This technical textbook is the nineteenth edition of the book by Henry Raper, Lieutenant in the Royal Navy with awards that include F.R.A.S. (Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society) and F.R.G.S. (Friend of the Royal Geographical Society). The book is dedicated in honour of Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort K.C.B., Hydrographer to the Admiralty. He was awarded the title K.C.B. (King's Commander) as a Member of the Order of Bath, an order of British Chivalry, The book was first published in 1840 and soon became a resource for navigation students. It includes topics on nautical navigation, astronomy, navigation charts, calculations and mathematical tables, time, tides, ships, longitude, and position at sea. Thomas A. Hull, who revised and expanded this edition, was a Commander in the Royal Navy and had previously been Superintendent of Admiralty Charts used for navigation worldwide by seamen from many walks of life. The publisher, J D Potter of London, was at that time the sole agent for the Admiralty Charts produced by the Royal Navy. Printer Spottswoode and Co.,. was established by William Strachan in 1738. In 1819 his nephews A and R Spottswoode took over the business and bought premises in New-Street Square and Shoe Lane. In 1850 over 200 workers were employed by the firm. and five years later the business became Spottswoode & Co. Andrew Spottswoode invented the Spottswoode Press.This technical book was very popular as a textbook for students of maritime navigation, written and updated by members of the British Royal Navy and relied upon for accurate advice and information. The first edition was published in 1840, this edition was updated, expanded and published in 1891 when ports around the world were filling with travellers, merchants and business people. Title: The Practice of Navigation and Nautical Astronomy Author: Henry Raper, Lieut, R.N., F.R.A.S., F.R.G.S. Nineteenth Edition, revised and enlarged by Commander Thomas A. Hull, R.N., Late Superintendant of Admiralty Charts Dedication: To Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort K.C.B. Publisher: J D Potter, London, sole agent for the sale of Admiralty Charts Printer: Spottswoode and Co. New-Street Square, London Date: 1891 Small leather hardcover book with gold embossed text and lines on the spine. The Dedication in the book is as follows: - "To Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort K.C.B. Hydrographer to the Admiralty. Sir, The eminent station which you occupy in the naval scientific world renders it highly gratifying to me to dedicate the following Work to you as a testimony of my regard and esteem; while the general accordance of my views on the subject with those of your more experienced judgement, gives me the greater confidence in laying my labours before the Public. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, HENRY RAPER"flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime village, book, navigation, nautical astronomy, hydrography, nautical charts, nautical navigation, astronomical navigation, admiralty charts, henry raper, thomas a. hull, royal navy, j d potter, royal astronomical society, royal geographical society, calculations, mathematical tables, longitude, latitude, nautical time, location at sea, position at sea, maritime, practical navigation, spottswoode and co., sir francis beaufort, k.c.b., rear-admiral sir francis beaufort, hydrographer to the admiralty, scientific book, naval science

This telescope was amongst various items collected from a sea dive in Port Phillip Bay. The diver was the caretaker of the Port Lonsdale Lighthouse, who dived on various wrecks in the bay during the 1960's. After the caretaker's death, his son sold off many of the shipwreck artefacts. The telescope was purchased from the caretaker's son in the 1990's by a previous owner of the Marine Shop, Queenscliff, Victoria. John Browning was particularly well known for his scientific advances in the fields of spectroscopy, astronomy, and optometry. Between 1856 and 1872, Browning acquired provisional patents for designs of numerous scientific instruments. He was also the recipient of an award at the 1862 International Exhibition held in London. Also recognised for his temperature-compensated aneroid barometer. Browning's scientific instruments were used in physics, chemistry, and biology. The products he designed and manufactured included spectroscopes, telescopes, microscopes, barometers, photometers, cameras, ophthalmologist, and electrical equipment such as electric lamps. John Browning was born around 1831 in Kent, England. His father, William Spencer Browning, was a maker of nautical instruments. John Browning's great-grandfather was also an instrument maker as well as John’s brother Samuel Browning of the firms Spencer & Browning and Spencer, Browning & Rust, who also manufactured navigational instruments. The latter firm was in operation in London from 1784 to 1840 and was succeeded by the firm of Spencer, Browning & Co. John Browning initially intended to follow the medical profession and entered Guy's Hospital, a teaching hospital and a school of medicine. Despite having passed the required examinations, however, he abandoned his plans. Instead, he apprenticed with his father, William Spencer Browning. At the same time, in the late 1840s, he was a student attending the Royal College of Chemistry several days per week. By the early 1870s, practical optics had become John Browning's primary interest, and he listed his occupation as an optician on the census records from 1871 to 1901. He was well known among London's ophthalmic surgeons for his various ophthalmic instruments. He had a large part in reforming the art of crafting spectacles. Other achievements were as an author of the book, How to Use Our Eyes and How to Preserve them by the Aid of Spectacles. Published in 1883, the book included thirty-seven illustrations, including a diagram demonstrating the anatomy of the eye. In 1895, he was one of the founders of the "British Ophthalmology" the first professional organisation for optometry. He was not only its first president but also registered as its first member so many considered him to be the first professional optometrist. Other professional organisations he belonged too was as a member of “The Aeronautical Society of Great Britain”. In 1871 constructing the first wind tunnel located at Greenwich Marine Engineering Works. He was also a member of other scientific organisations, such as the “Microscopical Society of London”, the “Meteorological Society”, and the “Royal”. Then in 1908 the company of W. Watson & Son, opticians and camera makers, took over John Browning's company since 1901 John Browning had been semi-retired but in 1908 he fully retired and moved to Bournemouth in Hampshire. He died in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1925.The telescope is significant for its association with one of the world’s leading scientific instrument makers and inventor of the 19th and early 20th century. It is believed the donation came off a wreck either in Port Philip Bay or between Point Lonsdale and the Nepean Heads making it a significant maritime historical artefact. Its provenance is good given it was taken off a wreck in this area by the Point Lonsdale lighthouse caretaker. Examples of John Browning's telescopes because of their scientific and historical importance are highly valued by collectors.Marine style single draw brass telescope with a sunshade. The single draw has no split and the second cartridge is held in a long brass tube within the single draw, mounted from the objective end. The eyepiece is flat and at the end of the first draw in a very faded engraving that is believed to read "John Browning, 63 Strand, and should read London under the word strand but this is hard to establish given the engravings condition. This interpretation of the engraving has been arrived at by examination of other John Browning telescope engraving examples."John Browning, engraved to the first tube in copper plate style "63 STRAND" Engraved under in capital textflagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, shipwreck artefact, port phillip bay, port lonsdale lighthouse, wreck, 1960’s diver, queenscliff marine shop, john browning, telescope, spectroscopy, optometry, scientific instruments, william spencer browning, optician, navigational instrument, microscopical society of london, aeronautical society, marine technology

