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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished paper and letter, 'Boussole angulaire de Leonelli' ['Leonelli's angular compass'] by Z [Zecchini] Leonelli

Reference number: AP/8/18

Date: 13 August 1831

Description

Leonelli describes his invention of an angular compass, designed to aid ship captains in orienting themselves when they are unfamiliar with astronomical operations for determining longitude or when the sky is cloudy and therefore their marine watches are of little use. Includes an illustration of the compass. Followed by a cover letter from Leonelli to Augustus Frederick introducing this paper as well as AP/8/15-17.

Subject: Navigation / Geodesy

Written by Leonelli in Corfou [Corfu, Ionian Islands, Greece].

AP/8/15-18 were sent to the Royal Society together with the covering letter dated 24th April 1831, addressed to Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, found at AP/8/18/3.

Reference number
AP/8/18
Earliest possible date
13 August 1831
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
5 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Unpublished paper and letter, 'Boussole angulaire de Leonelli' ['Leonelli's angular compass'] by Z [Zecchini] Leonelli, 13 August 1831, AP/8/18, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_8_18/unpublished-paper-and-letter-boussole-angulaire-de-leonelli-leonellis-angular-compass-by-z-zecchini-leonelli, accessed on 17 May 2025

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is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.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