The longitude rewards were the system of inducement prizes offered by the British government for a simple and practical method for the precise determination of a ship’s longitude at sea. The prizes, established through an act of Parliament, the Longitude Act 1714 (13 Ann. c. 14), in 1714, were administered by the Board of Longitude.
This was by no means the first reward to be offered to solve this problem. Philip II of Spain offered one in 1567, Philip III in 1598 offered 6,000 ducats and a pension, whilst the States General of the Netherlands offered 10,000 florins shortly after.
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The Daily Omnivore 