Essential Information
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Royal Observatory
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08 Nov 2012
The British Computers make as puzzling a Mystery of their mixed and borrowed Calculations (and some no Use at Sea) as of the Longitude they seek. But we, on-board the Navy, make the same Use of the Nautical Ephemeris as we do of a Pack of Cards or the Back-gammon Tables; to pass an idle Hour or to kill Time! For, as we find none is paid for chacing the Longitude-Prize but Longitude Schemers and Projectors, (for whose Profit we are annually out of Pocket by being compelled to buy their Work,) we have long given over the Chace ourselves, without endeavouring to come up with what is not worth our picking up.It was clearly Heath himself: his chief target, Maskelyne, is referred to as "the reverend Superintendent or Commander in Chief of Longitude". It is unsurprising that Maskelyne, in his autobiographical notes, chose to underline the fact that he never benefited financially from taking on the extra work surrounding the publication of the Nautical Almanac. It was not only Harrison who suspected him of being motivated by money. These publications, produced after the date that the "Longitude Prize" is usually considered to have been awarded and the problem solved, are very clear in their view that the solution was still elusive. -----------------------------
LONGITUDE ODE. By Mr. MOONSBY, Tune of the Ass. Or otherwise to be set to MUSIC by Seig. Chrisstiano Longitudiano.
Disputes still arise, For the Longitude Prize, Since Whiston and Ditton are fled; And H__r__n's W___h, Have prov'd a mere Catch, And goes like one out of it's Head, its Head, And goes like one out of it's Head [Note: See Mr. Maskelyne's Observations.] Irwin's Chair lost it's Fame, And has now but a Name, Was surpassed by the Scheme of the Moon; W_tch_l beat up a Breeze, For the Longitude Fees, But to School he was sent away soon, aye soon, But to School he was sent away soon. For D__nth__e of Sages, With one Dozen Pages, That voluminous Scheme quite knock'd down; He shew'd where it err'd, Got his own Scheme preferr'd, Which made the Watchmaker to frown, to frown, Which made the poor Q_____r to frown. Yet D___nth_e, or Ly___n, We cannot rely on, Tho' Cambridge of Oxford takes Place; Parallax and Refraction, Are but a Distraction, Till prov'd to agree with the Case, the Case, Till proved to agree with the Case. The Palladium Brother Has gone little further, [Note: See p.53, & Suppt to Royal Astron. & Navigator, p.8] Till his Theory and Practice unite: Then, by Observation, He can serve his Nation, Without his being a Bite, a Bite, Without his being a Bite. Of the Longitude Hoard, Which is rul'd by the Board, No Em___rs__n ever yet shar'd; And the Nautical Nac, Is but a fam'd Crack, Where a Halley yet never appear'd, appear'd, Where a Halley yet never appear'd. Of Cambridge and Lyon, And Oxford, cry fye on! No Longitude yet has been found; The learned Professors, Have all been Aggressors, And M__sk__ly__ne's only renown'd, renown'd, And M__sk__ly__ne's only renown'd!(I'll admit that there are a few references there that I haven't yet worked out - all suggestions on these names and allusions are gratefully received!)