The lectures were given to the seamen who were being gathered by Raleigh to participate in his expeditions to the New World. Pepper describes the advances in navigational techniques made by Harriot by the time he wrote Arcticon:
Ang lektura ay ibinigay sa seamen na ay natipon sa pamamagitan ng Raleigh na sumali sa kanyang expeditions sa New World. Paminta na naglalarawan ng pagsulong sa navigational pamamaraan na ginawa sa pamamagitan ng Harriot ng oras siya Arcticon wrote: