some of which (there is reason to expect) may be capable of improvement, some already discovered may be proposed to the publick, and others may be invented hereafter. And whereas such a discovery would be of particular advantage to the trade of Great Britain, and very much for the honour of this kingdom; but besides the great difficulty of the thing itself, partly for the want of some publick reward to be settled as an encouragement for so useful and beneficial a work, and partly for want of money for trials and experiments necessary thereunto, no such inventions or proposals, hitherto made, have been brought to perfection; be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons, in parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the lord high admiral of Great Britain, or the first commissioner of the admiralty, the speaker of the honourable house of commons, the first commissioner of the navy, the first commissioner of trade, the admirals of the red, white, and blue squadrons, the master of the Trinity-house, the president of the royal society, the royal astronomer of Greenwich, the Savilian, Lucasian, and Plumian professors of the mathematicks in Oxford and Cambridge, all for the time being, the right honourable Thomas earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, Philip lord bishop of Hereford, George lord bishop of Bristol, Thomas lord Trevor, the honourable Sir Thomas Hanmer baronet, speaker of the honourable house of commons, the honourable Francis Robarts esq; James Stanhope esq; William Clayton esq; and William Lowndes esq; be constituted, and they are hereby constituted commissioners for the discovery of the longitude at sea, and for examining, trying, and judging of all proposals, experiments, and improvements relating to the same; and that the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, have full power to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that shall be made to them for discovering the laid longitude; and in case the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such discovery, as to think it proper to make experiment thereof, they shall certify the same under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the persons names, who are the authors of such proposals; and upon producing such certificate, the said commissioners are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for any such sum or sums of money, not exceeding two thousand pounds, as the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, or any five or more of them, shall think necessary for making the experiments, payable by the treasurer of the navy; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy is hereby required to pay immediately to such person or persons as shall be appointed by the commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, to make those experiments, out of any money that shall be in his hands, unapplied for the use of the navy.
The commissioners to determine how far any proposal is practicable.
 II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That after experiments made of any proposal or proposals for the discovery of the said longitude, the commissioners appointed by this act, or the major part of them, shall declare and determine how far the same is found practicable, and to what degree of exactness.
Reward to the first discovererer.












When to be paid.
 III. And for a due and sufficient encouragement to any such person or persons as shall discover a proper method for finding the said longitude, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers of any such method, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be entitled to, and have such reward as herein after is mentioned; that is to say, to a reward, or sum of ten thousand pounds, if it determines the said longitude to one degree of a great circle, or sixty geographical miles; to fifteen thousand pounds, if it determines the same to two thirds of that distance; and to twenty thousand pounds, if it determines the fame to one half of the same distance; and that one moiety or half-part of such reward or sum shall be due and paid when the said commissioners, or the major part of them, do agree that any such method extends to the security of ships within eighty geographical miles of the shores, which are places of the greatest danger, and the other moiety or half-part, when a ship by the appointment of the said commissioners, or the major part of them, shall thereby actually fail over the ocean, from Great Britain to any such port in the West-Indies, as those commissioners, or the major part of them, shall choose or nominate for the experiment, without losing their longitude beyond the limits before mentioned.
As soon as such method shall have been found practicable, the commissioners shall certify the same to the commissioners of the navy, who shall make out bills for payment of the reward, and the treasurer of the navy shall pay the same.
 IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That as soon as such method for the discovery of the said longitude shall have been tried and found practicable and useful at sea, within any of the degrees aforesaid, That the said commissioners, or the major part of them, shall certify the same accordingly, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the person or persons names, who are the authors of such proposal; and upon such certificate the said commissioners are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for the respective sum or sums of money, to which the author or authors of such proposal, their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be entitled by virtue of this act; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy is hereby required to pay to the said author or authors, their executors, administrators, or assigns, out of any money that shall be in his hands unapplied to the use of the navy, according to the true intent and meaning of this act.
The commissioners may allow a less reward for any proposal of considerable use to the publick.
 V. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any such proposal shall not, on trial, be found of so great use, as aforementioned, yet if the same, on trial, in the judgment of the said commissioners, or the major part of them, be found of considerable use to the publick, that then in such case, the said author or authors, their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall have and receive such less reward therefore, as the said commissioners, or the major part of them, shall think reasonable, to be paid by the treasurer of the navy, on such certificate, as aforesaid.

 

 

 

 

Act 2: 1741 (14 Geo 2. c.39.)

Transcribed from Raithby's The Statutes Relating to the Admiralty, Navy, Shipping, and Navigation of the United Kingdom from 9 Hen.III. to 3 Geo.IV. inclusive, p.190 (1823)

 

*****
 
An Act for surveying the Chief Ports and Head Lands on the Coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Islands and Plantations thereto belonging, in order to the more exact Determination of the Longitude and Latitude thereof.
 
12 Ann, stat.2.c.15.






















Commissioners empowered to apply such Part of 2,000l. herein mentioned as they shall think necessary.		 WHEREAS by an Act of Parliament made in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled An Act for providing a Public Reward for such Person or Persons as shall discover the Longitude at Sea; the Commissioners therein named, or any Five or more of them, have full Power to hear and receive any Proposal or Proposals that shall be made to them for discovering the said Longitude; and in case the said Commissioners, or any Five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the Probability of any such Discovery, as to think proper to make Experiment thereof, they shall certify the same under their Hands and Seals to the Commissioners of the Navy for the Time being, together with the Persons Names who are Authors of such Proposals ; and upon producing such Certificate, the said Commissioners are thereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills for any Sum of Money not exceeding Two thousand Pounds, as the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, or any Five or more of them, shall think necessary for making the Experiments, payable by the Treasurer of the Navy to such Person or Persons as shall be appointed by the Commissioners for Discovery of the Longitude, to make those Experiments : And for a due and sufficient Encouragement to any such Person or Persons as shall discover a proper Method for finding the said Longitude, it is thereby further enacted, that the Authors or Discoverers of any such Method shall be entitled to the respective Sums therein mentioned, if it determines the said Longitude according to the respective Degrees of Exactness in the said Act described; and that a Moiety of such Reward or Sum shall be due and paid when the said Commissioners, or the major Part of them, agree that such Method extends to the Security of Ships within Eighty Geographical Miles of the Shores, which are Places of the greatest Danger: And whereas it is absolutely necessary for making such Discovery useful at Sea, and for the Security of Ships approaching near the Shores, that the Chief Ports and Head Lands on the Coasts of Great  Britain and Ireland, and the Islands and Plantations thereto belonging, should be first surveyed, and the Longitude and Latitude of such Places determined more exactly than has hitherto been done : And whereas some Doubts have arisen whether by the Words of the said Act of Parliament the said Sum of Two thousand Pounds appointed for making such Experiments, or any Part thereof, can be applied for such Survey, or fixing the Longitude or Latitude of such Places: Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the said Commissioners for discovering the Longitude, or any Five or more of them, shall have full Power to apply such Part of the said Sum of Two thousand Pounds mentioned in the said Act, as has not already been laid out in Experiments, as they shall think necessary for the making such Survey, and determining the Longitude and Latitude of the Chief Ports and Head Lands on the Coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Islands and Plantations thereto belonging; and that such Sum or Sums, Part of the said Two thousand Pounds, which the said Commissioners, or any Five or more of them shall think necessary, shall be paid immediately by the Treasurer of the Navy, to such Person or Persons as shall be appointed by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, to make such Survey, and determine such Longitude and Latitude out of the Money that shall be in the Hands of such Treasurer unapplied, for the Use of the Navy.

 

 

 

 

Act (3): 1745 (18 Geo. 2. c.17.)

Transcribed from Basket's The Statutes at Large, Vol 6, p.606 (1764)

Note: This act does not relate directly to the Commissioners of Longitude, but is included as it is the precursor to the 1776 Longitude Act (16 Geo 3. c.6).

 

*****
 
An Act for giving a publick Reward to such Person or Persons, his Majesty's Subject or Subjects, as shall discover a North West Passage through Hudson's Streights, to the Western and Southern Ocean of America.
 








Reward of 20,000l. to the Owner of the Vessel discovering a North West Passage,		 WHEREAS the discovering of a North West Passage through Hudson's Streights, to the Western American Ocean, will be of great Benefit and Advantage to the Trade of this Kingdom: And whereas it will be a great Encouragement to Adventurers to attempt the same, if a publick Reward was given to such Person or Persons as shall make a perfect Discovery of the said Passage: May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; And be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That if any Ship or Vessel or Ships or Vessels belonging to any his Majesty's Subjects, shall find out and sail through any Passage by Sea between Hudson's Bay and the Western and Southern Ocean of America, the Owner or Owners of such Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels as aforesaid, so first finding out and sailing through the said Passage, his or their Executors, Administrators or Assigns, shall be intitled to receive, and shall receive as a Reward for such Discovery, the Sum of twenty thousand Pounds.
Commissioners for the Discovery;









impowered to examine the Claimants Witnesses;






and grant a Certificate to the Person entitled.		 II. And in order to ascertain who are the first Discoverers of the said Passage, and to whom the Reward hereby given does of Right belong; Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain for the Time being, the Lord President of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council for the Time being, the Lord Privy Seal for the Time being, the Lord Steward of his Majesty's Household for the Time being, the Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household for the Time being, the Lord High Treasurer, or First Commissioner for executing the Office of Treasurer of his Majesty's Exchequer for the Time being, the Lord High Admiral, or first Commissioner for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain for the Time being, his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State for the Time being, the Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons for the Time being, the Chancellor and under Treasurer of his Majesty's Exchequer for the Time being, the first Commissioner for Trade and Plantations for the Time being, the Treasurer of his Majesty's Navy for the Time being, the Admirals of the Red, White, and Blue Squadrons for the Time being, be, and they are hereby appointed Commissioners for the said Discovery; and are hereby authorized and impowered to examine upon Oath any Person or Persons produced by the Claimant or Claimants to such Reward (which Oath the said Commissioners, or any three or more of them, are hereby impowered and required to administer) and the said Commissioners, or the major Part of them, of which the Lord High Admiral, or the First Commissioner for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain for the Time being, shall be one, being fully satisfied, upon Examination and Proof, that such Passage by Sea is effectually discovered, and sailed through as aforefaid, are hereby authorized and required to grant a Certificate under their Hands and Seals, to such Person or Persons as they shall judge are intitled to the fame; which Certificate shall be produced to the Lord High Treasurer, or any three or more of the Commissioners of the Treasury for the Time being; and the said Sum of twenty thousand Pounds shall be paid to such Person or Persons as are named in the said Certificate, his or their Executors, Administrators, or Assigns, out of any of the Aids or Supplies which shall be granted in Parliament to his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, after the said Discovery shall be compleated, and the said Certificate thereof produced as aforesaid.
Adventurers to be assisted in Distress. III. And, as a further Encouragement, and to promote the prosecuting of and finding out such Passage; Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Persons whatsoever, being Subjects of his Majesty, and residing in any place where the said Adventurers may come, in the Prosecution of the said Discovery, shall give the said Adventurers all Aid and assistance requisite; and that the said Persons, being subjects as aforesaid, shall no ways obstruct, molest, or refuse the said Adventurers reasonable Succour, in any Distress they may fall into, in the prosecuting such Discovery as aforesaid.
This act not to prejudice the Company of Adventurers to Hudson Bay. IV. Provided always, That nothing in this Act shall any ways extend, or be construed to take away or prejudice any of the Estate, Rights, or Privileges of or belonging to the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Act 4: 1753 (26 Geo 2. c.25.)

Transcribed from Pickering's The Statutes at Large, Vol 21, p.94 (1766)

 

*****
 
An act to render more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said act.
 
12 Ann.ft.2.c.15.



















14 Geo.2.c.39










































































The commissioners constituted by 122 Ann.c.15. impowered to receive proposals for discovering the longitude, and where they think proper to make experiments, they are to certify the same, and the author's name to the commissioners of the navy, who are to make out a bill for such a limited sume as shall be thought necessary,



to be paid to the person making the experiment		 WHEREAS by an act of parliament made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, the commissioners therein and thereby named and constituted, or any five or more of them, have full power to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that fall be made to them for discovering the said longitude ; and in case the Said commissioners, or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such discovery, as to think it proper to make experiment thereof, they mall certify the same under their hands and seals to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the persons names who are authors of such proposals; and upon producing such certificate, the said commissioners are thereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for any such sum or sums of money not exceeding two thousand pounds, as the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, or any five or more of them all think necessary for making the experiments, payable by the treasurer of the navy: which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy is by the said act required to pay immediately to such person or persons as shall be appointed by the commissioners for discovery of the said longitude to make those experiments, out of any money that shall be in his hands unapplied for the use of the navy: and whereas for a due and sufficient encouragement to any such person or persons as shall discover a proper method for finding the said longitude, it is likewise enacted by the said act, That the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers of any such method, his or their executors, administrators or assigns, ball be intitled to and have such reward, as in the said act is particularly mentioned: and whereas by another act of parliament made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for surveying the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging, in order to the more exact determination of the longitude and latitude thereof; reciting in part the said act of parliament made in the twelfth year of the reign of her said late Majesty Queen Anne; and also reciting that it was absolutely necessary for making the discovery useful at sea, and for the security of ships approaching near the mores that the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging, should be first surveyed, and the longitude and latitude of such places determined more exactly than had then been done, and likewise reciting that some doubts had arisen, whether by the words of the said act of parliament made in the twelfth year of Queen Anne, the said sum of two thousand pounds appointed for making such experiments, or any part thereof, could be applied for such survey, or fixing the longitude or latitude of such places, it was enacted by the said act made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, That the said commissioners for discovering the longitude, or any five or more of them, should have full power to apply such part of the said sum of two thousand pounds mentioned in the said first  recited act, as had not then been laid out in experiments, as they should think necessary for the making such survey, and determining the longitude and latitude of the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging; and that such sum or sums, part of the said two thousand pounds, which the said commissioners or any five or more of them, should think necessary, should be paid immediately by the treasurer of the navy to such person or persons as should be appointed by the said commissioners for the discovery of the longitude to make such survey, and determine such longitude and latitude, cut of the money that should be in the hands of such treasurer unapplied for the use of the navy: and whereas a competent number of the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude have (by virtue of the powers vested in them by the said act made in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne) heard and received several proposals made to them at different times for discovering the said longitude, and were so far satisfied of the probabilities of such discoveries, that they thought it proper to make experiments thereof, and accordingly certified the same from time to time to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the name of master John Harrison, who was author of the said proposals; whereupon bills were made out for several sums of money, amounting in the whole to one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds, all which respective sums were paid to the said John Harrison by the treasurer of the navy, pursuant to the directions of the said last mentioned act of parliament, as parts of the said two thousand pounds therein mentioned; which the said commissioners for discovering the said longitude thought necessary for making the said experiments: and whereas a like competent number of the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude did (by virtue and in pursuance of the powers vested in them by the said several above-mentioned acts of parliament) appoint master William Whiston to survey and determine the longitude and latitude of the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging: and did also apply the further sum of five hundred pounds (other part of the said sum of two thousand pounds mentioned in the said act made in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne) which they thought necessary for the making such survey, and determining the said last-mentioned longitude and latitude, and which said sum of five hundred pounds was paid to the said William Whiston accordingly by the treasurer of the navy : and whereas by reason of the several payments made by the treasurer of the navy to the said John Harrison and William Whiston respectively as aforesaid; amounting in the whole to one thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds, the said commissioners for discovering the said longitude have at present, by virtue of the said acts of parliament, power only to apply the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, and no more (being the remainder of the said two thousand pounds) towards making any further experiments which they may think proper and necessary to be made, in order to discover the said longitude : and whereas from the experiments which have already been made in pursuance of the powers vested in the said commissioners as aforesaid, there is great reason to expect, that by continuing to encourage ingenious persons, to invent and make further improvements and experiments, in order to discover the said longitude, such discoveries may at length be produced, as will effectually answer that end, and thereby contribute very much to the advantage of the trade and honour of this kingdom: therefore for enabling the said commissioners to cause such further experiments to be made as they shall think proper for the purposes aforesaid; be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the said commissioners constituted by the said act of parliament made in the twelfth year of the reign of the late Queen Anne, for the discovery of the longitude at sea, and for examining, trying and judging of all proposals, experiments and improvements relating to the same or any five or more of them have full power to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that have been or shall hereafter be made to them for discovering the said longitude at sea; and in case the said commissioners or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such proposal or discovery as to think it proper to make experiment thereof, they shall certify the same under their hands and seals to the commissioners of the navy for the time the being, together with the persons names who shall be the authors of such proposals; and upon producing such certificate, the said commissioners of the navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for any such sum or sums of money not exceeding two thousand pounds, over and above the aforesaid sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, being the remainder of the two thousand pounds mentioned in the said act made in the twelfth year of the reign of the late Queen Anne, as the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, or any five or more of them shall think necessary for making any experiments in pursuance of this act, or either of the said former acts above-mentioned, payable by the treasurer of the navy; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy for the time being is hereby required to pay immediately to such person or persons as shall be appointed by the commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude to make those experiments, out of any money that shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied for the use of the navy.
Additional commissioners appointed.


Additional commissioners appointed.		 II. And whereas many of the commissioners appointed by the said act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen are deceased: be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the governor of the royal hospital for seamen at Greenwich for the time being, the judge of the high court of admiralty for the time being, the secretaries of the treasury for the time being, the secretary of the admiralty for the time being, and the comptroller of the navy for the time being, shall be, and they are hereby added to and joined with such of the commissioners appointed by the said act for discovering the longitude as are surviving; and the said persons hereby appointed commissioners, shall and may act, to all intents and purposes, for putting in execution the said former acts and this present act, as fully and effectually as if they had been appointed commissioners by the said act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne.

 

 

 

 

 

Act 5: 1761 (2 Geo 3. c.18.)

Transcribed from Pickering's The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761, Continued, Vol 25 part 1, p.97 (1763)

 

*****
 
An act for rendering more effectual an ait made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude.
 
