[North West Passage] An Act for giving a publick Reward to such Person or Persons, His Majesty’s Subject or Subjects, as shall discover a North West Passage through Hudson’s Streights, to the Western and Southern Ocean of America: The third Act to be published on the Northwest Passage
by ACTS OF PARLIAMENT
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
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CHELTENHAM, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
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About This Item
Anno Regni GEORGII II REGIS Magnae Britaniiae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, DECIMO OCTAVO. At the Parliament Begun and holden at Westminster, the First Day of December, Anno Domini 1741, in the Fifteenth Year of our Sovereign Lord GEORGE the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith....
FIRST EDITION, [2], 483-486, woodcut coat of arms on title, woodcut floriated initial, text in black letter, folio (320 x 200mm), London, Thomas Baskett, 1745
The third Act to be published on the Northwest Passage, the act of 1745 offered the enormous sum of £20,000 for the discovery of a north-west passage, providing that they were a British subject.
The preamble to the Act stated the expected economic benefits of the discovery of the passage, and that it would be "a great encouragement to adventurers" to offer a prize. The allocated sum was £20,000, to be paid to the owners of the first ships to successfully make such a passage.
The Board of Longitude existed from 1714 until 1828, after the original Act of Parliament was passed in 1714. First added to in 1741, the act was subsequently amended or repealed and replaced on numerous occasions until the Board was dissolved by Act of Parliament in 1828.
This Act established a group of commissioners to determine the validity of any claims, and restricted the scope of the Act to only apply to British subjects. It further required all British subjects to provide help and assistance to the explorers when necessary. In setting a hefty monetary reward and promoting the potential benefits to society, this act of Parliament likely intensified the Northwest Passage fervour and motivated explorers to venture deep into the Arctic.
When the Act was extended in 1775 and the reward reiterated, Cook took up the mantle, leading to his third voyage.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Bruce Marshall Rare Books (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 583
- Title
- [North West Passage] An Act for giving a publick Reward to such Person or Persons, His Majesty’s Subject or Subjects, as shall discover a North West Passage through Hudson’s Streights, to the Western and Southern Ocean of America
- Author
- ACTS OF PARLIAMENT
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Thomas Baskett
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1745
- Size
- folio (320 x 200mm)
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- acts, parliament, north west passage, cook, polar, arctic, exploration,
Terms of Sale
Bruce Marshall Rare Books
About the Seller
Bruce Marshall Rare Books
About Bruce Marshall Rare Books
Our particular specialities are fine natural history books, atlases & cartography, voyages & discovery, early illustrated books, important books in the history of science and astronomy, fine works from the Kelmscott Press, old engravings and photographs.
The books and manuscripts listed here are a selection of our stock.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Folio
- A folio usually indicates a large book size of 15" in height or larger when used in the context of a book description. Further,...
- A.N.
- The book is pristine and free of any defects, in the same condition as ...