Description
A History of the Practice of Navigation by Commander J. B. Hewson examines the development of practical navigation. It shows how new instruments, improved charts, and changing calculation methods gradually transformed the navigator’s work.
Separate chapters follow nautical charts and sailing directions from hand-drawn portolan charts and manuscripts to later Admiralty publications. The history of the compass and its corrections is covered along with instruments such as the astrolabe and sextant.
The book covers determining latitude, variation, log lines, logbooks, dead reckoning, and the effort to find longitude. Historical problems are linked to specific methods and events, allowing the reader to see how navigators used the knowledge available to them.
This is a detailed reference work for those interested in maritime history and for readers who wish to understand the background of today’s navigation profession. The index also makes it suitable for looking up individual methods and technical terms.
The publication is in English and is published by Brown, Son & Ferguson Ltd. Author: Cdr. J. B. Hewson. ISBN: 9780851744186.