Preamble, reciting clauses in act 12 Anne,
























14 Geo.II.




















and 26 Geo.II.






















The commissioners constituted under the recited acts, are impowered to hear and receive proposals for discovering the longitude at sea; and being so far satisfied of the probability of any such proposal, as to think proper to make experiment thereof, they are to certify the same, with the authors names, to the commissioners of the navy; who are to make out bills thereupon for any sum or sums not exceeding 2,000l. as shall be thought necessary; to be paid by the treasurer of the navy out of any money in his hands unapplied.


 WHEREAS by an act of parliament made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, “ An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea,” the commissioners therein named, or any five or more of them, have full power to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that mall be made to them for discovering the said longitude ; and in case the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such discovery, as to think it proper to make experiment thereof, they shall certify the same, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the persons names who are authors of such proposals; and upon producing such certificate, the said commissioners are thereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for any such sum or sums of money, not exceeding two thousand pounds, as the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, or any five or more of them, shall think necessary, for making the experiments, payable by the treasurer of the navy; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy is, by the said act, required to pay immediately to such person or persons as fall be appointed by the said commissioners to make those experiments, out of any money that shall be in his hands unapplied for the use of the navy: and whereas, for a due and sufficient encouragement to any such person or persons as Mall discover a proper method for finding the said longitude, it is likewise enacted by the said act, That the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers, of any such method, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be intituled to, and have, such reward as in the said act is particularly mentioned: and whereas by another act of parliament made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the Second, intituled, “An act for surveying the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging, in order to the more exact determination of the longitude and latitude thereof,” it was enabled, That the said commissioners for discovering the said longitude, or any five or more of them, should have full power to apply such part of the said sum of two thousand pounds, mentioned in the said first recited act, as had not then been laid out in experiments, as they should think necessary for the making such survey, and determining the longitude and Latitude of the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging; and that such sum or sums, part of the said two thousand pounds, which the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, should think necessary, should be paid immediately by the treasurer of the navy, to such person or persons as should be appointed by the said commissioners to make such survey, and determine such longitude and latitude, out of the money that should be in the hands of such treasurer unapplied for the use of the  navy: and whereas by an act made in the twenty sixth year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the Second, intituled, “An act to render more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall  discover the longitude at sea,” with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude, and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said aft, the further sum of two thousand pounds was directed to be applied in such manner as the commissioners for the discovery of the longitude should think necessary, for making further experiments: and whereas the said commissioners have, by virtue of the powers vested in them by the said several acts before-mentioned, heard and received several proposals made to them, at different times, for discovering the said longitude, and have, accordingly, certified the same, from time to time, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, whereupon bills have been made out for several sums of money, amounting, in the whole, to four thousand pounds; all which respective sums have been paid to several persons by the treasurer of the navy, pursuant to the directions of the said acts of parliament ; which the said commissioners, for discovering the longitude, thought necessary for making the said experiments: and whereas by reason of the several payments made by the treasurer of the navy to the several persons as aforesaid, the said commissioners have, by virtue of the said acts of parliament, expended the whole of the sums thereby granted for the purposes aforesaid: and whereas, from the experiments which have already been made in pursuance of the powers vested in the said commissioners as aforesaid, there is great reason to expect that, by continuing to encourage ingenious persons to invent and make further improvements and experiments, in order to discover the said longitude, such discoveries may at length be produced as will effectually answer that end, and thereby contribute very much to the advantage of the trade and honour of this kingdom: therefore, for enabling the said commissioners to cause such further experiments to be made as they fall think proper for the purposes aforesaid, be it enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the fame, That the said commissioners, constituted by the said several acts of parliament before-mentioned for the discovery of the longitude at sea, and for examining, trying, and judging, of all proposals, experiments, and improvements, relating to the fame, or any five or more of them, shall have full power to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that have been, or shall hereafter be, made to them for discovering the said longitude at sea; and in case the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such proposal or discovery, as to think it proper to make experiment thereof, they shall certify the same, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the persons names who shall be the authors of such proposals; and, upon producing such certificate, the said commissioners of the navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for  any such sum or sums of money, not exceeding two thousand pounds, as the said commissioners for the discovery of the said  longitude, or any five or more of them, shall think necessary, for making any experiments in pursuance of this act, or any of the said former acts above-mentioned, payable by the treasurer of the navy; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy for the time being is hereby required to pay immediately to such person or persons as shall be appointed by the commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, to make those experiments, out of any money that shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied for the use of the navy.

 

 

 

 

Act 6: 1763 (3 Geo 3. c.14.)

Transcribed from Basket's The Statutes at Large, Vol 9, p.37 (1765)

 

*****
 
An Act for the Encouragement of John Harrison, to publish and make known his Invention of a Machine or Watch, for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea.
 
Preamble, reciting Clauses in Act 12 Ann c.15.















26 Geo.2.c.25.














2 Geo.3.c.18.














































Upon a Discovery by J. Harrison of the Principles if his Watch, and the Method of constructing the same to the Committee here mentioned,



and their publishing the same,

and certifying such Discovery to the Commissioners of the Navy.



 WHEREAS by an Act made in the twelfth Year of the Reign of her late Majesty Queen ANNE, intituled, An Act for providing a publick Reward for such Person or Persons as shall discover the Longitude at Sea; it is enacted, That in case the Commissioners thereby appointed shall be so far satisfied of the Probability of any such Discovery, as to think it proper to make Experiment thereof, and shall certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy, with the Names of the Persons making Proposals for that Purpose, then any Sum or Sums of Money not exceeding two thousand Pounds, shall be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy to such Person or Persons as shall be appointed by the Commissioners of the Longitude, to make those Experiments : And it is thereby further enacted, That the first Discoverer or Discoverers of any Method for finding the Longitude, shall have a Reward of ten thousand Pounds, if it determines the Longitude to one Degree of a great Circle, or sixty Geographical Miles; fifteen thousand Pounds if to two Thirds of that Distance; and twenty thousand Pounds if to one Half of the Same Distance; to be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy, by the Appointment of the said Commissioners, when a Ship should sail to any such Part of the West Indies as they should appoint, without losing the Longitude beyond the Limits before mentioned : And it is thereby further enacted, That if any Proposal should in the Judgment of the said Commissioners be found of considerable Use to the Publick, the Author thereof should have such less Reward as the said Commissioners should think reasonable: And whereas by an Act made in the twenty-sixth Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King GEORGE the Second, to render more effectual the Act herein before recited, with regard to making Experiments of Proposals for discovering the Longitude, reciting the aforesaid Act; and that John Harrison had made Proposals for the purposes in the fame Act mentioned, with which the Commissioners of Longitude were so far satisfied, that they had thought it proper to make Experiments thereof, and had certified the same from time to time to the Commissioners of the Navy, together with the Name of the said John Harrison; and that the Treasurer of the Navy had thereupon paid one thousand two hundred and fifty Pounds to the said John Harrison, as part of the two thousand Pounds mentioned in the abovesaid Act of the twelfth of Queen ANNE, and also reciting, That five hundred Pounds had likewise been paid to Master William Whiston for the like Purposes; so that only two hundred and fifty Pounds remained out of the said Sum of two thousand Pounds; and further reciting, That by continuing to encourage ingenious Persons to make further Improvements and Experiments in order to discover the Longitude, such Discovery might at length be produced, as might effectually answer that End; it is enacted, That two thousand Pounds more might be issued and paid by the Treasurer of the Navy for the making further Experiments under the like Directions as aforesaid : And whereas by an Act made in the second Year of his present Majesty's Reign for rendering more effectual the above mentioned Act of the twelfth Year of Queen ANNE, with regard to making Experiments of Proposals for discovering the Longitude, reciting to the Effect above recited; and that the Money granted for making Experiments, pursuant to both of the said Acts, had been wholly expended, the further Sum of two thousand Pounds was granted by the said Act of the second Year of his present Majesty, for the like Purposes, and to be applied in the like Manner: And whereas the Utility of the Invention of the said John Harrison has been proved in a late Voyage to Jamaica, under the Directions of the Commissioners of the Longitude: And whereas the said Commissioners at their Meeting on the seventeenth Day of August last did adjudge, that by the Trial made of the said Instrument, it was found of considerable Use to the Publick, and did thereupon make an Order for the Payment of the Sum of two thousand five hundred Pounds to the said John Harrison, in Manner therein mentioned; videlicet, one thousand five hundred Pounds, Part thereof, immediately, and the remaining one thousand Pounds when he, or any Person employed by him, should return from making a further Trial in the West Indies; but it was to be understood, that the said Sum of two thousand five hundred Pounds should be esteemed as Part of either of the Rewards granted by Act of Parliament for discovering the Longitude: And whereas the said John Harrison has accordingly received the said Sum of one thousand five hundred Pounds; and has represented to the Commissioners of the Longitude, That he would not by any Means decline any further Trial of the Instrument or Watch which he has invented, before the Principles thereof shall be made publick; but that his present advanced Age, the Weakness of his Sight, and the Danger of the Voyage to the Health and Life of his Son, upon whom alone the Success of the said Invention will depend, may risk the Loss of so useful a Discovery, not only to the Disadvantage of the said John Harrison, but also to the very great Detriment of Mankind And whereas the Commissioners of Longitude having received the said Representation did, at their Meeting on the twenty-sixth Day of February last, unanimously agree to recommend to the said John Harrison to make an Application to Parliament, in order that his said Invention may be made known to the Publick, upon such Terms and in such Manner as to the Parliament shall seem meet; Therefore, Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That so soon as the said John Harrison, his Executors or Administrators, shall make or cause to be made a full and clear Discovery of the Principles of his said Instrument or Watch for Discovery of the Longitude, and of the true Manner and Method in which the fame is and may be constructed, unto the Right Honourable Lord Charles Cavendish, the Right Honourable the Earl of Morton, the Right Honourable Lord Willoughby of Parham, George Lewis Scott Esquire Fellow of the Royal Society, Master James Short  Fellow of the Royal Society, the Reverend Master John Mitchell Woodwardian Professor at Cambridge, Master Alexander Cumming, Master Mudge of Fleet Street, Master William Frodsham, Master Andrew Dickie, and Master James Green of Fenchurch Street, who, as well as the said John Harrison, are hereby required to publish and make the same known, so that other Workmen may be enabled to make other such Instruments or Watches for the fame Purpose; and so soon as the said Lord Charles Cavendish, the Earl of Morton, Lord Willoughby of Parham, George Lewis Scott, James Short, John Mitchel, Alexander Cumming, Master Mudge, William Frodsham, Andrew Dickie, and James Green, or the major part of them shall certify in Writing under their Hands and Seals, to the Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy for the Time being, that the said John Harrison hath fully and clearly made the said Discovery for the Purposes aforesaid, then, upon producing such Certificate, the said Commissioners of the Navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills for the Sum of five thousand Pounds payable to the said John Harrison, his Executors or Administrators, by the Treasurer of the Navy; which Sum the Treasurer of the Navy for the Time being, is hereby required to pay immediately to him the said John Harrison, his Executors or Administrators, out of any Money that shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands unapplied for the Use of the Navy.
So soon as the said instrument shall by future Trials appear to be a proper Method for finding out the Longitude with the Limits prescribed Act 12 Anne, and the Commissioners of the Longitude shall certify the same;
Bills are to be made out payable as aforesaid for the Sums he shall be intitled to by virtue of the said Act,
deducting the Sums
II. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That so soon as it shall appear by future Trial or Trials, that the said Instrument or Watch invented by the said John Harrison, shall be a proper Method for finding out the Longitude within any of the Limits prescribed by the aforesaid Act of the twelfth Year of Queen Anne, and the said Commissioners of Longitude, or the major Part of them, shall certify the same accordingly under their Hands and Seals to the Commissioners of the Navy for the Time being, then the said Commissioners are hereby authorised and required to make out a Bill or Bills for the respective Sum or Sums of Money to which the said John Harrison, his Executors, Administrators or Assigns, shall be intitled by virtue of the same Act; which Sum or Sums the Treasurer of the Navy is hereby required to pay to the said John Harrison, his  Executors, Administrators or Assigns, out of any Money which shall be in his Hands unapplied to the Use of the Navy; first deducting thereout the before mentioned Sum of fifteen hundred Pounds already received by the said John Harrison, and the said Sum of five thousand Pounds granted to him by this present Act as aforesaid.
before received by him. No other Persons intitled to a Reward under the said Act, on account of any Instrument for keeping the Time, till the Merits of Harrison's Watch be ascertained. III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person or Persons, other than the said John Harrison, his Executors, Administrators or Assigns, shall have or be intitled to any of the Reward granted by the said Act of the twelfth of Queen ANNE, by Means or on Account of any Instrument or Instruments for keeping Time, until the Merits of the said Instrument or Watch invented by the said John Harrison shall be ascertained; provided that the Ascertainment thereof shall be made within four Years next after the passing of this Act.

 

 

 

 

 

Act 7: 1765 (5 Geo 3. c.11.)

Transcribed from Pickering's The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761, Continued, Vol 26, p.176 (1764)

 

*****
 

An act for rendering more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude.
 
Preamble, reciting several clauses in act 12 Annae,

























Act 14 Geo.2.














Act 26 Geo.2.










and act 2 Geo.3



























The commissioners constituted by the recited acts are impowered to receive proposals for discovering the longitude at sea;
and if satisfied of the probability of any such proposal, they are to certify the same, with the author's name, to the commissioners of the navy; who are thereupon to make out a bill for such sum, not exceeding 2000l. as shall be thought necessary for making the experiment; to be paid by the treasurer of the navy.
 WHEREAS by an act of parliament made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, the commissioners therein named or any five or more of them, have full power to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that mall be made to them for discovering the said longitude : and in case the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, mall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such discovery, as to think it proper to make experiments thereof, they shall certify the same, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the persons names who are authors of such proposals; and, upon producing such certificate, the said commissioners are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for any such sum or sums of money, not exceeding two thousand pounds, as the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, or any five or more of them, pall think necessary for making the experiments, payable by the treasurer of the navy; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy is by the said act required to pay immediately, to such person or persons as fall be appointed by the said commissioners to make those experiments, out of any money that shall be in his hands unapplied for the use of the navy: and whereas for a due and sufficient encouragement to any such person or persons as pall discover a proper method for finding the said longitude, it is likewise enacted by the said aft, that the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers, of any such method, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, pall be intitled to, and have such reward, as in the said all is particularly mentioned : and whereas by another act of parliament made in the fourteenth year of of the reign of his late majesty King George the Second, intituled, An act for surveying the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging, in order to the more exact determination of the longitude and latitude thereof, it was enacted, that the said commissioners for discovering the said longitude, or any five or more of them, should have full power to apply such part of the said sum of two thousand pounds, mentioned in the said first recited act, as had not then been laid out in experiments, as they should think necessary for the making such survey, and determining the longitude and latitude of the chief ports and head lands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the islands and plantations thereto belonging; and that such sum or sums, part of the said two thousand pounds, which the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, should think necessary, should be paid immediately, by the treasurer of the navy, to such person or persons as should be appointed by the said commissioners to make such survey and determine such longitude and latitude, out of the money that should be in the hands of such treasurer unapplied for the use of the navy: and whereas by an act made in the twenty sixth year of the reign of his late majesty King George the Second, intituled, An act to render more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude, and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said act, the further sum of two thousand pounds was directed to be applied, in such manner as the commissioners for the discovery of the longitude should think necessary, for making further experiments: and whereas by an act in the second year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for rendering more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as fall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude, the further sum of two thousand pounds was directed to be applied, in such manner as the commissioners for the discovery of the longitude mould think necessary, for making further experiments: and whereas the said commissioners have, by virtue of the powers vested in them by the said several acts before-mentioned, heard and received several proposals made to them at different times for discovering the said longitude, and have accordingly certified the same, from time to time, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being; whereupon bills have been made out for several sums of money, amounting in the whole to fix thousand pounds; all which respective sums have been paid to several persons by the treasurer of the navy, pursuant to the directions of the said acts of parliament, which the said commissioners for discovering the longitude thought necessary for making the said experiments: and whereas, by reason of the several payments made by the treasurer of the navy to the several persons as aforesaid, the said commissioners have, by virtue of the said acts of parliament, expended the whole of the sums thereby granted for the purposes aforesaid: and whereas from the experiments which have already been made, in pursuance of the powers vested in the said commissioners as aforesaid, there is great reason to expect, that, by continuing to encourage ingenious persons to invent and make further improvements and experiments in order to discover the said longitude, such discoveries may at length be produced as will effectually answer that end, and thereby contribute very much to the advantage of the trade and honour of this kingdom: therefore, for enabling the said commissioners to cause such further experiments to be made as they shall think proper for the purposes aforesaid, be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the said commissioners, constituted by the said several acts of parliament before mentioned for the discovery of the longitude at sea, and for examining, trying, and judging of all proposals, experiments, and improvements, relating to the same, or any five or more of them, shall have full power to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that have been, or shall hereafter be made to them, for discovering the said longitude at sea; and in case the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such proposal or discovery, as to think it proper to make experiment thereof, they shall certify the same, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the persons names who fall be the authors of such proposals; and upon producing such certificate, the said commissioners of the navy, are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for any such sum or sums of money, not exceeding two thousand pounds, as the said commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, or any five or more of them, shall think necessary for making any experiments in pursuance of this act, or any of the said former acts above mentioned, payable by the treasurer of the navy; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy, for the time being, is hereby required to pay immediately to such person or persons as shall be appointed by the commissioners for the discovery of the said longitude, to make those experiments, out of any money that shall be in his, the said treasurer's hands, unapplied for the use of the navy.

 

 

 

 

Act 8: 1765 (5 Geo 3. c.20.)

Transcribed from Pickering's The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761, Continued, Vol 26, p.217 (1764)

 

*****
 
An act for explaining and rendering more effectual two acts, one made in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea; and the other in the twenty sixth year of the reign of King George the Second, intituled, An act to render more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said act.
 
Preamble, reciting clauses in act 12 Ann.

