Who is The Board of Longitude from Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time and what is their importance?

The original characters of the board consisted of Dr. Halley, Sir Charles of the Admiralty, Admiral Norris, two academics, the main astronomers from Cambridge and Oxford, Dr. Robert Smith and Dr. James Bradley. Sir Hans Sloane was also present, and he was president of the Royal Society. The two other board members were the Right Honorable Arthur Onslow, the speaker of the house of Commons, and Lord Monson, commissioner of Lands and Plantations. Eventually Nathaniel Bliss takes a seat on the Board and after his death he is replaced by Nevil Maskelyne. The Board initially acts to help, but it later concentrates on thwarting the work of John Harrison. They award him enough money to continue to work on clocks but every time he meets their requirements to earn the prize, they increase or change the requirements. Yet Harrison never gives up. After Harrison's death, the British Parliament makes winning the prize so hard that it is never awarded, although the Board does award a variety of smaller prizes.