The New Practical Navigator; Being an Epitome of Navigation; Containing the Different Methods of Working the Lunar Observations, and All the Requisite Tables Used With the Nautical Almanac. in determining the latitude and longitude; and keeping a complete reckoning at sea: illustrated by proper rules and examples: the whole exemplified in a Journal kept from England to the Island of Teneriffe; . . .

Newburyport, Massachusetts: Edmund M. Blunt, 1800. The Second American Edition from. Hardcover. Fair. 8vo 8" - 9" tall. No matter the "mistakes" and litany of necessitated corrections . . . John Hamilton Moore's (1738-1807) profoundly influential treatise of navigation and nautical safety. A Fair condition copy, text-block still solid, collated as complete, with battered covers but clean internals and fascinating to look at and read. The title page continues, "The Substance of Information every Candidate for the American Navy ought to be acquainted with previous to his being appointed: This, with the Sea Terms, are particularly recommended to the attention of all Young Gentlemen designed for or belonging to, the SEA." Thick, heavy, full leather binding, peeling title label to spine, foxed and toned of interior, some dog-eared pages, final page (being a listing of other books sold by the Edmund M. Blunt bookstore) attached but half-split, a two-inch split to rear joint, chipping to spine head. The title page says First American Edition but bound in is a Preface to the Second American Edition) of the Thirteenth English Edition of John Hamilton Moore, "improved by the introduction of several new tables, and by large additions to the former tables, and revised and corrected by a skilful mathematician and navigator" (that would be Nathaniel Bowdith). Added also is a Second Edition of "Some general instructions and information to merchants, masters of vessels, and others concerned in navigation, relative to the mercantile and maritime laws and customs. Bookplate of a previous owner (E.A. Baker) and plentiful paleography inside front and rear flaps, mostly mathematical sums, and some personal names in pencil and pen. Collated thus: title page, Explanation of the Plate describing the rigging, &c. of a First-rate ship of War. Note from N. Goodale about the copyright of the newly added book. Preface to the Second American Edition, written by the publisher, September 1, 1800. Table of Contents. Geometrical Definitions. Many, many score illustrations hors-texte and eight copper-engraved plates. The First American Edition was published in 1799. The Practical Navigator was the most popular navigational text of the late 18th century, published first in England in 1772. Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838) edited the first two American editions. Two years later, when Edmund M. Blunt was prepared to publish a third edition, Bowditch and others had by then found and corrected so many errors in the original texts that he decided to call it a First Edition of a new work! xi [1], 14-570 pp. plus a single page of the bookstore's catalogue. All in, a serviceable copy of a remarkably influential text.Member, I.O.B.A., C.B.A., and adherent to the highest ethical standards. Additional postage may be required for oversize or especially heavy volumes, and for sets.