this¡¡had¡¡been¡¡a¡¡business¡¡of¡¡philosophy£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡of¡¡divinity¡£¡¡¡¡If£»
however£»¡¡this¡¡be¡¡the¡¡case£»¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡hold¡¡the¡¡Board¡¡of¡¡Longitude¡¡in
extreme¡¡contempt¡£¡¨
Captain¡¡Cook¡¡was¡¡appointed¡¡to¡¡the¡¡command¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Resolution£»¡¡and
Captain¡¡Wallis¡¡to¡¡the¡¡command¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Adventure£»¡¡in¡¡November£»
1771¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡proceeded¡¡to¡¡equip¡¡the¡¡ships£»¡¡and¡¡amongst¡¡the¡¡other
instruments¡¡taken¡¡on¡¡board¡¡Captain¡¡Cook's¡¡ship£»¡¡were¡¡two
timekeepers£»¡¡one¡¡made¡¡by¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Larcum¡¡Kendal£»¡¡on¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Harrison's
principles£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other¡¡by¡¡Mr¡£¡¡John¡¡Arnold£»¡¡on¡¡his¡¡own¡£¡¡¡¡The
expedition¡¡left¡¡Deptford¡¡in¡¡April£»¡¡1772£»¡¡and¡¡shortly¡¡afterwards
sailed¡¡for¡¡the¡¡South¡¡Seas¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Mr¡£¡¡Kendal's¡¡watch¡¨¡¡is¡¡the¡¡subject
of¡¡frequent¡¡notices¡¡in¡¡Captain¡¡Cook's¡¡account¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡the¡¡Cape¡¡of
Good¡¡Hope£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡¡¨answered¡¡beyond¡¡all¡¡expectation¡£¡¨
Further¡¡south£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡neighbourhood¡¡of¡¡Cape¡¡Circumcision£»¡¡he
says£»¡¡¡¨the¡¡use¡¡of¡¡the¡¡telescope¡¡is¡¡found¡¡difficult¡¡at¡¡first£»¡¡but
a¡¡little¡¡practice¡¡will¡¡make¡¡it¡¡familiar¡£¡¡¡¡By¡¡the¡¡assistance¡¡of
the¡¡watch¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡discover¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡error¡¡this
method¡¡of¡¡observing¡¡the¡¡longitude¡¡at¡¡sea¡¡is¡¡liable¡¡to¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡It¡¡was
found¡¡that¡¡Harrison's¡¡watch¡¡was¡¡more¡¡correct¡¡than¡¡Arnold's£»¡¡and
when¡¡near¡¡Cape¡¡Palliser¡¡in¡¡New¡¡Zealand£»¡¡Cook¡¡says£»¡¡¡¨this¡¡day¡¡at
noon£»¡¡when¡¡we¡¡attended¡¡the¡¡winding¡up¡¡of¡¡the¡¡watches£»¡¡the¡¡fusee
of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Arnold's¡¡would¡¡not¡¡turn¡¡round£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡after¡¡several
unsuccessful¡¡trials¡¡we¡¡were¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡let¡¡it¡¡go¡¡down¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡From
this¡¡time£»¡¡complete¡¡reliance¡¡was¡¡placed¡¡upon¡¡Harrison's
chronometer¡£¡¡¡¡Some¡¡time¡¡later£»¡¡Cook¡¡says£»¡¡¡¨I¡¡must¡¡here¡¡take
notice¡¡that¡¡our¡¡longitude¡¡can¡¡never¡¡be¡¡erroneous¡¡while¡¡we¡¡have¡¡so
good¡¡a¡¡guide¡¡as¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Kendal's¡¡watch¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡It¡¡may¡¡be¡¡observed£»¡¡that¡¡at
