# Board of Longitude

> British government body formed in 1714

**Wikidata**: [Q1365673](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1365673)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_of_Longitude)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/board-of-longitude

## Summary
The Board of Longitude was a British government body established in 1714, officially known as the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea. It functioned as a government agency, responsible for addressing the critical challenge of determining longitude at sea. The Board operated for over a century, concluding its activities in 1828.

## Key Facts
*   The Board of Longitude was formed in 1714.
*   It ceased operations in 1828.
*   Its official name was Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea.
*   It was an instance of a government agency.
*   From 1714 to 1801, it operated under the Kingdom of Great Britain.
*   From 1801 to 1828, it operated under the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
*   It is also known by the aliases: Commisioners of Longitude, Oficina de longitudes, Board of longitude, and 経度委員会.
*   The entity has a Freebase ID of /m/0pznt, referenced on October 28, 2013.
*   It has 10 sitelinks and a Wikipedia presence in languages including English, German, Spanish, French, and Russian.

## FAQs
**What was the primary function of the Board of Longitude?**
The Board of Longitude was a British government body primarily tasked with the discovery of the longitude at sea. It served as a government agency, indicating its role in providing a specific public service related to this navigational challenge.

**When was the Board of Longitude active?**
The Board of Longitude was active for over a century, having been formed in 1714 and concluding its operations in 1828. Its period of activity spanned from the early 18th century to the early 19th century.

**Under which national governments did the Board of Longitude operate?**
The Board of Longitude operated under two distinct national governments during its existence. From its formation in 1714 until 1801, it was associated with the Kingdom of Great Britain, and subsequently, from 1801 until its end in 1828, it functioned under the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

**What other names did the Board of Longitude use?**
In addition to its common name, the Board of Longitude was officially known as the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea. It also had several aliases, including Commisioners of Longitude, Oficina de longitudes, and 経度委員会.

## Why It Matters
The Board of Longitude holds significant historical importance as a British government body specifically created to address one of the most pressing scientific and practical challenges of its era: the accurate determination of longitude at sea. Its formation in 1714 underscored a national commitment to solving a problem that was crucial for safe maritime navigation, successful global trade, and effective naval operations. As a government agency, it represented a structured, state-backed effort to foster innovation and reward solutions for a critical public service, thereby influencing the development of navigational science and technology. Its long operational period from 1714 to 1828 demonstrates the sustained governmental focus on this vital area, ultimately contributing to Britain's maritime dominance and global reach.

## Notable For
*   Being a British government body specifically formed in 1714 to address the problem of determining longitude at sea.
*   Its official designation as the "Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea."
*   Operating for an extensive period of 114 years, from its inception in 1714 until its dissolution in 1828.
*   Its classification as a `government agency`, signifying its role as an organizational part of a government responsible for specific public services.

## Body

### Overview and Classification
The Board of Longitude was a British government body established in 1714. It functioned as a `government agency`, which is defined as an organizational part of a government responsible for specific public services, such as health, judiciary, education, transportation, or foreign affairs. The Board's specific public service was centered around the discovery of longitude at sea. Its official name was the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea. The entity is also recognized by several aliases, including Commisioners of Longitude, Oficina de longitudes, Board of longitude, and 経度委員会.

### Historical Timeline and National Affiliation
The Board of Longitude was active for a substantial period, commencing its operations in 1714 and concluding in 1828. Throughout its existence, it operated under two distinct national entities due to changes in the British state. From its formation in 1714 until 1801, the Board was associated with the Kingdom of Great Britain. Following the Acts of Union 1800, from 1801 until its dissolution in 1828, it operated under the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
The Board of Longitude maintains a notable digital presence, indicated by a sitelink count of 10. It is also recognized across various language editions of Wikipedia, including Catalan (ca), German (de), English (en), Spanish (es), French (fr), Hebrew (he), Norwegian Nynorsk (nn), Norwegian Bokmål (no), Polish (pl), and Russian (ru). The entity is identified in Freebase with the ID `/m/0pznt`, a reference recorded on October 28, 2013. Its Wikidata description succinctly states it as a "British government body formed in 1714."

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. Longitude Act 1714