Marshall Rare Books
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
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
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 First added to in 1741, the act was subsequently amended or repealed and replaced on numerous occasions until the Board was dissolved by Act of Parliament in 1828.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.