536 pages, illustrated, navy glossy paper cover with embossed golden anchor and no dust jacket.non-fictionVolume I is a practical guide for executive officers covering the syllabus laid down for examination in navigation and pilotage for the rank of Lieutenant, but omitting the study of nautical astronomy and meteorology.howard timbury, first fleet fellowship victoria, interest group, navigation, education

536 pages, illustrated, navy glossy paper cover with embossed golden anchor and no dust jacket.non-fictionVolume I is a practical guide for executive officers covering the syllabus laid down for examination in navigation and pilotage for the rank of Lieutenant, but omitting the study of nautical astronomy and meteorology.howard timbury, first fleet fellowship victoria, interest group, navigation, education

536 pages, illustrated, navy glossy paper cover with embossed golden anchor and no dust jacket.non-fictionVolume I is a practical guide for executive officers covering the syllabus laid down for examination in navigation and pilotage for the rank of Lieutenant, but omitting the study of nautical astronomy and meteorology.howard timbury, first fleet fellowship victoria, interest group, navigation, education

An octant is an astronomical instrument used in measuring the angles of heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon and stars at sea in relation to the horizon. This measurement could then be used to calculate the altitude of the body measured, and then the latitude at sea could also be calculated. The angle of the arms of an octant is 45 degrees, or 1/8 of a circle, which gives the instrument its name. Two men independently developed the octant around 1730: John Hadley (1682–1744), an English mathematician, and Thomas Godfrey (1704–1749), a glazier in Philadelphia. While both have a legitimate and equal claim to the invention, Hadley generally gets the greater share of the credit. This reflects the central role that London and the Royal Society played in the history of scientific instruments in the eighteenth and nineteenth century's. There were also two others who are attributed to having created octanes during this period, Caleb Smith, an English insurance broker with a strong interest in astronomy (in 1734), and Jean-Paul Fouchy, a mathematics professor and astronomer in France (in 1732) In 1767 the first edition of the Nautical Almanac tabulated lunar distances, enabling navigators to find the current time from the angle between the sun and the moon. This angle is sometimes larger than 90°, and thus not possible to measure with an octant. For that reason, Admiral John Campbell, who conducted shipboard experiments with the lunar distance method, suggested a larger instrument and the sextant was developed. From that time onward, the sextant was the instrument that experienced significant development and improvements and was the instrument of choice for naval navigators. The octant continued to be produced well into the 19th century, though it was generally a less accurate and less expensive instrument. The lower price of the octant, including versions without a telescope, made it a practical instrument for ships in the merchant and fishing fleets. One common practice among navigators up to the late nineteenth century was to use both a sextant and an octant. The sextant was used with great care and only for lunar sightings while the octant was used for routine meridional altitude measurements of the sun every day. This protected the very accurate and pricier sextant while using the more affordable octant for general use where it performs well. The invention of the octant was a significant step in providing accuracy of a sailors latitude position at sea and his vessels distance from land when taking sightings of land-based landmarks.Octant with metal handle, three different colored shades are attached, in wooden wedge-shaped box lined with green felt. Key is attached. Two telescope eyepieces are in box. Some parts are missing. Oval ink stamp inside lid of box, scale is graduated to 45 degrees. Ink stamp inside lid of box "SHIPLOVERS SOCIETY OF VICTORIA. LIBRARY"instrument, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, octant, navigation, nautical instrument, navigation instrument, john hadley, sextant, astronomical instrument