John Harrison and the Quest for Longitude, in a revised and updated
edition, is a fascinating account of the life and achievements of John
Harrison, the man who designed and built the first accurate marine
chronometers.
Inspired by the prize offered in 1714 to provide a solution to the
problem of determining longitudinal position at sea, John Harrison - a
carpenter by trade - set out to develop portable clocks that would rival
even the most precise watches of the time. His famous 'H' timepieces
went on to revolutionise sea travel and save many thousands of lives.
Now housed in the collection of Royal Observatory Greenwich, they are
milestones in clock- making history.
Beautifully illustrated with images that showcase the intricate detail
and mechanisms of the timepieces, John Harrison and the Quest for
Longitudetells the story of one man driven by the need to solve one of
the greatest practical problems of his time.