NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Charles Cotter's "History of Nautical Astronomy"
From: Aubrey O?Callaghan
Date: 2003 Mar 25, 10:00 +0000
From: Aubrey O?Callaghan
Date: 2003 Mar 25, 10:00 +0000
George, Cotter also wrote: "Elements of Navigation and Nautical Astronomy" Do you know anything about this book ? Thanks, Aubrey. At 09:20 25-03-03, you wrote: >Bill Allen said- > > >Hi guys, > > > >A while back several of us were trying to get hold of a copy of Charles > >Cotter's classic book on celestial navigation techniques, entitled "A > >History of Nautical Astronomny." I have arranged to get copies of this > >book and if anyone is still interested in a copy, they should contact me > >privately on my email address: > > > >allen@globemarkets.com > > > >It really is a fantastic book and puts into perspective all of the > >different techniques of celestial navigation. > > > >Bill Allen > >================== > >Comment from George- > >That's really interesting news. I agree with Bill Allen's evaluation of the >book. It's long out of print, and very hard to find now on the secondhand >market. It goes deeply into its subject, so readers have to be prepared to >cope with some trigonometry. Most satisfying as a book to have on your >shelf. Mine gets taken down often, and has no time to gather dust. > >However, it's somewhat marred by a prevalence of errors and misprints. With >Jan Kalivoda's help I have listed those errors I know about in a posting on >this list dated 8 Jan 03, subject: "Errors in Cotter's book, updated", >which should be findable on the list's archive. If anyone asks, I will >repost it. It lists some passages that are obviously wrong, and others that >the reader should treat with suspicion. > >I have discovered no more errors since, but I understand that Jan has, and >I hope that between us we can agree on posting a further update to the >Nav-Llist before very long. > >Because we have found such a number, I have little doubt others must >remain, lurking undetected, so far. I urge any reader discovering or >suspecting further errors to contact me, or Jan, or post directly to the >list. > >Certainly, these problems detract from the usefulness of Cotter's book, and >it's a shame that he wasn't more careful. It seems to have been put >together in rather a hurry. However, such errors are neutralised once >they're known about, and I suggest to any owner or reader of Cotter that he >prints those pages off and slips them into the book, as I have. > >In spite of these faults, Cotter's book is a wonderful compilation of stuff >you won't find anywhere else, and I urge readers of this list to take up >Bill's offer. > >To avoid confusion, be aware that Cotter wrote several other books, >including a history of the navigator's sextant, coastal navigation, >oceanography. We are referring here to "A History of Nautical Astronomy". > >George Huxtable. > >================================================================ >contact George Huxtable by email at george@huxtable.u-net.com, by phone at >01865 820222 (from outside UK, +44 1865 820222), or by mail at 1 Sandy >Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. >================================================================