26 Geo.2.&C.

















































10,000l. to be paid as a present reward, to Mr. John Harrison pursuant to the act of 12 ann.

upon his discovering the principles of his time keeper, and assigning the property of 3 of those instruments, and the last mentioned watch, for the use of the publick; deducting the 2,500l. already advanced him; and other 10,000l. to be paid when the other time keepers are made, and proved to be of sufficient correctness.
























 WHEREAS by two several acts made, the one in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea; and the other in the twenty sixth year of the reign of his late majesty King George the Second, intituled, An act to render more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said act; the commissioners named in, and constituted by the said acts, were impowered to receive proposals for discovering the said longitude, and make experiments of the fame : and whereas by the said act of the twelfth of Queen Anne, it was enacted, That the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers, of a proper method for finding the said longitude within certain distances, should be intitled to and receive certain rewards therein mentioned; that is to say, a reward or sum of ten thousand pounds, if it determines the said longitude to one degree of a great circle, or sixty geographical miles; fifteen thousand pounds, if it determines the same to two thirds of that distance; and twenty thousand pounds, if it determines the same to one half the fame distance : and whereas in and by the said act it was further enacted, That if, upon trial, any proposal for discovering the said longitude should not prove to be of so great use as before mentioned, yet if the same, in the judgement of the said commissioners, or the major part of them, should be found of considerable use to the publick, then the said author or authors of such proposal should receive such less reward as the said commissioners, or the major part of them, should think reasonable: and whereas the said commissioner's have, from time to time, in pursuance of the powers vested in them by the said act, received proposals from Mr. John Harrison for discovering the said longitude, by means of certain machines or time keepers invented by him, and have directed several sums of money to be paid to the said John Harrison to enable him to finish his said machines or time keepers, or some of them, upon condition of his delivering the same up to and for the use of the publick : and whereas the said John Harrison did, by direction of the said commissioners, enter into articles with the commissioners of the navy, whereby he agreed, in consideration of the sums so advanced to him, to deliver up the three several machines or time keepers in the said articles mentioned : and whereas, upon trial of one other watch machine or time keeper in a voyage to Jamaica, the major part of the said commissioners did adjudge the same to be of considerable use to the publick, and did accordingly order the payment of the sum of two thousand five hundred pounds to the said John Harrison, which sum was to be deemed and taken as part of such of the rewards, in and by the said act allowed for discovering the said longitude, as he might become intitled to, and as such has been by him received; and the said watch or time keeper was to become the property of the publick: and whereas upon a further trial of the said last mentioned watch or time keeper, a ship has sailed, by the appointment of the commissioners for the discovery of the longitude, from Portsmouth in Great Britain, to Bridgetown in the island of Barbadoes in the West Indies; and whereas by means of the said watch or time keeper invented by Mr. John Harrison, the said nip did not lose it's longitude beyond ten geographical miles: and whereas the method for finding the longitude at sea, within half a degree of a great circle, or thirty geographical miles, by means of the said watch or time keeper invented by the said John Harrison, may be made generally practicable, and of general utility, if the principles upon which the said watch or time keeper is constructed are fully discovered and explained, and other watches or time keepers of the same kind can be made; but doubts may arise, whether, by the words of the said act of the twelfth of Queen Anne, the said commissioner's can direct the payment of the said reward of twenty thousand pounds to the said John Harrison, upon a discovery of the principles of the said watch or time keeper, and upon other watches or time keepers of the same kind being made: and whereas great progress has been made towards discovering the longitude at sea by a set of lunar tables constructed by Tobias Mayer deceased, late professor at Goetingen in Germany, upon the principles of gravitation laid down by Sir Isaac Newton; in the construction of which tables he was considerably assisted from theorems furnished by professor Euler of the university of Berlin: and whereas the said tables are of considerable use to the publick, and may be further improved, and made of more general utility : and whereas the widow, or other representatives of the said professor Mayer, are, within the intention of the said act, deserving of a publick reward, upon her or their assigning the property of the said tables to the said commissioners for the use of the publick; and the said professor Euler is also deserving of an honorary and pecuniary acknowledgment for his useful and ingenious labours towards the discovery of the longitude : and whereas it is necessary that the powers of the said act of the twelfth year of Queen Anne, and also of the said act of the twenty sixth year of King George the Second, should be explained and made effectual, as well for receiving the discovery and explanation of the principles upon which the said watch or time keeper is constructed, and for making trial of other watches or time keepers to be made in consequence thereof, and for paying the said reward to the said John Harrison, his executors, administrators, or assigns, as for giving proper rewards to the said professor Euler, and to the widow or representatives of the said professor Mayer, and to such person or persons as shall improve the said tables of the moon, and make the same of more general utility; and also to such person or persons as shall make other discoveries or improvements useful to navigation: may it therefore please your Majesty, that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That one moiety of the greatest reward which is directed in and by the said act, made in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne, to be paid to the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers, of a proper method for finding the said longitude at sea, shall be paid to the said John Harrison his executors, administrators, or assigns, when and so soon as the principles upon which his said watch or time keeper is constructed are fully discovered, and explained to the satisfaction of the said commissioners for the discovery of the longitude, or the major part of them; and when and so soon as the said John Harrison hath assigned to the said commissioners, for the use of the publick, the property of the three several time keepers which, in and by the said articles, he agreed to deliver up, and also the property of the said last mentioned watch or time keeper, deducting from and out of the said moiety, so to be paid to the said John Harrison, his executors, administrators, or assigns, the sum of two thousand five hundred pounds already advanced and paid to him; and that the other moiety of the said greatest reward mentioned in the said act shall, when and so soon as other time keepers of the same kind shall be made, and shall, upon trial, be found to be of a sufficient correctness to determine the said longitude within half a degree of a great circle, or thirty geographical miles, to the satisfaction of the said commissioners, or the major part of them, be paid to the said John Harrison, his executors, administrators, or assigns.
Discovery of the principles on which the time keeper is constructed, to be made withing 6 months. II. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority afore said, That the said Master John Harrison shall not be intitled, by virtue of any thing contained in this act, to the said reward, or any part thereof, unless the discovery and explanation of the principles upon which his said time keeper is constructed, shall be made within fix months after the passing of this act.
300l. to be paid to professor Euler. III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a reward or sum of money, not exceeding three hundred pounds in the whole, shall be paid to the said professor Euler.
and 3000l. to the widow of professor Mayer, upon assigning the property of the latest MS lunar tables constructed by him.
 IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a reward or sum of money, not exceeding three thousand pounds in the whole, shall be paid to the widow or other representatives of the said professor Mayer upon her or their assigning the property of the set of the latest manuscript lunar tables, constructed by the said Tobias Mayer, to the said commissioners, to and for the use of the publick.
5,000l. proposed to any who shall improve the said tables, or shall make any discovery or improvement useful to navigation
 V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That any reward or rewards, sum or sums of money not exceeding in the whole the sum of five thousand pounds, shall and may be paid to such person or persons, as shall improve the said tables of the moon; or that shall make any discovery or discoveries, improvement or improvements, useful to navigation; which said reward or rewards, sum or sums of money, shall and may be paid to such person or persons, and in such proportion or proportions, as the said commissioners shall, from time to time, think proper and direct.
Clauses, &c. in the acts of 12 Annae and 26 Geo.2. continued in force, where not altered by this act.
Rewards, by this act granted, to be certified by the commissioners for the longitude to the commissioners of the navy; who are to make out bills for the same, payable to the treasurer of the navy, out of the unapplied money in his hands.
 VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all the clauses, powers, authorities, matters, and things, contained in any or either of the said two acts, made in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne, and in the twenty sixth year of the reign of King George the Second, not altered by this act, shall continue in full force, and extend, and be construed to extend, to this act, as fully and amply as if again repeated and re-enacted in the body of this present act; and that all and every the reward or rewards, sum or sums of money, by this act granted and allowed, shall, from time to time, be certified under the hands and seals of the said commissioners for the discovery of the longitude, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being; and the commissioners of the navy for the time being shall make out a bill or bills for the sum or sums contained in the said certificate or certificates, payable by the treasurer of the navy; and such sum or sums of money the said treasurer of the navy is hereby required to pay immediately, to the person or persons mentioned in the said certificate or certificates, out of any money that shall be in his hands unapplied for the use of the navy, in such and the same manner, and according to the same rules and directions as are prescribed in and by the said two recited acts, or either of them, with regard to any reward or rewards, sum or sums of money, allowed to be given and paid in and by the said acts or either of them.
Where any reward exceeds 1,000l. it is to be certified by the majority of the commissioners; and not exceeding, that sum, may be certified by five 
VII. Provided always, That all and every such reward or sum of money that shall exceed the sum of one thousand pounds, shall be certified under the hands and seals of the said commissioners, or the major part of them; but in case such reward or sum of money shall not exceed the sum of one thousand pounds, then, and in that case, it shall and may be certified under the hands and seals of the said commissioners, or any five or more of them.
commissioners for the longitude impowered to administer oaths, for the purposes of this act. 
VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said commissioners for the discovery of the longitude, or the major part of them, and they are hereby authorized and impowered for their better satisfaction, if they shall see occasion, to administer an oath or oaths to such person or persons as they shall think proper, for the purposes of carrying this act into execution: which oath or oaths, it shall and may be lawful to and for any two or more of the said commissioners to administer accordingly.
Lowndes's professor of astronomy at Cambridge made joint commissioner for the longitude. IX. And whereas, since the palling of the said act of the twelfth of Queen Anne, another professorship for the purpose of astronomy has been established in the university of Cambridge; be it therefore enacted, That the Lowndes's professor of astronomy in the university of Cambridge for the time being shall be, and he is hereby added to, and joined with, the commissioners appointed by the said act of the twelfth of Queen Anne and by another act passed in the twenty sixth year of King George the Second; and the said professor of astronomy is hereby appointed a commissioner, and shall and may act, to all intents and purposes, for putting in execution the said acts and this present act, as fully and effectually as if he had been appointed a commissioner by the said acts of the twelfth of Queen Anne, and of the twenty sixth of King George the Second, or either of them.
The construction and publication of the nautical almanacks, or other tables recommended to the commissioners for the longitude. X. And whereas the publication of nautical almanacks constructed by proper persons, under the direction of the said commissioners, would greatly contribute to make the said lunar tables more generally useful; be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said commissioners to cause such nautical almanacks, or other useful tables, to be constructed, and to print, publish, and vend, or cause to be printed, published, and vended, any nautical almanack or almanacks, or other useful table or tables, which they, or the major part of them, shall, from time to time, judge necessary and useful, in order to facilitate the method of discovering the longitude at sea; any law, statute, exclusive privilege, private charter, or other custom, to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.
None to print, publish, or vend the same, but such as shall be licensed,



under penalty of 20l. for every copy.		 XI. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons shall print, publish, or vend, or cause to be printed, published, or vended, any nautical almanack or almanacks, or other table or tables constructed under the direction of the said commissioners, without being first licensed by the said commissioners, or the major part of them; and if any person or persons not so licensed, or not being authorized by the person or persons so licensed by the said commissioners, shall print, publish, or vend, or cause to be printed, published, or vended, any such nautical almanack or almanacks, or other table or tables, every such person or persons shall, for every copy of such nautical almanack or table so printed, published, or vended, forfeit and pay the sum of twenty pounds; to be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his Majesty's courts of record at Westminster; and that one moiety of such penalty and forfeiture shall be to his Majesty, his heirs, and successors, and the other moiety to him or them that shall prosecute, inform, or sue for the same.

 

 

 

 

Act 9: 1770 (10 Geo 3. c.34.)

Transcribed from Statutes at Large, Vol 8, p.116 (1786).

 

*****
 
An Act for rendering more effectual several Acts for providing a publick Reward for discovering the Longitude at Sea; for improving the Lunar Tables constructed by the late Professor Mayer; and for encouraging Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation.
 
Rep. in part, by 14 Geo.3.c.66. WHEREAS by several Acts made in twelfth Year of the Reign of Queen Anne, and in the fourteenth and twenty-sixth Years of the Reign of his present Majesty King George the Second, and in the second and fifth Years of the Reign of his present Majesty, , several Sums of Money were granted towards making Experiments of Proposals for discovering the Longitude at Sea; towards granting certain Rewards to the Persons in the said Acts mentioned, towards improving the Lunar Tables constructed by Tobias Mayer, deceased, late Professor at Goetengen in Germany, and towards making Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation; to be applied and paid in such Manner, and to such Persons, as the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea should by virtue of the Powers vested in them by the several Acts before mentioned, think necessary and direct: And whereas, by reason of the several Payments made by the Treasurer of the Navy to several Persons, pursuant to the Directions of the said Acts, the said several Sums by the said Acts granted are nearly expended : And whereas, as well from the Experiments which have already been made in pursuance of the Powers vested in the said Commissioners as aforesaid, as from other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation which have already been made, there is great Reason to expect, that by continuing to encourage ingenious Persons to invent and make further Improvements and Experiments in order to discover the said Longitude, such Discoveries may at length be produced as will effectually answer that End, and thereby greatly contribute to the Advantage of the Trade and Honour of this Kingdom: Therefore, for enabling the said Commissioners to cause such further Experiments to be made as they shall think proper for the Purpose aforesaid, and for promoting further Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation; May it please your Majesty, that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That the said Commissioners constituted by the said several Acts before mentioned for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, and for examining, trying, and judging of all Proposals, Experiments, and Improvements relating to the same, or any five or more of them, shall have full Power to hear and receive any Proposal or Proposals that have been, or that shall hereafter be made to them for discovering the said Longitude at Sea; or for improving the said Lunar Tables; or for making any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation; and in case the said Commissioners, or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the Probability of any such Proposal, as to think it proper to make Experiment thereof, or of the Utility of such Discovery or Improvement, as to think the fame deserving of Reward, they shall certify the same under their Hands and Seals to the Commissioners of the Navy for the Time being, together with the Names of the Person or Persons who shall be the Author or Authors of such Proposal or Proposals, or who shall make such Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements; and, upon producing such Certificate, the said Commissioners of the Navy are hereby authorised and required to make out a Bill or Bills for any such Sum or Sums of Money, not exceeding in the Whole the Sum of five thousand Pounds, as the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the said Longitude, or any five or more of them, shall think necessary for making any Experiments, or for giving any Reward or Rewards, Sum or Sums of Money, to such Person or Persons as shall improve the said Lunar Tables, or shall make any Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation, in pursuance of this Act, or any of the said Acts herein before mentioned, payable by the Treasurer of the Navy; which Sum or Sums of Money the Treasurer of the Navy for the Time being is hereby authorised and required to pay immediately to the Person or Persons mentioned in the said Certificate or Certificates, out of any Money that shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands unapplied for the Use of the Navy.
II. Provided always, That if any such Reward or Sum of Money shall exceed the Sum of one thousand Pounds, then, and in that Case, the same shall be certified under the Hands and Seals of the major Part of the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the said Longitude.

 

 

 

 

 

Act 10: 1774 (13 Geo 3. c.77.)

Transcribed from Statutes at Large, Vol 11, p.839 (1774). Most of this act has been omitted in the transcription below as it does not concern the work of the Board of Longitude.

 

*****
 
An Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Sinking Fund; and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-three; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament; and for paying to John Harrison a further Reward for his Invention of a Time-keeper for ascertaining the Longitude at Sea, and his Discovery of the Principles upon which the fame was constructed.
 
Most Gracious Sovereign,
Preamble,






2,349,806l. 12 s. 7 d. 3 q. granted out of the Fund, for the Service of the current year;

to be issued by the treasury accordingly.		 We, your majesty’s most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, towards railing the necessary Supplies which we have chearfully granted to Your Majesty in this Session of Parliament, have resolved to give and grant to Your Majesty the Sum herein after mentioned; and do therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That by or out of such Monies as fall, from Time to Time, be and remain in the Receipt of the Exchequer, of the Surplusses, Excesses, Overplus Monies, and other Revenues composing the Fund, commonly called The Sinking Fund, after paying, or reserving sufficient to pay, all such Sum’s of Money as have been directed by any former Act or Acts of Parliament to be paid out of the same, there shall and may be issued and appl[i]ed, for and towards making good the Supply granted to His Majesty for the Service of the Year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-three, a Sum not exceeding Two millions three hundred forty-nine thousand eight hundred and fix Pounds, Twelve Shillings and Seven-pence Three Farthings; and the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Treasury now or for the Time being, or any Three or more of them, or the High Treasurer for the Time being, are or is hereby authorised and impowered to issue and apply the same accordingly.
Treasury impowered to raise the said sum, or any Part thereof, by Loans or Exchequer Bills, on the Credit of the Sinking Fund. II. And it is hereby enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That in case the said Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury now or for the Time being, or any Three or more of them, or the High Treasurer for the Time being, shall think it advisable to raise the said Sum of Two millions three hundred forty-nine thousand eight hundred and fix Pounds, Twelve Shillings and Seven-pence Three Farthings, or any Part thereof, by Loans or Exchequer Bills, in Manner herein-after mentioned, and it shall and may he lawful to and for any Peron or Persons, Natives or Foreigners, Bodies; Politick or Corporate, to advance or lend to His Majesty, at the Receipt of His Majesty's Exchequer, any Sum or Sums of Money not exceeding the said Sum of Two millions three hundred forty-nine thousand eight hundred and fix Pounds, Twelve Shillings and Seven-pence Three Farthings, upon the Credit of the said Surplusses, Excesses, and Overplus Monies, or Other Revenues composing the Sinking Fund, and to have and receive Interest for the Forbearance of the money lent, so as such Loans be allowed to be made by the said Commissioners of the Treasury, or any Three or more of them, now or for the Time being, or the High Treasurer for the time being, who are or is hereby authorised to issue his or their Warrants for that Purpose, as such Loans shall be wanted for the publick Service; and moreover, that no Money to be lent upon the Security of this Act shall be rated or assessed to any Tax or Assessment whatsoever.
... ...
Act 12 Anne.





