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Traditional ways to determine a ship’s position
How did ships know where they were before seamen could get an accurate reading of their east/west location?
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HMS Victory
HMS Victory was Lord Nelson's flagship in his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. Discover more about the history of the famous ship
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What made the search for longitude so important?
Why did most of the great European powers offer huge rewards for a way to determine longitude at sea?
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What is longitude?
Find out what longitude is and what makes it so hard to measure
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England's Royal dockyards
The first Royal dockyard was constructed during the reign of King Henry VII, when trade between continents was burgeoning.
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Lascars and the East India Company
The East India Company employed Asian seamen known as Lascars in the 17th century, who served on European ships
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Nelson and Great Yarmouth
Lord Nelson was born close to the coastal town of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. He paid a number of visits to Great Yarmouth throughout his career.