38 A. D. 1 7 14. 



1774. — In the beginning of the year 171 4 the queen's declining 

 ft.ite of health, and the great uneafinefs of the men of ])roperty on the 

 apprehenfion of her death, occafioned a confiderable fall in the prices 

 of the public funds, viz. bank ftock from 126 to 116; South-fea flock 

 from 944- to 85. There was alfo, for fome days, a great run on the 

 bank : yet national credit very foon returned to its former ftate, and 

 even gradually advanced higher than before ; though, at the death of 

 that princefs, the national debt amounted to about 50 niillions of money. 

 Upon the petition of Mr. Whifton and Mr. Ditton, fupported by the 

 opinions of the great Sir Ifaac Newton and Dr. Halley, in the year 

 171 4 the Britifh parliament pafled an ad [12 Ann. Jeff] 2, c. 15] for 

 providing a public reward for the difcovery of the longitude at fea. 

 The preamble obferves, that ' it is well known by all that are ac- 

 quainted with the art of navigation, that nothing is fo much wanted 

 and defired at fea as the difcovery of the longitude, for the fafety and 

 quicknefs of voyages, the prefervation of (hips, and of the lives of 

 men : and whereas, in the judgment of able mathematicians and na- 

 vigators, feveral methods have already been difcovered, true in theo- 

 ry, though very difficult in pradice, fome of which, there is reafon to 

 expect, may be capable of improvement, fome already difcovered may 

 be propofed to the public, and others may be invented hereafter. 

 And whereas fuch difcovery would be of particular advantage to the 

 trade of Great Britain, and very much for the honour of this king- 

 dom : but, befidcs the great difficulty of the thing itfelf, partly for the 

 want of fome public reward as an encouragement, and partly for want 

 of money for trials and experiments neceflliry thereunto, no fuch in- 

 ventions or propofals, hitherto made, have been brought to perfec- 

 tion.' It was therefor now enaded, that the lord high admiral, the 

 fpeaker of the houfe of commons, and fundry other great officers, by 

 virtue of their offices, and feveral other perfons, fhould be commiffion- 

 ers for trying and judging of all propoHtls, experiments, and improve- 

 ments, relating to the fame; who, being fatisfied of the probability of 

 fuch difcovery, fhould certify the fame to the commiflioners of the 

 navy, who were empowered to make out a bill for any fum, not exceed- 

 ing L2000, which the commiflioners for the longitude fhould think ne- 

 ceflary for making the experiments. And the ultimate reward offered 

 to the difcoverer of the longitude, if he determines it to one degree, or 

 60 geographical miles, was Lio,coo, if to two thirds of a degree, Li 5,000, 

 and if to half a degree, L2c,ooo, &c. 



All that needs farther to be faid on this mofi: important fubjed, is, 

 that part of the L2000 has been already expended on fruitlefs experi- 

 ments ; and that many are of opinion the longitude never can be 

 found. But who can pronounce with certainty on a fubjed of this na- 

 ture, fince many ufeful difcoverics have, at different times, been made 

 on othtT points of great importance, when leafl expeded ?^ 



3 