Not exceeding 8750l. to be paid to Mr. Harrison for his invention of a Time-keeper, &c.		 XXIX. And whereas John Harrison of Red Lion Square, having, under the Encouragement of an Act, made in the Twelfth Year of Her Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An Act for granting a Reward for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, applied himself, with unremitting Industry for the Space of Forty-eight Years, to the making an Instrument for ascertaining the Longitude at Sea; and having constructed a Time-keeper for that Purpose, and discovered the Principles of constructing the fame, by which other Time-keepers have been already made, and found to answer with great Exactness from which Discovery, it is apprehended that great Benefit will arise to the Trade and Navigation of these Kingdoms, is highly deserving of publick Encouragement and Reward; be it therefore enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the Treasurer of His Majesty's Navy, and he is hereby directed, out of any Sums of Money now in His Hands, to pay, or cause to be paid to the said John Harrison, a Sum not exceeding Eight thousand seven hundred and fifty Pounds, as a further Reward and Encouragement, over and above the Sums already received by him for his said Invention of a Time-keeper, and his Discovery of the Principles upon which the same was constructed.

 

 

 

 

Act 11: 1774 (14 Geo 3. c.66.)

Transcribed from Pickering's The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Thirteenth Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1773, Continued, Vol 30, p.419 (1773)
 

*****
An act for the repeal of all former acts concerning the longitude at sea, except so much thereof as relates to the appointment and authority of the commissioners thereby constituted, and also such clauses as relate to the constructing, printing, publishing, vending, and licensing, of nautical almanacks, and other useful tables; and for the more effectual encouragement and reward of such person and persons as shall discover a method for finding the same, or Mall make useful discoveries in navigation; and for the better making experiments relating thereto.
 
Preamble.
Act 12 Annae.


Act 14 Geo 2.



Act 26 Geo.2.






Act 2 Geo.3.





Act 3 Geo.3.



Act 5 Geo.5.







Act 10 Geo.3.










After June 24, 1774, the recited acts repealed except two clauses.
 WHEREAS an act was made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea; and also another act was made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his late majesty King George the Second, intituled, An act for surveying the chief ports and headlands on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland; and the islands and plantations thereto belonging, in order to the more exact determination of the longitude and latitude thereof; and also another act was made in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of his said late Majesty, intituled, An act to render more effectual an act, made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a public reward for such person or persons as Shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said aft; and also another aft was made in the second year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for rendering more effectual an act, made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a public reward  for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and also another act was made in the third year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for the encouragement of John Harrison to publish and make known his invention of a machine or watch, for the discovery of the longitude at sea ; and also two other acts were made in the fifth year of the reign of his present Majesty, the one intituled, An act for rendering more effectual an act, made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a public reward for such person or persons as ball discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and the other, intituled, An act for explaining and rendering more effectual two acts, one made in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a public reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea; and the other in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of King George the Second, intituled, An act to render more effectual an act, made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a public reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said act; and also another act was made in the tenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for rendering more effectual several acts, for providing a public reward for discovering the longitude at sea; for improving the lunar tables constructed by the late professor Mayer; and for encouraging discoveries and improvements useful to navigation: and whereas it is highly expedient to encourage, by further rewards, such other methods and experiments as may conduce to the discovery of the longitude at sea, and promote further improvements and discoveries in navigation; and to make more effectual regulations for the examining, trying, and judging of all proposals experiments, and improvements, relating thereunto; may it therefore please your Majesty, that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That each and every of the said recited acts, (save and except such clause and clauses in each or any of them as relate to the appointment or authority of all or any of the commissioners thereby respectively constituted, and all such clause and clauses as relate to the constructing, printing, publishing, vending, and licensing, of nautical almanacks, and other useful tables,) shall, from and after the twenty-fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four, be, and are hereby repealed.
Sums, as rewards, given to authors,



































when to be paid.
 II. And, for a due and sufficient encouragement to any person or persons who shall discover any method or methods for finding the said longitude, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers, of each and every such method or methods, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be intitled to, and have the rewards or sums of money herein-after mentioned ; that is to say, In case the method proposed shall be, by means of a time-keeper, the principles whereof have not hitherto been made public, to the reward or sum of five thousand pounds, if such method determines the said longitude to one degree of a great circle, or sixty geographical miles; to the reward or sum of seven thousand five hundred pounds, if it determines the same to two-thirds of that distance; and to the reward or sum of ten thousand pounds, if it determines the fame to one half of the said distance: which respective rewards shall be due and paid when such method shall have been sufficiently tried by the following experiments and voyages to be made and performed by such persons, and under such restrictions, as the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude at sea, respectively constituted by the above-recited acts, or the major part of them, shall think fit to appoint and direct; that is to say,) when and so soon as two or more time-keepers, of the fame construction, shall have been tried at the same time, for the space of twelve months, at the royal observatory at Greenwich, then in two voyages round the island of Great Britain, in contrary directions, and in such other voyages to different climates as the said commissioners shall think fit to direct and appoint; and after their return from such voyages, or any of them, for such longer time, at the said observatory, not exceeding twelve months, as the said commissioners shall judge necessary; and also when and so soon as the said commissioners, or two thirds of them, at the least, shall, after such experiments and voyages have been made and performed as aforesaid, have declared and determined that such method is generally practicable and useful, and sufficiently exact to determine the longitude at sea within the degrees or limits aforesaid, in all voyages for the space of six months, (impediments from cloudy and hazy weather excepted;) and also when and so soon as the principles and practice of such method are fully discovered and explained to the satisfaction of the said commissioners, or two thirds of them at least; and such author or authors, discoverer or discoverers, shall have delivered up and assigned over to the said commissioners, for the use of the public, the absolute property of such time-keepers as shall have been tried by such experiments and voyages as aforesaid, together with all places, descriptions, theories, and explanations, belonging or relating to the fame, and which shall contain the whole of such discovery of the longitude; and in case the method proposed shall be by means of improved solar and lunar tables; then, and in such case, the author or authors of such improved solar and lunar tables, their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be intitled to and have the reward or sum of five thousand pounds, if such solar and lunar tables shall prove sufficiently exact to shew the distance of the moon from the sun and stars in the heavens, within fifteen seconds of a degree, answering to about seven minutes of longitude, after making an allowance of half a degree for the errors of observation ; and when it shall appear to the satisfaction of the said commissioners, or two thirds of them, at least, that such tables are constructed entirely upon the principles of gravitation laid down by sir Isaac Newton, (except with respect to those elements which must necessarily be taken from astronomical observations, and also when the truth of such tables shall have been further confirmed and proved by comparison with a series of astronomical observations made during a period of eighteen years and a half, which is deemed the period of the irregularities of the lunar motions; which reward shall be due and paid, when the said commissioners, or two-thirds of them, at least, shall have declared and determined, that such tables are sufficiently exact, to shew the distance of the moon from the sun and stars in the heavens, within the limits above-mentioned; and also when the author or authors of such improved solar and lunar tables, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall have delivered up, and assigned over to the said commissioners, for the use of the public, the absolute right and property to and in the same, together with the theory relating thereunto; and in case any other method shall be proposed for finding the longitude at sea besides those before mentioned, that then, and in such case, the first author or authors, discoverer or discoverers, of any such method, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be intitled to and have the reward or sum of five thousand pounds, if it shall determine the said longitude within one degree of a great circle, or sixty geographical miles; to the reward or sum of seven thousand five hundred pounds, if it shall determine the same to two thirds of that distance; and to the reward or sum of ten thousand pounds, if it shall determine the same to one half of the same distance; which respective rewards shall be due and paid, so soon as the said commissioners, or two-thirds of them, at least, shall, after proper trial have been made by their appointment and direction, have determined that such method shall be generally practicable and useful for finding the longitude at sea within the respective limits above-mentioned.
Treasurer of the navy to pay the sums, or rewards, to the authors.
 III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That when and so soon as any such method or methods, for the discovery of the said longitude, shall be tried, as before mentioned, and found practicable and useful at sea, and sufficiently exact to determine the longitude within any of the degrees or limits aforesaid, the said commissioners, or two-thirds of them, shall certify the same, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy for the time being, together with the name or names of the person or persons who shall be the author or authors of such method or methods; and upon the receipt of such certificate, the said commissioners of the navy are hereby authorised and required to make out a bill or bills upon the treasurer of the navy, for the respective sum or sums of money to which the author or authors of such proposal, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be intitled by virtue of this act; which sum or sums the said treasurer is hereby required to pay to the said author or authors, their executors, administrators, or assigns accordingly, out of any money that may be in his hands unapplied to the use of the navy, according to the true intent and meaning of this act.










Commisioners of longitude to certify debts incurred by former acts to the commissioners of the navy
 IV. And whereas the several sums of money granted by the above now-recited acts, towards making experiments of proposals for discovering the longitude at sea, and for improving the lunar tables, and making other discoveries or improvements useful to navigation, are, by reason of the several payments made by the treasurer of the navy, pursuant to the directions of the said acts, not only expended, but, moreover, several debts have been incurred, and are now growing due for services tending to the benefit of navigation, and, more particularly, for defraying the expence of the two observers who have been sent out to make nautical and astronomical observations in the southern hemisphere:  and whereas it is highly necessary that the said debts should be discharged, and that ingenious persons should be encouraged to make further discoveries and improvements useful to navigation; be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the above-mentioned commissioners for the discovery of longitude at sea shall and may certify the amount of such debts, together with the names of the persons to whom the same shall be respectively due, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy, who are hereby authorised and required to make out a bill or bills upon the treasurer of the navy for such sum or sums of money as may be necessary for discharging the said debts; which sum or sums of money the said treasurer is hereby required to pay to the person or persons to whom the same shall be respectively due, out of any money which shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied as aforesaid.
They are also to receive proposals for discovering the longitude,



and certify the same, with the names of the authors, to the commissioners of the navy.
 V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude at sea, or any five or more of them, shall have full power and authority to hear and receive any proposal or proposals that shall be made to them for discovering the said longitude, or for making any other useful improvement in navigation; and in case the said commissioners, or any five or more of them, shall be so far satisfied of the probability of any such discovery or improvement as to think it proper to cause experiments to be made thereof, they shall certify the same, together with the names of the author or authors of such proposal or proposals, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy, who are hereby authorised and required to make out a bill or bills upon the treasurer of the navy for any such sum or sums of money as the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude at sea, or any five or more of them, shall think necessary for making such experiments; which sum or sums the treasurer of the navy is hereby required to pay immediately to such person or persons as shall be appointed by the said commissioners to make those experiments out of any money which shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied as aforesaid.
Persons making useful discoveries to receive less rewards, agreeable to the judgement of the commissioners.
 VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons shall make any discovery for finding the longitude at sea, which, though not of so great use as to be intitled to any of the great rewards above specified, shall nevertheless be adjudged by the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude at sea, or the major part of them, to be of considerable use to the public, or shall make any other discovery or discoveries, improvement or improvements, useful to navigation; then, and in such case, such person or persons, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall, from time to time, have and receive such less reward or sum or sums of money as the said commissioners, or the major part of them, shall think reasonable; and certify accordingly, under their hands and seals, to the commissioners of the navy, who are hereby authorised and required to make out a bill or bills upon the treasurer of the navy for any such sum or sums of money, which the said treasurer is hereby authorized and required to pay immediately to such person or persons, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, out of any money that shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied as aforesaid.
The sums payable by the treasurers of the navy not to exceed 5000l.
 VII. Provided always, That all such sum or sums of money as shall be paid by the treasurer of the navy by virtue hereof, as well for the purpose of discharging the several debts which have been incurred, and are now growing due for services tending to the benefit of navigation, as of making such experiments as aforesaid, and of rewarding, in a lesser degree, lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, and also other discoveries and improvements useful to navigation, do not altogether exceed the sum of five thousand pounds: and also provided, That in case any such re-, ward, or sums of money, to be given for any of those purposes shall not exceed the sum of one thousand pounds, that then, and in such case, it shall and may be certified to the commissioners of the navy as aforesaid, under the hands and seals of the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude, or any fire or more of them ; but if it shall exceed the sum of one thousand pounds, that then it shall be certified by the said commissioners, or the major part of them.
No person to receive more for discoveries than the greatest sum hereby provided.
 VIII. Provided also, and it is hereby further enacted, That in case any person or persons who shall and may have received any sum or sums of money, by virtue of this act, as a reward for any method of discovering the longitude at sea, shall afterwards become intitled to any of the greater rewards appointed by this act, for or on account of the same method; that then, and in such case, such sum or sums of money as they shall or may have received as aforesaid shall be considered as part of such greater reward, and deducted therefrom accordingly; and that no person shall receive more in the whole for any one method for discovering the longitude at sea than the greatest reward appointed for such method by this act.
The commissioners to administer an oath for carrying the act into execution.
 IX. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the laid commissioners the discovery of longitude at sea, or the major part of them, and they are hereby authorized and impowered, for their better satisfaction, if they see occasion, to administer an oath or oaths to such person or persons as they hall think proper, for the purposes of carrying this act into execution; which oath or oaths it shall and may be lawful to and for any two or more of the said commissioners to administer accordingly; and in case any such person or persons hall wilfully swear fals[e]ly and untruly, every such person shall be liable to, and suffer such pains and penalties indicted by the several statutes made, and now in force, against wilful perjury.

 

 

 

 

Act 12: 1776 (16 Geo 3. c.6.)

Transcribed from Pickering's The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761, Continued, Vol 31, p.155 (1775)
 

*****
 
An act for giving a publick reward unto such person or persons, being his Majesty's subject or subjects, as shall discover a northern passage for vessels by sea, between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; and also unto such as shall first approach by sea within one degree of the northern pole.
 
Preamble.


If any ship belonging to his Majesty, &c. shall sail between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans beyond the 52d degree, commander &c. shall receive a reward of 20,000l.		 WHEREAS an act of parliament passed in the eighteenth year of the reign of his late majesty King George the Second, (intituled, An act for giving a publick reward to such person or persons, his Majesty's subject or subjects, as shall discover a north-west passage, through Hudson's Streights, to the western and southern ocean of America:) and whereas many advantages both to commerce and science may be also expected from the discovery of any northern passage for vessels by sea, between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans: may it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That if any ship or vessel, ships or vessels, belonging to any of his Majesty's subjects, or to his Majesty, shall find out and sail through any passage by sea, between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, in any direction or parallel of the northern hemisphere to the northward of the fifty-second degree of northern latitude, the owner or owners of such ship or ships, vessel or vessels, if belonging to any of his Majesty's subjects, or the commander or commanders, officers and seamen of such ship or vessel, ships or vessels, if belonging to his Majesty, shall receive as a reward for such discovery the sum of twenty thousand pounds.





or shall approach to within one degree of the northern pole, shall receive a reward of 5,000l.		 II. And whereas the ships employed both in the Spitzbergen seas, and in Davis's Streights, have frequent opportunities of approaching the north pole, though they have not time, during the course of one summer, to penetrate into the Pacific ocean: and whereas such approaches may greatly tend to the discovery of a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as be attended with many advantages both to commerce and science, be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any ship or vessel, ships or vessels, shall approach to within one degree of the northern pole the owner or owners of such ship or vessel, ships or vessels, if belonging to any of his Majesty's subjects, or the commander or commanders, officers and seamen of such ship or vessel, ships or vessels, if belonging to his Majesty, so first approaching to within one degree of the northern pole, his or their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall be entitled to receive, and shall receive, as a reward for such first approach towards the northern pole, the sum of five thousand pounds.



Commissioners appointed to determine who are intitled to the said rewards; who are impowered to call for journals, books, &c.





Commissioners to grant certificates upon proof made of discovery, &c.





on producing whereof, commissioners of the treasury to pay the reward.		 III. And in order to ascertain who are the first discoverers of the said northern passage into the Pacific ocean, and who are the first approachers to within one degree of the northern pole, and to whom the rewards by this act respectively given do belong; be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the commissioners appointed for the purposes of the said act of the eighteenth of George the Second, and also such other persons as for the time being are commissioners for the discovery of the longitude at sea, be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners for the purposes of this present act; and are hereby authorised and impowered to call for the respective journal or journals, book or books, and papers, kept on board the respective ship or ships, vessel or vessels of the claimant or claimants respectively, and also to examine upon oath, all such persons as they the said commissioners shall think proper with regard to any claim or claims, as well as any person or persons produced by the respective claimant or claimants of the respective rewards given as aforesaid by this act; (which oath the said commissioners, or any three or more of them, are hereby impowered and required to administer:) and the said commissioners, or the major part of those that shall meet (such major part, nevertheless, at all times consisting of thirteen commissioners at the least, of which the lord high admiral, or first commissioner for executing the office of lord high admiral of Great Britain for the time being, and the royal astronomer of Greenwich for the time being, shall be two) being fully satisfied, upon examination and proof, that such northern passage by sea into the Pacific ocean is effectually discovered, and failed through as aforesaid, and that such approach towards the northern pole, as aforesaid, has been then first actually made by sea, or that either the one or the other has been fully accomplished within the meaning of this act, as the case may be, are hereby authorised and required to grant a certificate or certificates accordingly, under their hands and seals, to such person or person's as they shall judge are intitled to the fame respectively; which certificate or certificates shall be produced to the lord high treasurer or any three or more of the commissioners of the treasury for the time being, and the said sum of twenty thousand pounds, and the said sum of five thousand pounds, or the one or the other, as the case may be, shall be respectively paid to such person or persons as are named in the said certificate or certificates respectively, his, her, or their executors, administrators, or assigns, out of any the aids or supplies which shall be granted in parliament to his Majesty, his heirs, or successors, after the said discovery of the said northern passage into the Pacific ocean, and the said approach to within one degree of the northern pole, or the one or the other, as the case may be, shall be made, effectuated, and proved, and the said certificate produced as aforesaid.
All claims to the rewards to be made within six months after arrival at any port in Great Britain of Ireland. IV. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the respective claim or claims on behalf of any ship or ships, vessel or vessels, unto the rewards given by this act, or either of them, shall be made respectively, and entered with, or be by letter signified to, the secretary of the lord high admiral, or first commissioner for executing the office of lord high admiral of Great Britain for the time being at the admiralty Office in London, within six months from the time that such ship or vessel, ships or vessels, shall have arrived at any port of Great Britain or Ireland, otherwise the respective claimant or claimants shall not be intitled to receive, nor shall receive, either of the said rewards; any thing in this act contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

Proviso.		 V. Provided also, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if the said rewards, or either of them, shall be claimed by and adjudged to the commander or commanders, officers and seamen of any ship or vessel, ships or vessels belonging to his Majesty, the same shall be disposed in favour of, and distributed among such commander or commanders, officers and seamen, in such proportions as shall be directed by his Majesty in council, and in no other manner.

