THE DISCOVERY OF THE LONGITUDE

Norman J. W. Thrower

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	The stimulus given to ocean navigation was one of the important consequences of the discovery of America. Although, undoubtedly, in earlier times sailors had ventured far from shore, it was only after the long and successful voyages of Columbus that ocean navigation or "proper pilotage" developed rapidly. Before the sixteenth century the common navigational practice was coasting, whereby a sailor attempted to keep his vessel within sight of land, the location of which was shown on charts carried on shipboard. As long as that was accomplished it was possible to obtain position by direct observation of recognizable coastland features. However, in the open ocean, beyond sight of land, the position of a ship must be established by other means.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 5, Number 8
Pages:	375 - 381
Cite this article:	Thrower, Norman J. W., "THE DISCOVERY OF THE LONGITUDE", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 5, No. 8, 1957, pp. 375-381.
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