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Unpublished paper, 'New method to find the course, distance, difference of latitude and departure, with the description and use of the quadrant' by John Phipps

Reference number: AP/3/11

Date: early 19th century

Description

Two title pages, one with stylised fonts, followed by a paper by Phipps regarding a navigational method for finding the course, distance, and differences of latitude and departure of a ship using a quadrant of a mariner's compass. Phipps provides two examples with calculations to illustrate his method. Includes one figure on a separate plate.

Subject: Geodesy

Written by Phipps in Staindrop, near Darlington, Durham [England].

Reference number
AP/3/11
Earliest possible date
early 19th century
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
10 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Unpublished paper, 'New method to find the course, distance, difference of latitude and departure, with the description and use of the quadrant' by John Phipps, early 19th century, AP/3/11, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_3_11/unpublished-paper-new-method-to-find-the-course-distance-difference-of-latitude-and-departure-with-the-description-and-use-of-the-quadrant-by-john-phipps, accessed on 24 January 2026

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  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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