 

 

 

 

Act 13: 1777 (17 Geo 3. c.48.)

Transcribed from Statutes at Large, Vol 13, p.121 (1780)

 

*****
 
An Act for rendering more effectual an Act made in the fourteenth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, for promoting the Discovery of a Method for finding the Longitude at Sea, so far as relates to the Encouragement and Reward of Persons making lesser Discoveries for finding the same, or making other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation; and to the making of Experiments relating thereto.
 
Preamle.
Act 14.Geo.III. recited.

































Commissioners of the Navy, on being certified by the Commissioners of Longitude of the Proabability of any Proposals for discovering the Longitude, &c.

shall order a Reward to be paid to the Authors of such Proposals.

 WHEREAS by an Act, made in the fourteenth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, (intituled, An Act for the Repeal of all former Acts concerning the Longitude at Sea, except so much thereof as relates to the Appointment and Authority of the Commissioners thereby constituted, and also such Clauses as relate to the constructing, printing, publishing, vending, and licensing of Nautical Almanacks and other useful Tables; and for the more effectual Encouragement and Reward of such Person and Persons as shall discover a Method for finding the same, or small make useful Discoveries in Navigation; and for the better making Experiments relating thereto); the Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude at Sea were authorised and impowered to hear and receive any Proposal or Proposals for discovering the said Longitude, or for making any other useful Improvement in Navigation; and in case they should think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, then to certify the same, together with the Names of the Author or Authors of such Proposal or Proposals, under their Hands and Seals, to the Commissioners of the Navy; and were also authorised and impowered, in case they should adjudge any person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which, though not of so great Use as to be intitled to any of the great Rewards in the said recited Act specified, yet that the said Discovery was of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation; then to certify from Time to Time, under their Hands and Seals, to the said Commissioners of the Navy, such less Reward or Sum or Sums of Money as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude should think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the said Commissioners of the Navy were thereby authorised and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy, for such Sum or Sums of Money as the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude should think necessary for making such Experiments, or for rewarding in a lesser Degree lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or any other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation; which Sum or Sums of Money the said Treasurer was thereby authorised and required to pay immediately to such Person or Persons, his or their Executors, Administrators, or Aligns, out of any Money that should be in his the said Treasurer's Hands unapplied to the Use of the Navy: And whereas, by reason of several Payments made by the Treasurer of the Navy to several Persons in pursuance of the Directions of the said Act, the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude have nearly expended the Whole of the Sum of five thousand Pounds granted by the said Act for the Purposes aforesaid: And whereas, if proper Encouragement and Rewards were continued to be given to such ingenious Person or Persons as Mall make any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which, though not of so great Use as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards in the said recited Act specified, shall nevertheless be adjudged, by the Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude, to be of considerable Use to the Public, or who shall make other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, it would contribute to the Advantage of the Trade and to the Honour of this Kingdom; may it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude, and they have hereby full Power and Authority, whenever they shall be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that shall be made to them for discovering the said Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy; and also in case they shall adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which, though not of so great Use as to be intitled to any of the great Rewards in the said recited Act, specified yet that the said Discovery is of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude fall think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy are hereby authorised and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy, for such Sum or Sums as shall be so certified to them by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude; and the said Treasurer of the Navy is hereby authorised and required to pay immediately such Sum or Sums, to the Person or Persons who shall be appointed by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude to make such Experiments, or to receive such less Reward or Sum or Sums of Money for making lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or any other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, out of any Money which shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands unapplied to the Use of the Navy.
The Sums to be paid by virtue of this Act, not to exceed 5,000l. II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such Sum or Sums of Money as shall be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy, by virtue of this Act, for the Purposes of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and of rewarding in a lesser Degree lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, do not all together exceed the Sum of five thousand Pounds.
The Sums to be certified, and Payment made, agreeable to the Regulations of the above-recited Act. III. Provided also, That such Sum or Sums shall be certified, and such Bills shall be made out, and Payment thereof made, in such Manner, and under the same Regulations and Provisions, as are in and by the said recited Act prescribed, with regard to the Sum of five thousand Pounds, by the said Act made applicable to the Encouragement and Reward of such Person or Persons as should make lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or make other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and to the better making of Experiments relating thereto.

 

 

 

 

Act 14: 1780 (20 Geo 3. c.61.)

Transcribed from The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761, Vol 33, p.161 (1780)

 

*****
 
An act for continuing the encouragement and reward of persons making certain discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or making other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation, and for making experiments relating thereto.
 
Preamble.

Recital of 17Geo.3.c.48.











14 Geo.3.c.66.






















Commissioners of the navy, on being certified by the commissioners of longitude of the probability of any proposals for the discovering the longitude &c.





shall order a reward to be paid to the authors of such proposals.		 WHEREAS by an act, made in the seventeenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, (intituled, An act for rendering more effectual an act, made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, for promoting the discovery of a method for finding the longitude at sea, so far as relates to the encouragement and reward of persons making lesser discoveries for finding the fame, or making other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation ; and to the making of experiments relating thereto; the commissioners for the discovery of the longitude at sea were impowered, whenever they should be satisfied of the probability of any proposal or proposals that should be made to them for discovering the said longitude; or making any other useful discovery and improvement in navigation, so as to think it proper to cause experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the commissioners of the navy; and also, in case they should adjudge any person or persons to have made any discovery for finding the longitude at sea, which, though not of so great use as to be intitled to any of the great rewards specified in an act, made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for the repeal of all former acts concerning the longitude at sea, except so much thereof as relates to the appointment and authority of the commissioners thereby constituted, and also such clauses as relate to the constructing, printing, publishing, vending, and licensing, of nautical almanacks, and other useful tables; and for the more effectual encouragement and reward of such person and persons as shall discover a method for finding the fame, or shall make useful discoveries in navigation; and for the better making experiments relating thereto; yet that the said discovery was of considerable use to the publick, or to have made any other discovery or discoveries, improvement or improvements, useful to navigation, to certify such less reward, or sum or sums of money, as they the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude should think reasonable, to be paid to such person or persons; and the commissioners of the navy were thereby authorised and required to make out bills upon the treasurer of the navy for such sums so certified, who was thereby authorised to pay the same immediately to such person or persons: and whereas, by reason of several payments made by the treasurer of the navy to several persons, in pursuance of the directions of the said first mentioned act, the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude have expended the whole of the sum of five thousand pounds, granted by the said act for the purposes aforesaid: and whereas the continuing the said encouragements and rewards, for the purposes mentioned in the said first mentioned act, will contribute to the advantage of trade, and to the honour of this kingdom; may it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude, and they have hereby full power and authority, whenever they shall be satisfied of the probability of any proposal or proposals that shall be made to them for the discovering the said longitude, or making any other useful discovery and improvement in navigation, so as to think it proper to cause experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the commissioners of the navy; and also in case they shall adjudge any person or persons to have made any discovery for finding the longitude at sea, which, though not of so great use as to be intitled to any of the great rewards specified in the said act of the fourteenth year of his present Majesty, yet that the said discovery is of considerable use to the publick, or to have made any other discovery or discoveries, improvement or improvements, useful to navigation, to certify such less reward, or sum or sums of money, as they the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude shall think reasonable to be paid to such person or persons; and the commissioners of the navy are hereby authorised and required to make out a bill or bills upon the treasurer of the navy for such sum or sums as shall be so certified to them by the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude, and the said treasurer of the navy is hereby authorised and required to pay immediately such sum or sums, to the person or persons who shall be appointed by the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude to make such experiments, or to receive such less reward, or sum or sums of money, for making lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or any other discoveries and improvements useful to navigation, out of any monies which shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied to the use of the navy.
The sums to be paid by virtue of this act not to exceed 5,000l. II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such sum or sums of money as shall be paid by the treasurer of the navy, by virtue of this act, for the purposes of making such experiments as aforesaid, and in rewarding in a lesser degree lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, and also other discoveries and improvements useful to navigation, do not all together exceed the sum of five thousand pounds.
The sums to be certified, and payment made, agreeable to the regulations of the abore recited act 14 Geo.3. III. Provided also, That such sum or sums shall be certified, and such bills shall be made out, and payment thereof made, in such manner, and under the same regulations and provisions, as are in and by the said act of the fourteenth year of his present Majesty prescribed, with regard to the fun of five thousand pounds, by the said act made applicable to the encouragement and reward of such person or persons as should make lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or make other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation, and to the better making of experiments relating thereto.

 

 

 

 

Act 15: 1781 (21 Geo 3. c.52.)

Transcribed from The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761, Vol 33, p.319 (1780)

 

*****
 
An act for continuing the encouragement and reward of persons making certain discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or making other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation, and for making experiments relating thereto.
 
Preamble;

Recital of 20 Geo.3.c.61.












14 Geo.3.c.66





















Commissiomers of the navy, on be certified by the commissioners of longitude on the probability of any proposals for discovering the longitude &c.


shall order a reward to be paid to the authors of such proposals.
 WHEREAS by an all made in the twentieth year of the reign of his present Majesty, (intituled, An act for continuing the encouragement and reward of persons making certain discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or making other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation, and for making experiments relating thereto), the commissioners for the discovery of the longitude at sea were impowered, whenever they should be satisfied of the probability of any proposal or proposals that should be made to them for discovering the said longitude, or making any other useful discovery and improvement in navigation, so as to think it proper to cause experiments to be made thereof, to certify the fame to the commissioners of the navy; and also, in case they mould adjudge any person or persons to have made any discovery for finding the longitude at sea, which though not of so great use as to be intituled to any of the great rewards specified in an act made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, (intituled, An act for the repeal of all former acts concerning the longitude at sea, except so much thereof as relates to the appointment and authority of the commissioners thereby constituted, and also such clauses as relate to the constructing, printing, publishing, vending, and licensing, of nautical almanacks, and other useful tables; and for the more effectual encouragement and reward of such person and persons as shall discover a method for finding the same, or shall make useful discoveries in navigation; and for the better making experiments relating thereto); yet that the said discovery was of considerable use to the publick, or to have made any other discovery or discoveries, improvement or improvements, useful to navigation, to certify such less reward, or sum or sums of money, as they the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude should think reasonable, to be paid to such person or persons; and the commissioners of the navy were thereby authorized and required to make out bills upon the treasurer of the navy for such sums so certified, who was thereby authorised to pay the same immediately to such person or persons: And whereas, by reason of several payments made by the treasurer of the navy to several persons, in pursuance of the directions of the said first mentioned act, the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude have nearly expended the sum of five thousand pounds, granted by the said act for the purposes aforesaid: And whereas the continuing the said encouragement and rewards for the purposes mentioned in the said first mentioned act, will contribute to the advantage of trade, and to the honour of this kingdom: May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude, and they have hereby full power and authority whenever they shall be satisfied of the probability of any proposal or proposals that shall be made to them for the discovering the said longitude, or making any other useful discovery and improvement in navigation, so as to think it proper to cause experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the commissioners of the navy; and also in case they shall adjudge any person or persons to have made any discovery for finding the longitude at sea, which, though of not so great use as to be intitled to any of the great rewards specified in the said act of the fourteenth year of his present Majesty, yet that the said discovery is of considerable use to the publick, or to have made any other discovery or discoveries; improvement or improvements, useful to navigation, to certify such less reward, or sum or sums of money, as they the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude shall think reasonable to be paid to such person or persons; and the commissioners of the navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills upon the treasurer of the navy for such sum or sums as shall be so certified to them by the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude; and the said treasurer of the navy is hereby authorized and required to pay immediately such sum or sums, to the person or persons who shall be appointed by the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude to make such experiments, or to receive such less reward, or sum or sums of money, for making lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or any other discoveries and improvements useful to navigation, out of any monies which shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied to the use of the navy.
The sums to be paid by virtue of this act not to exceed 5,000l.
 II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such sum or sums of money as shall be paid by the treasurer of the navy, by virtue of this act, for the purposes of making such experiments as aforesaid, and in rewarding in a lesser degree lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at lea, and also other discoveries improvements useful to navigation, do not all together exceed the sum of five thousand pounds.
The sums to be certified and payment made, agreeable to the regulations of the above recited act 14 Geo.3.
 III. Provided also, That such sum or sums shall be certified, and such bills shall be made out, and payment thereof made, in such manner, and under the same regulations and provisions, as are in and by the said act of the fourteenth year of his present Majesty prescribed, with regard to the sum of five thousand pounds, by the said act made applicable to the encouragement and reward of such person or persons as should make lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or make other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation, and to the better making of experiments relating thereto.

 

 

 

 

Act 16: 1790 (30 Geo 3. c.14.)

Transcribed from The Statutes at Large from Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761, Vol 37, p.14 (1762)

 

*****
 
An Act for continuing the Encouragement and Reward of Persons making certain discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or making other useful discoveries and Improvements in navigation, and for making experiments relating thereto; and for adding a commissioner to execute the several acts for the discovery of the longitude at sea.
 
Preamble. 21Geo 3.c.52











14Geo.3.c.66.















Commissioners of longitude to certify the probability of success of any proposal for discovering the longitude, &c. to the commissioners of the navy.





Commissioners of the navy to order rewards to such persons as the commissioners of longitude shall certify to have made any useful discoveries,
 WHEREAS by an Act, made in the twenty-first year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for continuing the Encouragement and Reward of persons making certain discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or making other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation, and for making experiments relating thereto, the commissioners for the discovery of the longitude at sea were impowered, whenever they should be satisfied of the probability of any proposal or proposals that should be made to them for discovering the said longitude, or making any other useful discovery and improvement in navigation, so as to think it proper to cause experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the commissioners of the navy; and also, in case they should adjudge any person or persons to have made any discovery for finding the longitude at sea, which though not of so great use as to be entitled to any of the great rewards specified in an act, made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for the repeal of all former acts concerning the longitude at sea, except so much thereof as relates to the appointment and authority of the commissioners thereby constituted, and also such clauses as relate to the constructing, printing, publishing, vending, and licensing of nautical almanacks, and other useful tables; and for the more effectual encouragement and reward of such person and persons as shall discover a method for finding the same, or shall make useful discoveries in navigation, and for the better making experiments relating thereto; yet that the said discovery was of considerable use to the publick, or to have made any other discovery or discoveries, improvement or improvements useful to navigation, to certify such less reward, or sum or sums of money, as they the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude should think reasonable to be paid to such person or persons; and the commissioners of the navy were thereby authorised and required to make out bills upon the treasurer of the navy for such sums so certified, who was thereby authorised to pay the same immediately to such person or persons: and whereas, by reason of several payments made by the treasurer of the navy to several persons in pursuance of the directions of the said firstmentioned act, the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude have nearly expended the sum of five thousand pounds granted by the said act for the purposes aforesaid: and whereas the continuing the said encouragements and rewards, for the purposes mentioned in the said first  mentioned act, will contribute to the advantage of trade, and to the honour of this kingdom: may it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude, and they have hereby full power and authority, whenever they shall be satisfied of the probability of any proposal or proposals that shall be made to them for the discovering the said longitude, or making any other useful discovery and improvement in navigation, so as to think it proper to cause experiments to made thereof, to certify the fame to the commissioners of the navy; and also, in case they shall adjudge any person or persons to have made any discovery for finding the longitude at sea which though of not so great use as to be entitled to any of the great rewards specified in the said act of the fourteenth year of his present Majesty, yet that the said discovery is of considerable use to the publick, or to have made any other discovery or discoveries, improvement or improvements useful to navigation, to certify such less reward, or sum or sums of money, as they the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude shall think reasonable to be paid to such person or persons; and the commissioners of the navy are hereby authorised and required to make out a bill or bills upon the treasurer of the navy for such sum or sums as shall be so certified to them by the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude; and the said treasurer of the navy is hereby authorised and required to pay immediately such sum or sums to the person or persons who shall be appointed by the said commissioners for the discovery of longitude to make such experiments or to receive such less reward, or sum or sums of money, for making lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or any other discoveries and improvements useful to navigation, out of any monies which shall be in his the said treasurer's hands unapplied to the use of the navy.
sums paid by virtue of this act not to exceed 5,000l.
 II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such sum or sums of money as shall be paid by the  treasurer of the navy by virtue of this act, for the purposes of making such experiments as aforesaid, and in rewarding in a lesser degree lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, and also other discoveries and improvements useful to navigation, do not all together exceed the sum of five thousand pounds; provided also that such sum or sums shall be certified, and such bills shall be made out, and payment  thereof made in such manner, and under the same regulations and provisions as are in and by the said act, of the fourteenth year of his present Majesty, prescribed with regard to the sum of five thousand pounds by the said act made applicable to the encouragement and reward of such person or persons as should make lesser discoveries for finding the longitude at sea, or make other useful discoveries and improvements in navigation, and to the better making of experiments relating thereto.
26Geo.2.c.25.








Secretaries of the admiralty to be commissioners of longitude.
 III. And whereas by an act, passed in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of his late majesty King George the Second, intituled, An act  to render more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude, and to enlarge the number of commissioners for putting in execution the said act, the secretary of the admiralty for the time being is appointed one of the commissioners for putting in execution the said acts: and whereas since the passing thereof an additional secretary to the admiralty has been appointed; be it therefore enacted, That the secretaries of the admiralty for the time being shall be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners for putting the said acts, and also an act passed in the fifth year of his present Majesty's reign, for explaining and rendering more effectual the said acts, into execution, as fully and effectually as if they bad been appointed commissioners of the said acts of the twelfth year of Queen Anne, or the twenty-sixth year of the reign of King George the Second, and of the fifth year of the reign of his present Majesty, or any or either of them.

