Additional Xoies. 46^ 



cities of ancient Greece had long and sliaip contentions for 

 the honour of Homer's blith-placc. And in later times vo- 

 lumes have been written in Europe^ in disputing whirji city- 

 had the tiue claim to the invention of tljc art of printing. 

 Nor is it to be wondered that mankind should be so gene- 

 rally eager in this respect, since nothing redounds more to 

 the honour of any state than to have it said that some science 

 of general utility to mankind was invented or improved by 

 them. Nevertheless it often happens that tlje true author of 

 many an useful invention, either by accident or fraud, loses 

 the credit tliereof, and, from age to age, it passes in the 

 name of another. Thus it happened, heretofore, to Colum- 

 bus and many others; and thus also it has happened to a native 

 of Pliiliidclphia. 



Mr. Thomas Godfrey, it is well known to manv of us 

 here, was the real inventor of that very useful instrument 

 called Hadley's Quadrant or Octant. To him the merit is 

 due, and to his posterity the profit ought to belong. This 

 will fully appear from tlie three following genuine letters, 

 which, 1 persuade myself, you will think worthy of being 

 recorded in your Magazine, in order to restore, as far as 

 possible, the credit of that invention to our city, and to the 

 posterity of Mr. Godfrey. How he came to be deprived 

 of it may be made a question by some. I answer that Mr. 

 Godfrey sent the instrument to be tried at sea by an ac- 

 quaintance of his, an ingenious navigator, in a voyage to 

 Jamaica^ who showed it to a Captain of a ship there just 

 going for England^ by which means it came to the know- 

 ledge of Mr. Hadley, though, perhaps, without his being 

 told the name of the real inventor. 'I'his fact is sufficiently 

 known to many seamen and others yet alive in this city; and 

 established beyond doubt by the following letteis, written 

 about that time. It is, therefore, submitted to the world, 

 whether, after perusing the letters, they ought not, in justice, 

 to call that instrument, for the future, Godfrey's, and not 

 Hadley's Quadrant. 



To Dr. Edmund Halley.* 



Esteemed Friend, 

 The discovery of the Longitude having, of late years, em- 

 ployed the thoughts of many, and tlie world now expecting, 



* An introduciory paper, Avliich I have not t ran scribed, not think-ng 

 it important, mentions this letter as No. 435 in tlie PhUosophical 7'ru, in- 

 actions, and entitled an " Account of Mr. Thomas Godfrey's Im])rove- 

 raeiit of Davis's Qiiadiant tran-.fcrred to the Jlariner's Bow." E. IL 



