THE NEW PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR; Being an Epitome of Navigation; Containing the Different Methods of Working the Lunar Observations, and All the Requsite Tables Used With the Nautical Almanac...and Keeping a Complete Reckonming at Sea... Improved by the Introduction of Several New Tables, and by Large Additions to the Former Table, and Revised and Corrected by a Skilful Mathematician and Navigator [Bowditch]

Newburyport, MA.: Edmund M. Blunt, 1800. VERY SCARCE SECOND AMERICAN EDITION, and the second to be corrected and expanded by Bowditch. A forerunner to his 1802 American landmark NEW AMERICAN PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR and published from the English edition of the most popular navigational text of the late 18th century. With 8 copper engraved plates and countless tables, diagrams and illustrations within the text. Tall 8vo, very handsomely bound in full calf to period style, the spines with bands double-ruled in gilt and with a red morocco label double-ruled and lettered in gilt. xii, 570, [1] pp. A bright and fresh copy of this rare book, the text unusually clean and well preserved, only occasional very light mellowing or spotting, the handsome binding is quite fine and beautifully preserved. The original blanks are retained and are filled with an early Marblehead sailor's manuscript notes including his autograph ownership inscription dated 1801. RARE. THE LAST OF NATHANIEL BOWDITCH'S IMPROVED EDITIONS OF THE MOST FAMOUS ENGLISH navigational text of the late 18th century, ISSUED PRIOR TO THE PUBLISHING OF HIS “GREATEST BOOK IN ALL THE HISTORY OF NAVIGATION”.
Bowditch, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, shipped out in 1795 on the first of five voyages to the East Indies. Much of his time at sea was spent poring over the standard navigational tables prepared by John Hamilton Moore of England. Moore's 'The Practical Navigator' was the most popular navigational text of the late 18th century. Bowditch, a self-taught expert In mathematics, science and astronomy, correct and improved the thirteenth English edition for American publisher Edmund M. Blunt. By the time Blunt was preparing for a third edition, Bowditch had found and corrected over 8,000 errors and it was decided instead to publish his own highly important NEW AMERICAN PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR.
RARE. Very few copies ever appear in commerce.