 

 

 

 

 

Act 17: 1796 (36 Geo 3. c.107.)

Transcribed from The Statutes Relating to the Admiralty, Navy, Shipping, and Navigation of the United Kingdom From 9 Hen. III to 3 Geo. IV Inclusive. p.599, (1823)

 

*****
 
An Act for continuing the Encouragement and Reward of Persons making certain Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or making other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto.
[18th May 1796.]
30 G.3.c.14.












14.G.3.c.66.
























Commissioners of Longitude to certify to Commissioners of the Navy, Probability of Success of Improvements, though not entitled to the great Rewards.


Bill upon Treasurer for Money.		 WHEREAS by an Act made in the Thirtieth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act for continuing the Encouragement and Reward of Persons making certain Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or making other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto; and for adding a Commissioner to execute the several Acts for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea; the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea were empowered, whenever they should be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that should be made to them for discovering the said Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy; and also in case they should adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, though not of so great Use as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in an Act made in the Fourteenth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act for the Repeal of all former Acts concerning the Longitude at Sea, except so much thereof as relates to the Appointment and Authority of the Commissioners thereby constituted, and also such Clauses as relate to the constructing, printing, publishing, tending, and licensing of Nautical Almanacks and other useful Tables; and for the more effectual Encouragement and Reward of such Person and Persons as shall discover a Method for finding the same, or shall make useful Discoveries in Navigation; and for the better making Experiments relating thereto; yet that the said Discovery was of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude should think reasonable, to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy were thereby authorized and required to make out Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy for such Sums so certified, who was thereby authorized to pay the same immediately to such Person or Persons : And whereas by reason of several Payments made by the Treasurer of the Navy to several Persons in pursuance of the Directions of the said first mentioned Act, the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude have expended the Sum of Five thousand Pounds granted by the said Act for the Purposes aforesaid: And whereas the continuing the said Encouragement and Rewards for the Purposes mentioned in the said first mentioned Act will contribute to the Advantage of Trade and to the Honour of this Kingdom: May it therefore please Your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude, and they have hereby full Power and Authority, whenever they shall be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that shall be made to them for the discovering the said Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy; and also in case they shall adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which, though not of so great Use as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in the said Act of the Fourteenth Year of His present Majesty, yet that the said Discovery is of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward or Sum or Sums of Money as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude shall think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy for such Sum or Sums as shall be so certified to them by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude; and the said Treasurer of the Navy is hereby authorized and required to pay immediately such Sum or Sums to the Person or Persons who shall be appointed by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude to make such Experiments, or to receive such less Reward or Sum or Sums of Money for making lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or any other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, out of any Monies which shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands unapplied to the Use of the Navy.
Rewards of a lesser Degree not to exceed 5000l, to be paid agreeably to 14 G.3.c.66. II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such Sum or Sums of Money as shall be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy by virtue of this Act, for the Purposes of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and in rewarding in a lesser Degrees lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, do not all together exceed the Sum of Five thousand Pounds: Provided also, that such Sum or Sums shall be certified, and such Bills shall be made out, and Payment thereof made, in such Manner and under the same Regulations and Provisions as are in and by the said Act of the Fourteenth Year of His present Majesty prescribed with regard to the Sum of Five thousand Pounds by the said Act made applicable to the Encouragement and Reward of such Person or Persons as should make lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or make other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and to the better making of Experiments relating thereto.

 

 

 

 

Act 18: 1803 (43 Geo 3.c.118)

Transcribed from The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 1, (1804), with marginal notes substituted from the version printed by George Eyre and Andrew Strachan, Printers to the King's most Excellent Majesty (RGO14/1/58).

 

*****

  
An Act to render more effectual an Act, passed in the fifth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, relating to the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, and for continuing the Encouragement of Persons making certain Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto; and for discharging certain Debts incurred by the Commissioners of the Longitude in carrying the Acts relating thereto into Execution.
[29th July 1803.]
5 Geo.3.c.20.







































Commissioners of Longitude may cause any Nautical Almanacks, to be constructed		 WHERAS by an Act made in the fifth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for explaining and rendering more effectual two Acts, one made in the twelfth rear of the Reign of Queen Anne, intituled, ' An Act  for providing a publick Reward for such Person or Persons as shall discover the Longitude at Sea; and the other in the twenty-sixth Year of the Reign of King George the Second, intituled, ' An act to render more effectual an Act, made in the twelfth Year of the Reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, 'An  Act for providing a publick Reward for such Person or Persons as fall discover the Longitude at Sea," with regard to the making Experiments of Proposals made for discovering the Longitude, and to enlarge the Number of Commissioners for putting in Execution the said Act; it is among other Things enacted, that it should be lawful for the Commissioners for discovering the Longitude at Sea, to cause such Nautical Almanacks, or other useful Tables, to be constructed, and to print, publish, and vend, or cause to be printed, published, and vended, any Nautical Almanack or Almanacks, or other useful Table or Tables, which they, or the major Part of them, should, from Time to Time, judge necessary and useful, in order to facilitate the Method of discovering the Longitude at Sea, and it was further enacted, that no Person or Persons should print, publish, or vend, or cause to be printed, published, or vended, any Nautical Almanack or Almanacks, or other Table or Tables constructed under the Direction of the said Commissioners, without being licensed by the said Commissioners, or the major Part of them, and that if any Person or Persons not so licensed, or not being authorized by the Person or Persons so licensed by the laid Commissioners, should print, publish, or vend, or cause to be printed, published, or vended, any such Nautical Almanack or Almanacks, or other Table or Tables, every such Person or Persons should, for every Copy of such Nautical Almanack or Table so printed, published, or vended, forfeit and pay the Sum of twenty Pounds, to be recovered and applied as in the said Act is mentioned: And whereas the said Commissioners for discovering the Longitude at Sea, have, from Time to Time, caused Nautical Almanacks, or Astronomical Ephemerides, and other Tables, to be constructed for the Purposes in the said Act mentioned, and particularly have for those Purposes caused such Nautical Almanacks, and Astronomical Ephemerides, and other Tables, to be constructed for the Years One thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, One thousand eight hundred, One thousand eight hundred and one, One thousand eight hundred and two, One thousand eight hundred and three, One thousand eight hundred and four, One thousand eight hundred and five, and One thousand eight hundred and six : And whereas the said Nautical Almanacks, and Astronomical Ephemerides, and other useful Tables, have been printed and published pursuant to the Warrants or Licences of the said Commissioners for the said Years herein-before mentioned; and the said Commissioners have caused sundry Calculations to be made towards the constructing, and completing and publishing of the like Nautical Almanacks, and Astronomical Ephemerides, and other useful Tables, for discovering the Longitude at Sea, for several Years subsequent to the said Year One thousand eight hundred and fix: And whereas it has been found inconvenient that the said Nautical Almanacks, Astronomical Ephemerides, and Tables, should be constructed, printed, and published, only under the Authority of the major part of the said Commissioners, who are many in Number, by reason of the Difficulty of obtaining the necessary Signatures for licensing and authorising such Publication, and of proving the same to be the Signatures of the major Part of the said Commissioners for the Time being, in case of Prosecutions for pirating the said Works; and it is expedient that further Regulations should be made in relation to the printing and publishing the said Nautical Almanacks, Astronomical Ephemerides, and other useful Tables: May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted ; and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Commissioners of Longitude for the Time being, or any five or more them, (of whom the President of the Royal Society, and the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich for the Time being shall be two,) to cause any Nautical Almanacks and Astronomical Ephemerides, and other useful Tables, to be constructed, as they the said Commissioners, or any five or more of them, (of whom the President of the Royal Society, and the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich, shall be two,) shall from Time to Time judge necessary and useful to be constructed, in order to facilitate the Method of discovering the Longitude at Sea; and that it shall and may be lawful for such Person or Persons only as have been or shall be for that Purpose licensed in Manner herein-after mentioned, to print, publish, and vend, or cause to be printed, published, and vended any such Nautical Almanacks, or Astronomical Ephemerides, and other useful Tables, as have been, or shall from Time to Time be so constructed as aforesaid ; any Law, Statute, exclusive Privilege, private Charter, or other Custom, to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.
Licencses for printing and publishing them to be signed by Five Commissioners, etc. II. And be it further enacted, That all Licences already given and granted for printing, publishing, and vending any such Nautical Almanacks, and Astronomical Ephemerides, and other useful Tables, under the Hands of any five or more of the said Commissioners of Longitude for the Time being (of whom the President of the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich were two), shall be deemed as valid and effectual Licences for the Purposes therein mentioned, and for all other Intents and Purposes whatsoever, as if the same had been given, granted, and signed, by the major Part of the faid Commisioners for the Time being ; .and that all Licences hereafter to be given and granted, for printing, publishing, and vending such Nautical Almanacks, and Astronomical Ephemerides, and other useful Tables, shall be signed by five or more of them the said Commissioners (of whom the President of the Royal Society, and the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich for the Time being shall be two), and being so signed, shall have the fame Force and Effect as if the same had been given, granted, and signed, by the major Part of the said Commissioners for the Time being; any Thing in any Act or Acts to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.
Penalties of pirated Copies to be sued for by the Secretary of the Commissioners. III. And be it further enacted, That the said Penalties or Forfeitures of twenty Pounds each, for pirated Copy of the said Works, given by the said Act of the fifth Year of his present Majesty's Reign, shall, from and after the passing of this Act, be sued, informed, and prosecuted for by the Secretary of the said Commissioners of the Longitude for the Time being, or by some other Person or Persons authorized by Writing, signed by five or more of the said Commissioners, and shall not be sued, informed, or prosecuted for by any other Person or Persons whomsoever, and that such Suits, Prosecutions, and Informations, shall not abate by reason of the Death of such Prosecutors, or any of them, but shall be continued, in the Case of a sole Plaintiff or Informer, dying before Judgement obtained, in the Name of the Secretary of the said Commissioners for the Time being; and that such Penalties or Forfeitures, when recovered, shall be wholly to the Person who shall inform, prosecute, or sue for the same in Manner aforesaid, which Penalties and Forfeitures when recovered shall be in Trust for, and subject to the Order and Disposition of the said Commissioners of Longitude for the Time being, or of any five or more of them; any Thing to the contrary in any former Act notwithstanding.
36 Geo.3.c.107






















Commissioners to certify the Amount of Debts incurred for Serices tending to the Benefit of Navigation, to the Commissioners of the Navy, who shall make out Bills on the Treasurer for discharging the same.







 IV. ' And whereas by an Act made in the thirty-sixth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for continuing the Encouragement and Reward of Persons making certain Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or making other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto, the Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude were empowered whenever they should be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that should be made to them for discovering the Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy; and also in case they should adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which, though not of so great Use as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in an Act made in the fourteenth Year of his present Majesty, therein and also herein-before referred to, yet that the said Discovery was of considerable Use to the Publick, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude should think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy were thereby authorized and required to make out Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy for such Sums so certified, who was thereby authorized to pay the fame immediately to such Person or Persons, out of any Monies which should be in his the said Treasurer's Hands, unapplied to the Use of the Navy; and it was thereby further enacted, that all such Sum or Sums of Money as should be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy, by virtue of the said Ad, for the Purposes of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and in rewarding in a lesser Degree lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, should not altogether exceed the Sum of five thousand Pounds: And whereas by several Payments made by the Treasurer of the Navy, pursuant to the Directions of the said Act of the thirty-sixth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, have expended the whole of the Sum of five thousand Pounds, granted by the said Act for the Purposes aforesaid, and moreover, several Debts have been incurred, and are now growing due for sundry Matters and Things done by Order of the said Commissioners in carrying the said Acts into Execution, and for Services tending to the Benefit of Navigation: And whereas it is highly necessary that the said Debts should be discharged, and that the said Encouragements and Rewards for the Purposes mentioned in the said Act of the thirty-sixth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, should be continued; be it therefore enacted, That the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude shall and may certify the Amount of such Debts, together with the Names of the Persons to whom the same are or shall be respectively due, under their Hands and Seals, to the Commissioners of the Navy, who are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy for such Sum or Sums of Money as may be necessary for discharging the said Debts, which Sum or Sums of Money the said Treasurer is hereby required to pay to the Person or Persons to whom the same shall be so certified to be due respectively, out of any Money which shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands, unapplied as aforesaid.
Commissioners to certify to the Navy Board the Fitness of trying Experiments for Discovery of the Longitude, and also if they adjudge any person entitled to a less reward than specified in 14 Geo.3. for discovering Improvements.

Treasurer to pay Bills made out by Navy Board:
 V. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, and they are hereby authorized and empowered, whenever they shall be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that shall be made to them, for Discovery of the Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the fame to the Commissioners of the Navy; and also in case they shall adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which though not of so great Use as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in the said Act of the fourteenth Year of his present Majesty, yet that such Discovery is of considerable Use to the Publick, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude shall think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy, for such Sum or Sums as shall be so certified to them by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude; and the said Treasurer of the Navy is hereby authorized and required to pay immediately such Sum or Sums to the Person or Persons who shall be appointed by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, to make such Experiments, or to receive such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, for making lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or any other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, out of any Monies which shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands unapplied to the Use of the Navy.
But such Debts and Rewards not to exceed 5,000l.
 VI. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such Sum or Sums of Money as shall be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy by virtue of this Act, as well for the Purpose of discharging the several Debts which have been incurred, and are now growing due, in Manner aforesaid, as of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and of rewarding in a lesser Degree lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, do not altogether exceed the Sum of five thousand Pounds.
How Rewards shall be certified.
 VII. Provided also, That in case any such Reward or Sum of Money to be given or paid for any of the Purposes aforesaid shall not exceed the Sum of one thousand Pounds, that then and in every such Case, it shall be certified to the Commissioners of the Navy as aforesaid, under the Hands and Seals of the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, or any five or more of them; but if any such Reward, or Sum of Money, shall exceed the Sum of one thousand Pounds, that then the same shall in every such Case be certified as aforesaid, under the Hands and Seals of the first Commissioner of the Admiralty, the first Commissioner of the Navy, the President of the Royal Society, the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich, and the Comptroller of the Navy for the Time being, they respectively being by virtue of the several Offices held by them, Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude as aforesaid.
Licenses and Certificates shall not be liable to Stamp Duty.
 VIII. Provided always, and be it enacted, That such Licences and Certificates, signed and sealed respectively, as herein-before is directed, shall not be considered, deemed, or taken to be, Deeds or Instruments liable to any Stamp Duties; but that the same shall be good and valid, and shall and may be given in Evidence in any Court of Law or Equity, as Occasion shall require, without being stamped in any Manner whatsoever; any Law, Statute, or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

Act 19: 1806 (46 Geo 3. c.77.)

Transcribed from The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3, (1813)

 

*****
 
An Act for continuing the Encouragement of Persons making Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto; and for discharging certain Debts incurred by the Commissioners of the Longitude in carrying the Acts relating thereto into Execution.
[3d July 1806.]
43 G.3.c.118.


























Commissioners of Longitude may certify the Amount of the Debts incurred under the recited Act, and the Names of the Persons to whom due, to the Commissioners of the Navy, who shall make out Bills on the Treasurer for Payment.
 WHEREAS by an Act made in the Forty third Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act to render more effectual an Act, passed in the Fifth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, relating to the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, and for continuing the Encouragement and Reward of Persons making certain Discoveries for finding the Longitude at  Sea, or making other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto; and for discharging certain Debts incurred by the Commissioners of the Longitude, in carrying the Acts relating thereto into Execution; the Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude were empowered, whenever they should be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that should be made to them for discovering the Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy; and also in case they should adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which though not of so great Use as to ce [be] entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in an Act  made in the Fourteenth Year of His present Majesty, yet that the said Discovery was of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, as the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude should think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy were thereby authorized and required to make out Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy for such Sums so certified, who was thereby authorized to pay the same immediately to such Person or Persons, out of any Monies which should be in his the said Treasurer's Hands, unapplied to the Use of the Navy; and it was thereby further enacted, that all such Sum or Sums of Money as should be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy, by virtue of the said Act, for the Purposes of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and in rewarding, in a lesser Degree, lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, should not altogether exceed the Sum of Five thousand Pounds: And Whereas by several Payments made by the Treasurer of the Navy, pursuant to the Directions of the said Act of the Forty third Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude have expended the Whole of the Sum of Five thousand Pounds, granted by the said Act for the Purposes aforesaid; and moreover, several Debts have been incurred, and are now growing due for sundry Matters and Things done by Order of the said Commissioners in carrying the said Acts into Exceution [Execution], and for Services tending to the Benefit of Navigation: And Whereas it is highly necessary that the said Debts should be discharged, and that the said Encouragements and Rewards for the Purposes mentioned in the said Act of the Forty third Year of the Reign of His present Majesty should be continued ; Be it, therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the Commissioners for the Discovery of  the Longitude shall and may certify the Amount fo [of] such Debts, together with the Names of the Persons to whom the same are or shall be respectively due, under their Hands and Seals, to the Commissioners of the Navy, who are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy, for such Sum or Sums of Money as may be necessary for discharging the said Debts, which Sum or Sums of Money the said Treasurer is hereby required to pay to the Person or Persons to whom the same shall be so certified to be due respectively, out of any Money which shall be in his, the said Treasurer's Hands, unapplied as aforesaid.
Commissioners may certify Discoveries likely to be useful in the Improvement of Navigation, and cetify such Rewards as they think reasonable to be paid the Persons entitled thereto.
 II. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, and they are hereby authorized and empowered, whenever they shall be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that shall be made to them for Discovery of the Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy; and also in case they shall adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which though not of so great Use, as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in the said Act of the Fourteenth Year of His present Majesty, yet that such Discovery is of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements, useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude shall think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy, for such Sum or Sums as shall be so certified to them by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude; and the said Treasurer of the Navy is hereby authorized and required to pay immediately such Sum or Sums, to the Person or Persons who shall be appointed by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, to make such Experiments, or to receive such less Reward, or Sum or Sums of Money, for making lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or any other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, out of any Monies which shall be in his, the said Treasurer's Hands, unapplied to the Use of the Navy.
Debts and Rewards under this Act not to exceed 10,000l.
 III. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such Sum or Sums of Money as shall be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy by virtue of this Act, as well for the Purpose of discharging the several Debts which have been incurred, and are now growing due, in Manner aforesaid, as of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and of rewarding in a lesser Degree lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, do not altogether exceed the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds.
Rewards how to be certified
 IV. Provided also, That in case any such Reward or Sum of Money to be given or paid for any of the Purposes aforesaid shall not exceed the Sum of One thousand Pounds, that then and in every such Case it shall be certified to the Commissioners of the Navy as aforesaid, under the Hands and Seals of the said Commissioners for the Discovery  of the Longitude, or any Five or more of them; but if any such Reward or Sum of Money shall exceed the Sum of One thousand Pounds, that then the same shall in every such Case be certified as aforesaid, under the Hands and Seals of  the First Commissioner of the Admiralty, the First Commissioner of the Navy, the President of the Royal Society, the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich, and the Comptroller of the Navy for the time being, they respectively being by virtue of the several Offices held by them Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude as aforesaid.
Certificates not liable to Stamp Duties.
 V. Provided always, and be it enacted, That such Certificates, signed and sealed respectively, as hereinbefore is directed, shall not be considered, deemed or taken to be, Deeds or Instruments liable to any Stamp Duties; but that the same shall be good and valid, and shall and may be given in Evidence in any Court of Law or Equity, as Occasion shall require, without being stamped in any Manner whatsoever; any Law, Statute or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

 

 

 

Act 20: 1815 (55 Geo 3. c.75.)

Transcribed from The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 6, p.179 (1816)

 

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An Act to continue the Encouragement of Persons making Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto; and for discharging certain Debts incurred by the Commissioners of the Longitude, in carrying the Acts relating thereto into Execution.
[7th June 1815.]
46.G.3.c.77





































Debts incurred under Act certified, and Bills made out for Payment.		 WHERAS by an Act made in the Forty sixth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act for continuing the Encouragement of Persons making Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto; and for discharging certain Debts incurred by the Commissioners of the Longitude in carrying the Acts relating thereto into Execution; the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude were empowered, whenever they should be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that should be made to them for Discovery of the Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy, and also in case they should adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding “the Longitude at Sea, which though not of so great Use as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in an Act made in the Fourteenth Year of His present Majesty, yet that such Discovery was of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward or Sum or Sums of Money as the said Commissioners for the Discovery of Longitude should think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy were thereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy, for such Sum or Sums so certified, who was thereby authorized and required to pay the same  immediately to such Person or Persons out of any Monies which should be in his the Treasurer's Hands, unapplied to the Use of the Navy; and it was thereby further enacted, that all such Sum or Sums of Money as should be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy by virtue of the said Act, as well for the Purpose of discharging the several Debts which had been incurred and were then growing due, as of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and of rewarding in a lesser Degree lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, should not altogether exceed the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds: And Whereas by several Payments made by the Treasurer of the Navy pursuant to the Directions of the said Ad of the Forty sixth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude have expended the whole of the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds granted by the said Act for the Purposes aforesaid; and moreover several Debts have been incurred and are now growing due, for sundry Matters and Things done by Order of the said Commissioners in carrying the said Acts into Execution, and for Service tending to the Benefit of Navigation: And Whereas it is highly necessary that the said Debts should be discharged, and that the said Encouragements and Rewards for the Purposes mentioned in the said Act of the Forty sixth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty should be continued; Be it therefore enacted by The King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude shall and may certify the Amount of such Debts, together with the Names of the Persons to whom the same are or shall be respectively under due, under their Hands and Seals, to the Commissioners of the Navy, who are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy, for such Sum or Sums of Money as may be necessary for discharging the said Debts, which Sum or Sums the said Treasurer is hereby required to pay to the Person or Persons to whom the same shall be so certified to be due respectively out of any Money which shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands, unapplied as aforesaid.
Useful Discoveries in Navigation certified for Reward.





14 G.3.c.66		 II. And be it further enacted, "That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, and they are hereby authorized and empowered whenever they shall be satisfied of the Probability of any Proposal or Proposals that shall be made to them for Discovery of the Longitude, or making any other useful Discovery and Improvement in Navigation, so as to think it proper to cause Experiments to be made thereof, to certify the same to the Commissioners of the Navy, and also in case they shall adjudge any Person or Persons to have made any Discovery for finding the Longitude at Sea, which though not of so great Use as to be entitled to any of the great Rewards specified in the said Act of the Fourteenth Year of His present Majesty ; yet that such Discovery is of considerable Use to the Public, or to have made any other Discovery or Discoveries, Improvement or Improvements useful to Navigation, to certify such less Reward or Sum or Sums of Money as they the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude shall think reasonable to be paid to such Person or Persons; and the Commissioners of the Navy are hereby authorized and required to make out a Bill or Bills upon the Treasurer of the Navy for such Sum or Sums as shall be so certified to them by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, and the said Treasurer of the Navy is hereby authorized and required to pay immediately such Sum or Sums to the Person or Persons who shall be appointed by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, to make such Experiments or to receive such less Reward or Sum or Sums of Money for making lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or any other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, out of any Monies which shall be in his the said Treasurer's Hands unapplied to the Use of the Navy.
Debts incurred and new Rewards not to exceed 10.000l. III. Provided always, and be it enacted, That all such Sum or Sums of Money as shall be paid by the Treasurer of the Navy by virtue of this Act, as well for the Purpose of discharging the several Debts which have been incurred and are now growing due in manner aforesaid, as of making such Experiments as aforesaid, and of rewarding in a lesser Degree lesser Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, and also other Discoveries and Improvements useful to Navigation, do not altogether exceed the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds: Provided also, that in case any such Reward or Sum of Money to be given or paid for any of the Purposes aforesaid shall not exceed the Sum of One thousand Pounds, that then and in every such case it shall be certified to the Commissioners of the Navy as aforesaid, under the Hands and Seals of the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, or any Five or more of them, but if any such Reward or Sum of Money shall exceed the Sum of One thousand Pounds, that then the same shall in every such case be certified as aforesaid, under the Hands and Seals of the First Commissioner of the Admiralty, the First Commissioner of the Navy, the President of the Royal Society, the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich, and the Comptroller of the Navy for the time being, they respectively being, by virtue of the several Offices held by them, Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude as aforesaid.
Cetificates not liable to Stamp Duty. IV. Provided always, and be it enacted, That such Certificates signed and sealed respectively as hereinbefore is directed, shall not be considered, deemed or taken to be Deeds or Instruments liable to any Stamp Duties, but that the same shall be good and valid, and shall and may be given in Evidence in any Court of Law or Equity as Occasion shall require, without being stamped in any manner whatsoever, any Law, Statute or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

 

 

 

Act 21: 1818 (58 Geo 3. c.20.)

Transcribed from the 1821 edition of the Nautical Almanac. As this version was published without marginal notes, the notes below have been added from the version published in 1818 which was printed by George Eyre and Andrew Strahan, Printers to the King's most excellent Majesty, of which a copy can be found in the Observatory archives (RGO14/179).

 

*****
 
AN Act for more effectually discovering the Longitude at Sea, and encouraging Attempts to find a Northern Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and to approach the Northern Pole.
[8 May 1818.]

12Anne.c.15.







26G.2.c.25


30G.3.c.14.













Recited Acts repealed.
 WHERAS by an Act passed in the Twelfth Year of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled “ An Act for providing a Public Reward for such Person or Persons as shall discover the Longitude at Sea,” it was enacted, that Persons holding certain Public Offices therein stated, for the time being, and certain other Persons therein mentioned by name, should be Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, and for examining, trying, and judging of all Proposals, Experiments, and Improvements relating to the same: And whereas another Act was passed in the Twenty-sixth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Second, for rendering more effectual the last-recited Act: And whereas by another Act passed in the Thirtieth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled “ An Act for continuing the Encouragement and Reward of Persons making certain Discoveries for finding the Longitude at Sea, or making other useful Discoveries and Improvements in Navigation, and for making Experiments relating thereto, and for adding a Commissioner to execute the several Acts for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea," Persons holding certain other Offices, therein enumerated, for the time being, were added to and joined with the Commissioners appointed by the said first-mentioned Act: And whereas all the Persons mentioned by Name in the said first-recited Act are long since deceased: And whereas by reason of the Residence at the Universities of certain Professors who are constituted Members of the Board of Commissioners aforesaid, and by there not being a Power of electing into the said Board any Persons but the said Official Commissioners and the said Professors, it often happens that there are no Persons, particularly versed in the Sciences of the Mathematics and Astronomy resident in London, and belonging to the said Board; and that divers Persons of great Skill and Ability, whose Services would be most beneficial to the Objects of the said Board, are by the said Constitution of the Board excluded therefrom: Be it therefore enacted by, the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the said recited Acts shall be and the same are hereby repealed.
Commissioners for discovering the Longitude appointed.
 II. And be it further enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act, the Lord High Treasurer of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or the First Commissioner for executing the said Office, the Lord High Admiral or First Commissioner for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and such other Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as may be Flag Officers in His Majesty's Fleet, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the President of the Committee of Council for Trade and Plantations, the Governor of the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich, the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, the Secretaries of the Treasury, the Secretaries of the Admiralty, the Comptroller of the Navy, the President and Three Fellows of the Royal Society, the Royal Astronomer at Greenwich, the Savilian, Lucasian, Plumian, and Lowndian Professors of the Mathematics and Astronomy at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the Observer at the Radcliffe Observatory at Oxford, all now and for the time being, and Three other Persons well versed in the Sciences of Mathematics, Astronomy, or Navigation, to be annually selected, chosen, and named, as herein-after provided, shall be Commissioners for discovering the Longitude at Sea, and for examining, trying, and judging all Proposals, Experiments, and Improvements relating to the same, and for rewarding Persons making useful Discoveries and Improvements in or connected with Navigation.
Further Appointment of Commissioners
 III. And be it further enacted, That the Three Members of the Royal Society, so to be Commissioners, shall be the Right Honourable Charles Lord Colchester, Davies Gilbert Esquire, and Colonel William Mudge; and that in the Event of any Vacancy by Death, Resignation, or Refusal to act, of any of the said Three Persons, or of any Person hereafter chosen to succeed them, such Vacancy shall be filled up by the Choice and Election of the President and Council of the Royal Society; and that the said Three other Commissioners shall be Doctor William Hyde Wollaston, and Doctor Thomas Young, and Captain Henry Kater, who shall continue Commissioners until the First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and twenty, after which Time the Three Persons to be the said last-mentioned Commissioners shall be annually, or as often as a Vacancy by Death, Resignation, or Refusal to act, may occur, selected, chosen, and named by the Lord High Admiral, or Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, and shall be Persons well versed in the Sciences of the Mathematics, Astronomy, or Navigation, and shall be generally resident in or near the City of London, and capable of attending at the Board of Commissioners, and of assisting in the Objects herein intrusted to the said Board.
All Acts conferring any Duty of Power on Commissioners, repealed.
 IV. And whereas by the said recited Acts, and by divers other Acts passed from time to time, and all founded upon and referring to the said first-recited Acts, divers Duties and Authorities were imposed and conferred upon the Commissioners constituted by the said recited Acts, and divers Sums of 'Money for various Purposes, and under different Conditions, were from 'Time to Time granted and provided to be employed and expended towards the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, and for divers Purposes in such Acts mentioned, and for Rewards to such Persons as should ascertain the Longitude within certain Limits and Conditions therein specified; and for enabling the said Commissioners to cause a Survey to be made of the Shores of Great Britain and Ireland, and ascertaining the Latitude and Longitude of the Capes, Promontories, and Headlands thereof: And whereas some of the Provisions of the said Acts have been repealed, and others thereof have expired; and it is expedient wholly to repeal the same, for the Purpose of re-enacting and conferring upon the new Commissioners such of the Powers, Authorities, and Duties at present vested in the old Commissioners, as are fit to be continued in force: Be it therefore enacted, That all and every Act, conferring any Duty, Authority, or Power on the Commissioners constituted by the said first recited Acts, shall be and are hereby repealed.
Commissioners may propose Three Scales of Reward to Persons making Discoveries regarding the Longitude.









If Proposal be approved by His Majesty on Council, Commissioners may pay the proportionate Reward.
 V. And whereas the Longitude hath been ascertained within certain of the Limits, and Conditions specified in the said Acts: And whereas certain other of the Limits and Conditions still subsisting are considered as impracticable, and have never been tried: And whereas it may conduce to the Advancement of Science, and to the Honour and Interest of this country, that fit and proportionate Rewards should be provided for Persons who shall ascertain the Longitude within certain new Limits and Conditions : And whereas it is expedient that such Limits and Conditions should not be immutably fixed by Act of Parliament, but should be regulated on scientific Principles by the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, and should be varied from Time to Time according to the Progress of Discoveries and the Advancement of Science: Be it enacted, That the said last-mentioned Commissioners shall from Time to Time, as they may see proper, propose, by their Memorial to His Majesty in Council, to direct and establish Three Scales of proportionate Rewards to be paid to any Person or Persons who shall, by any Principle not already made public, ascertain the Longitude within Three corresponding Scales of Limit and Condition, such Rewards not exceeding the respective Sums of Five Thousand Pounds, Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pounds, and Ten Thousand Pounds;, and if His Majesty in Council shall be pleased to sanction and approve such Proposal, then that the same shall be published in the London Gazette, and that the said Commissioners shall have full Power and Authority to inquire into and examine all Proposals which may be made for finding the Longitude; and if on reasonable Experiment, to be judged of and certified by the said Commissioners, it shall be found that the Longitude hath been ascertained within any of the said Three Scales of Limit and Condition, agreeably to the said Order in Council, it shall be lawful to them to pay or cause to be paid the proportionate Reward assigned to the scale within which such Discovery or Experiment shall have ascertained the Longitude.
Commissioners may expend 1000l. a year in making Experiments, &c.
 VI. And whereas it is expedient that the said Commissioners should be enabled to expend certain Sums towards making Experiments of Instruments, Modes, or Proposals, and for making and publishing Observations, Calculations, and Tables for ascertaining the Longitude, or towards improving or correcting such as may have been already made, or for other Purposes useful to Navigation : be it enacted, That they may pay or expend any Sum or Sums of Money, not exceeding One 'Thousand Pounds in any one Year, towards the making, correcting, or publishing any such Experiments, Modes, Observations, Calculations, or Tables.
And a like Sum in ascertaining the Latitude and Longitude of Places.
 VII. And whereas it is expedient that the said Commissioners should be enabled to cause to be ascertained, as accurately as may be, the Latitude and Longitude of Places whereof the exact Situation hath not been already sufficiently ascertained; be it enacted, That they may expend or cause to be expended any Sum not exceeding in the whole One Thousand Pounds in any one Year for such Purpose.
Rewards may be allowed to Persons making Improvements in former Inventions.
 VIII. And whereas it may happen that Proposals, Inventions, and Tables, or Corrections and Amendments of former Proposals, Inventions, or Tables, ingenious in themselves and useful to Science, and which may deserve Encouragement, though they do not come within the Limits and Conditions specified for the before-mentioned Rewards, may be made to the said Commissioners; and it is expedient that they should be enabled to bestow such moderate Rewards upon the Person or Persons who may have made such Proposal, Invention, or Correction; be it therefore enacted, That the said Commissioners may pay or cause to be paid such Sum not exceeding Five Hundred Pounds to any one Person for any one Proposal or Invention, or Two Thousand Pounds in one Year, as they may consider the said Proposals, Inventions, Tables, or Corrections to deserve.

18G.2.c.17.







16G.3.c.6.


















Recited Acts repealed.
 IX. And whereas by an Act passed in the Eighteenth Year of His late Majesty King George the Second, intituled, “An Act for giving a public Reward to such Person or Persons, being His Majesty's Subject or Subjects, as shall discover a North-west Passage through Hudson's Streights to the Western and Southern Oceans of America,”. a Sum of Twenty Thousand Pounds was provided for the Owner or Owners of any Ship or Vessel which should first find out and sail through such Passage; and the Persons holding certain Offices therein named, for the time being, were appointed Commissioners for the said Discovery: And whereas by an Act passed in the Sixteenth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled “ An Act for giving a public Reward to such Person or Persons, being his Majesty's Subject or Subjects, as shall discover a Northern Passage for Vessels by Sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and also unto such as shall first approach by Sea within One Degree of the Northern Pole;" the Reward in the last-recited Act was extended to the Commander or Commanders, Officers and Seamen, of any of His Majesty's Ship or Vessels, and to the Owner or Owners of any private Ship or Vessel which should find out and sail through any Passage by Sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in any Direction or Parallel of the Northern Hemisphere to the North of the Fifty-second Degree of North Latitude; and further assigning a Reward of Five Thousand Pounds to the Commander or Commanders, Officers and Seamen, of any of His Majesty's Ships or Vessels, or the owner or Owners of any private Ship or Vessel which should first approach within One Degree of the Northern Pole; and appointing the Commissioners of the Longitude to, be Commissioners for executing this last-recited Act: And whereas many Advantages, both to Commerce and Science, may be expected from granting such proportionate Rewards as well to such Person or Persons as may accomplish the Objects of the said, Two last-mentioned Acts, and to such other Person or Persons as may approach thereto within certain Limits or Conditions: And whereas it is expedient that the Regulation of such Limits and Conditions, and the Decision, whether and how far such Object may have been accomplished, should be confided to the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea appointed by this Act; be it therefore enacted, That the said Two last-recited Acts shall be and they are hereby repealed.
Persons first finding and sailing through any Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, shall receive a
X. And be it further enacted, That if any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, belonging to any of His Majesty's Subjects, or to His Majesty, shall first find out and sail through any Passage by Sea, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in any Direction, or Parallel of the Northern Hemisphere, the Owner or Owners of such Shin or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, if belonging to any of His Majesty's Subjects, or the Commander or Commanders, Officers, Seamen, and Marines of such Ships or Vessels, if belonging to His Majesty, so first finding out and sailing through such Passage shall receive a Reward for such Discovery, of the sum of Twenty Thousand Pounds.
Reward of 20,000l. Persons first approaching within one Degree of the Northern Pole entitiled to a reward of 5,000l.
 XI. And whereas Ships employed both in the Spitzbergen Seas and in Davis's Streights may have Opportunities of approaching the North Pole: And whereas Approaches towards the Northern Pole may tend greatly to the Discovery of a Communication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as may be attended with many Advantages to Commerce and Science; be it therefore enacted, That if any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, shall approach within One Degree of the Northern Pole, the Owner of such Ship or Vessel, Ships or Vessels, if belonging to any of His Majesty's Subjects, or the Commander or Commanders, Officers, Seamen, and Marines, of any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, if belonging to His Majesty, so first approaching within One Degree of the Northern Pole, shall be entitled to receive a Reward of Five Thousand Pounds.
Commissioners may reward Attempts to approach the same.
 XII. And for the Encouragement of Persons who may attempt the said Passage, or approach to the Northern Pole, but not wholly accomplish the same; be it enacted, That the said Commissioners for discovering the Longitude at Sea may, by their Memorial, propose to His Majesty in Council to direct and establish proportionate Rewards to be paid to such Person as aforesaid who shall first have accomplished certain proportions of the said Passage or Approach ; and if His Majesty in Council shall be pleased to sanction and approve the said Proposal, then that the same shall be published in the London Gazette; and any Person or Persons accomplishing such Passages, or the specified Proportions of them, shall be entitled, on the Award of the said Commissioners, to receive such total or proportionate Sums as may have been offered for the Object which he or they may have then accomplished.
Proceedings in ascertaining the Discoverers of such Northern Passage, &c.
 XIII. And in order to ascertain who are the first Discoverers of the said Northern Passage into the Pacific Ocean, and who are the first Approachers to within One Degree of the Northern Pole, and to whom either the whole Rewards or the proportionate Rewards by this Act respectively given do belong; be it further enacted, That the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea be authorized and empowered to call for the respective Journal or Journals, Book or Books, and Papers, kept on board the respective Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, of the Claimant or Claimants respectively; and also to examine upon oath all such Persons as they the said Commissioners shall think proper, with regard to any Claim or Claims, as well any Person or Persons produced by the respective Claimant or Claimants, or any other Person or Persons who may seem capable of giving any Information; which Oath the said Commissioners are hereby empowered and required to administer; and the said Commissioners being fully satisfied, upon such Examination and Proof, that such Northern Passage is effectually discovered and sailed through, or that such Approach within One Degree of the Northern Pole, or any specified Proportion of the said Passage or Approach, shall have been made and accomplished, they are hereby authorized to pay or cause to be paid the said Rewards, or such Proportion of them as the Claimant or Claimants may under this Act, or under such Order in Council, be entitled to receive.
Rewards claimed by Officers and Men if His Majesty's Ships how to be distributed.
 XIV. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That if the said Rewards, or either of them, shall be claimed by and adjudged to the Commander or Commanders, Officers, Seamen and Marines of any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, belonging to His Majesty, the same shall be disposed in favour of and distributed among such Commander or Commanders, Officers, Seamen, and Marines, in such Proportions as shall be directed by His Majesty in Council, and in no other Manner.
Executors may receive the Reward.
 XV. And be it further enacted, That the Executors, Administrators, and Assigns of any Person or Persons to whom any Sum whatsoever shall be awarded by the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, shall be entitled to receive the same in the event of the Death of such Person or Persons.
Commissioners may cause Nautical Almanacks, &c. to be made and published.
 XVI. And whereas the Publication of the Nautical Almanack, constructed by proper Persons, under the Directions of the said Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, is of great Importance to the Safety of Ships and Persons, and highly conducive to the general Interests of Commerce and Navigation; be it therefore enacted, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Commissioners to cause such Nautical Almanacks, or other useful Tables, to be constructed, and to print, publish, and vend, or cause to be printed, published, and vended, any Nautical Almanack or Almanacks, or other useful Table or Tables, which they shall from Time to Time judge necessary and useful, in order to facilitate the Method of discovering the Longitude at Sea ; any Law, Statute, exclusive Privilege, private Charter, or other Custom, to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.
No unauthorized Persons to publish the Nautical Almanack,





on Penalty of 20l.
 XVII. And be it enacted, That no Person or Persons shall print, publish, or vend, or cause to be printed, published, or vended, any Nautical Almanack or Almanacks, or other Table or Tables, constructed under the Direction of the said Commissioners, without being first licensed by the said Commissioners; and if any Person or Persons not so licensed, or not being authorized by the Person or Persons so licensed by the said Commissioners, shall print, publish, or vend, or cause to be printed, published, or vended, any such Almanack or Almanacks, or other Table or Tables, every such Person or Persons shall, for every Copy of such Nautical Almanack or Table so printed, published, or vended, forfeit and pay the Sum of Twenty Pounds, to be recovered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information in any of His Majesty's Courts of Record at Westminster; and that one Moiety of such Penalty and Forfeiture shall be to His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, and the other Moiety to him or them that shall prosecute, inform, and sue for the same.
Penalties to be sued for by the Secretary of Commissioners of Longitude.
 XVIII. And be it further enacted, That the said Penalty or Forfeiture shall be sued, informed, and prosecuted for by the Secretary of the said Commissioners of the Longitude for the Time being, or by some other Person or Persons authorized by the said Commissioners, and shall not be sued, informed, or prosecuted for by any other Person or Persons whomsoever; and that such Suits, Prosecutions, and Informations shall not abate by reason of the Death of such Prosecutors or any of them, but shall be continued in the case of a sole Plaintiff or Informer dying before Judgment obtained, in the Name of the Secretary of the said Commissioners for the Time being.
Nautical Almanac not to be liable to
XIX. And be it further enacted, That no such Nautical Almanack or Almanacks, so published under the Directions of the said Commissioners, shall be subject or liable to any Stamp Duty whatsoever.
Stamp Duties. Salary to Three of the Commissioners.
 XX. And be it further enacted, That there shall be annually paid to each of the Three last-named Commissioners and their Successors, to be annually named according to the Provisions of this Act, such annual Sum as His Majesty, by any Order in Council, shall be pleased to direct.
Secretary to be appointed.
 XXI. And whereas it is necessary to continue the Appointment of a Secretary to the Board of Commissioners for discovering the Longitude: And whereas it is highly expedient to the Interests of Navigation, and the Honour of this Country, that the said Nautical Almanack should be accurately computer, compared, and published, and that the Method of finding the Longitude by Timekeepers should also be encouraged, and that the Timekeepers belonging to His Majesty for the Use of His Ships of War should be carefully examined and regulated; be il further enacted, That some Person of competent Skill and Ability shall be nominated and appointed by the Lord High Admiral or Commissioners of the Admiralty to be Secretary to the said Board of Commissioners, and for superintending, under the Directions of the Board in general, and the Astronomer Royal in particular, the due and correct Publication of the Nautical Almanack, and for taking care of and regulating such Timekeepers as may be intrusted to his Care by the Lord High Admiral or Commissioners of the Admiralty.
Tenure of his Office and Salary.






Salaries to be included in the
XXII. And be it further enacted, that the said Secretary shall hold his said Office during the Pleasure of the Lord High Admiral or Commissioners of the Admiralty; and for his Trouble and Pains therein he shall receive such annual Salary as His Majesty, by any Order in Council, may please to direct; but if it shall so happen that a Person shall not be found competent to execute the Three several Duties of Secretary to the said Board, and of superintending the Publication of the Nautical Almanack, and the Care and Regulation of Timekeepers, it shall be lawful to the said Commissioners to propose to His Majesty in Council to divide the said Duties, and assign them to several Persons, and to apportion to each Person such Part of the Salary established for the Performance of the united Duties as may seem to them fit and proportionate to the several Duty or Duties to be performed by such Person.
Ordinary Estimates of the Navy. XXIII. And be it further enacted, That the said Salaries to the Three annual Commissioners, and the said Secretary or Persons performing the last-mentioned Duties, shall be annually placed on the Ordinary Estimate of the Navy.

Not to affect Half-pay.
 XXIV. And be it further enacted, That no Receipt of any Salary or Reward under this Act shall prevent any Officer entitled to any Military or Naval Hall-pay from receiving such Half-pay in addition to any such Salary or Reward.

Estimate of Expense to be prepared.
 XXV. And be it further enacted, That the Commissioners for discovering the Longitude at Sea shall, at the beginning of every Year, make an Estimate of the Sum or Sums which they shall deem to be necessary tor executing the Purposes of this Act in such Year, which Estimate shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the Admiralty, and, on being approved or amended by the Lord High Admiral or Commissioners of the Admiralty, shall be placed on the Ordinary Estimate of the Navy.
Mode of Payment of Money.
 XXVI. And be it further enacted, That any Sum or Sums of Money to be paid under the Authority of this Act shall be paid, upon Certificates under the Hands and Seals of the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, to the Commissioners of the Navy for the Time being; and the Commission of the Navy shall forthwith make out a Bill or Bills for the Sum or Sums contained in such Certificate or Certificates, payable by the Treasurer of the Navy, and such Sum or Sums of Money the said Treasurer of the Navy is hereby required to pay immediately to the Person or Persons mentioned in the said Certificate or Certificates, out of any Money which shall be in his Hands unapplied for the Use of the Navy: Provided always, that all such Sums of Money as shall exceed the Sum of Five Thousand Pounds shall be certified under the Hands and Seals of Two-thirds at least of the said Commissioners, and all such Sums as shall exceed the Sum of One Thousand Pounds shall be certified under the Hands and Seals of the major part of them, and that all such Sums as shall not exceed One Thousand Pounds shall be certified under the Hands and Seals of any five or more of them; such - Certificates being in every Case whatsoever signed by One at least of the following Commissioners ; that is to say, the Lord High Treasurer of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or the First Commissioner of the Treasury, the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or First Commissioner of the Admiralty, the Secretaries of the Treasury, and the Secretaries of the Admiralty.
Quorum of the Commissioners and Persons who shall attend.
 XXVII. And be it further enacted, That in any other respects where any Power or Authority is vested in the Commissioners under this Act, the same may be exercised by any Five or more Commissioners at the Board assembled, in as full and ample a Manner as if the whole Commissioners were then and there present; provided always, that at every such Board one of the following Commissioners at the least shall be present; that is to say, the First or one other of the Commissioners, or one of the Secretaries of the Admiralty; and that also three other of the following Commissioners at the least shall be present, that is to say, the President of the Royal Society, the Astronomer Royal, the Professors and Observer at the Two Universities, and the Three Commissioners annually elected and receiving salaries as aforesaid.
Meetings of Commissioners.
 XXVIII. And be it further enacted, That there shall be held at least Four stated Meetings of the said Commissioners within every Year, to be held on such Days as His Majesty by any Order in Council may appoint, and such other Meetings as from Time to Time may be necessary; of all which Meetings due Notice shall be given to the said Commissioners respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

Act 22: 1821 (1&2 Geo 4. c.2.)

Transcribed from The Statutes of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1&2 George IV. 1821

 

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An Act to amend an Act of the Fifty eighth Year of His late Majesty, for more effectually discovering the Longitude at Sea, and encouraging Attempts to find a Northern Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and to approach the Northern Pole.
[23d February 1821.]
 
58 G.3.c.20



























The proportionate Rewards directed by the cited Act, and pursuant to any Order in Council, held to be Parts only of the several Sums of 20,000l. and 5000l.



 WHERAS by an Act passed in the Fifty eighth year of His late Majesty, intituled An Act for more effectually discovering the Longitude at Sea, and encouraging Attempts find a Northern Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and to approach the Northern Pole, it was enacted, That if any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, belonging to any of His Majesty's Subjects, or to His Majesty, shall first find out and sail through any Passage by Sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in any Direction or Parallel of the Northern Hemisphere, the Owner or Owners of such Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, if belonging to any of His Majesty's Subjects, or 'the Commander or Commanders, Officers, Seamen and Marines of such Ships or Vessels if belonging to His Majesty, so first finding out and sailing through such Passage, shall receive a Reward for such Discovery of Twenty thousand Pounds: And Whereas it was further enacted, that if any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, should approach within One Degree of the Northern Pole, the Owner of such Ship or Vessel, Ships or Vessels, if belonging to any of His Majesty's Subjects, or the Commander or Commanders, Officers, Seamen and Marines of any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, if belonging to His Majesty, so first approaching within One Degree of the Northern Pole, should be entitled to receive a Reward of Five 1 thousand Pounds: And Whereas it was further enacted for the Encouragement of Persons who may attempt the said Passage or Approach to the Northern Pole, but not wholly accomplish the same, that the Commissioners for Discovering the Longitude at Sea, might by their Memorial propose to His Majesty in Council to direct and establish proportionate Rewards to be paid to such Person as aforesaid, who shall first have accomplished certain Proportions of the said Passage or Approach; and if His Majesty in Council should be pleased to sanction and approve the said Proposal, then that the same should be published in the London Gazette, and any Person or Persons accomplishing such Passages, or the specified Proportions of them, should be entitled on the Award of the said Commissioners to receive such total or proportionate Sums as may have been offered for the Object which he or they may have then accomplished: And Whereas Doubts have arisen whether such proportionate Rewards be over and above the said Sums of Twenty thousand and Five thousand Pounds respectively, or only Parts and Proportions of the said Sums:' For the Removal of all such Doubts, be it enacted by The King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this Act, such proportionate Rewards shall be held and taken to be Proportions and Parts only of the said Sums of Twenty thousand and Five thousand Pounds respectively, and that such proportionate Rewards as His Majesty may be pleased hereafter to direct and establish by His Order in Council under the said Act, shall be Parts and Proportions only of the said Sums, so that no more than the said respective Sums of Twenty thousand and Five thousand Pounds shall be paid or payable under such Order in Council, for the Accomplishment of the whole of the said Passage or Approach respectively, whether the same shall be attempted or accomplished by Proportions or Parts, or by One Voyage only.
Orders in Council under this of recited Act may be revoked. II. And be it further enacted and declared, That it shall and may be lawful for His Majesty in Council to revoke, annul, alter or amend, as from time to time may seem necessary and proper, any Order or Orders in Council already made, or hereafter to be made, under the Authority of the said recited Act or of this Act.

 

 

 

 

Act 23: 1828 (9 Geo 4. c.66.)

Transcribed from The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 11, p.523 (1829)

 

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An Act for repealing the Laws now in force relating to the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea.
[15th July 1828]
 

58 G.3.c.20.




Recited Acts, and all other Acts relating to rewards for Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, repealed. Proviso as to Rewards for the Discovery of a Northern Passage.
 WHEREAS by an Act made in the Fifty-eighth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for more effectually discovering the Longitude at Sea, and encouraging Attempts to find a Northern, Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and to approach the Northern Pole, divers Acts therein recited, and Parts of other Acts therein mentioned, are repealed, and various other Regulations and Provisions are enacted, for the Appointment of Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude, and for other Purposes therein specified: And whereas another Act was passed in the Second Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, for amending the said Act of the Fifty-eighth Year of His late Majesty: And whereas it is deemed expedient to annul and repeal all the Powers and Authorities given by the said Acts; be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the said Two recited Acts, and all other Acts now in force relating to the Appointment or to the Authorities and Powers of Commissioners, or to the Payment of any Reward, for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, or for any Invention or Proposal relating to the same, except so far as herein-after is provided, shall be and the same are hereby repealed: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall extend or be held or deemed to extend, to revive any former Acts or Parts of Acts which by the said recited Act of the Fifty-eighth Year of His late Majesty are repealed: Provided also, that nothing herein contained snail extend to abrogate or make void any Enactment now in force for the Payment to the Commander or Commanders, Officers Seamen, and Marines, of any Ship or Ships of His Majesty, or to the Owner or Owners of any Ship or Vessel belonging to His Majesty's Subjects, of any Reward or Rewards for the Discovery of a Northern Passage, or for approaching or attempting to approach the North Pole; provided such Ships shall have sailed from any Part of the United Kingdom before the passing of this Act.


Lord High Admiral may authorize Publication of the Nautical Almanack.


Penalty for publishing said Almanack without such Authority.		 II. And whereas the Publication of the Nautical Almanack, constructed by proper Persons for the finding of the Longitude at Sea, is of great Importance to the Safety of Ships and Persons, and highly conducive to the general Interests of Commerce and Navigation; be it therefore enacted, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, for the Time being, to cause such Nautical Almanacks, or other useful Table or Tables, which he or they shall from Time to Time judge necessary and useful in order to facilitate the Method of discovering the Longitude at Sea, to be constructed, printed, published, and vended, free of all Stamp Duty whatever, in the same Manner as the Commissioners under the said Act of the Fifty-eighth Year of His late Majesty's Reign might or could do; and that every Person who, without the special Licence and Authority of the Lord High Admiral or Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral aforesaid for the Time being, to be signified under the Hand of the Secretary of the Admiralty for the Time being, shall print, publish, or vend, or cause to be printed, published, or vended, any such Almanack or Almanacks, or other Table or Tables, shall, for every Copy of such Almanack or Table so printed, published, or vended, forfeit and pay the Sum of Twenty Pounds, to be recovered, with Costs of Suit, by any Person to be authorized for that Purpose by the Lord High Admiral or Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral aforesaid, (such Authority to be signified under the Hand of the Secretary of the Admiralty as aforesaid,) by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in any of His Majesty's Courts of Record at Westminster; and that the Proceeds of the said Penalty, when recovered, shall be paid and applied to the Use of the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich.


An act for explaining and rendering more effectual two acts, one made in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea ; and the other in the twenty sixth year of the reign of King George the Second, intituled, An act to render
more effectual an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for providing a publick reward for such person or persons as shall discover the longitude at sea, with regard to the making experiments of proposals made for discovering the longitude; and to enlarge the number of com-
missioners for putting in execution the said act.