the¡¡beginning¡¡of¡¡the¡¡voyage£»¡¡observations¡¡were¡¡made¡¡by¡¡the¡¡lunar
tables£»¡¡but¡¡these£»¡¡being¡¡found¡¡unreliable£»¡¡were¡¡eventually
discontinued¡£
To¡¡return¡¡to¡¡Harrison¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡continued¡¡to¡¡be¡¡worried¡¡by¡¡official
opposition¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡claims¡¡were¡¡still¡¡unsatisfied¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡watch¡¡at
home¡¡underwent¡¡many¡¡more¡¡trials¡£¡¡¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Maskelyne£»¡¡the¡¡Royal
Astronomer£»¡¡was¡¡charged¡¡with¡¡being¡¡unfavourable¡¡to¡¡the¡¡success¡¡of
chronometers£»¡¡being¡¡deeply¡¡interested¡¡in¡¡finding¡¡the¡¡longitude¡¡by
lunar¡¡tables£»¡¡although¡¡this¡¡method¡¡is¡¡now¡¡almost¡¡entirely
superseded¡¡by¡¡the¡¡chronometer¡£¡¡¡¡Harrison¡¡accordingly¡¡could¡¡not
get¡¡the¡¡certificate¡¡of¡¡what¡¡was¡¡due¡¡to¡¡him¡¡under¡¡the¡¡Act¡¡of
Parliament¡£¡¡¡¡Years¡¡passed¡¡before¡¡he¡¡could¡¡obtain¡¡the¡¡remaining
amount¡¡of¡¡his¡¡reward¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡not¡¡until¡¡the¡¡year¡¡1773£»¡¡or
forty¡five¡¡years¡¡after¡¡the¡¡commencement¡¡of¡¡his¡¡experiments£»¡¡that
he¡¡succeeded¡¡in¡¡obtaining¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡following¡¡is¡¡an¡¡entry¡¡in¡¡the
list¡¡of¡¡supplies¡¡granted¡¡by¡¡Parliament¡¡in¡¡that¡¡year£º¡¡¡¨June¡¡14¡£¡¡
To¡¡John¡¡Harrison£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡further¡¡reward¡¡and¡¡encouragement¡¡over¡¡and
above¡¡the¡¡sums¡¡already¡¡received¡¡by¡¡him£»¡¡for¡¡his¡¡invention¡¡of¡¡a
timekeeper¡¡for¡¡ascertaining¡¡the¡¡longitude¡¡at¡¡sea£»¡¡and¡¡his
discovery¡¡of¡¡the¡¡principles¡¡upon¡¡which¡¡the¡¡same¡¡was¡¡constructed£»
8570¡¡pounds¡¡0s¡£¡¡0d¡£
John¡¡Harrison¡¡did¡¡not¡¡long¡¡survive¡¡the¡¡settlement¡¡of¡¡his¡¡claims£»
for¡¡he¡¡died¡¡on¡¡the¡¡24th¡¡of¡¡March£»¡¡1776£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡age¡¡of
eighty¡three¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡buried¡¡at¡¡the¡¡south¡west¡¡corner¡¡of
Hampstead¡¡parish¡¡churchyard£»¡¡where¡¡a¡¡tombstone¡¡was¡¡erected¡¡to¡¡his
memory£»¡¡and¡¡an¡¡inscription¡¡placed¡¡upon¡¡it¡¡commemorating¡¡his
services¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡wife¡¡survived¡¡him¡¡only¡¡a¡¡year£»¡¡she¡¡died¡¡at
seventy¡two£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡buried¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡tomb¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡son£»¡¡William
Harrison£»¡¡F¡£R¡£S¡££»¡¡a¡¡deputy¡lientenant¡¡of¡¡the¡¡counties¡¡of¡¡Monmouth
and¡¡Middlesex£»¡¡died¡¡in¡¡1815£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡ripe¡¡age¡¡of¡¡eighty¡eight£»¡¡and
was¡¡also¡¡interred¡¡there¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡tomb¡¡having¡¡stood¡¡for¡¡more¡¡than¡¡a
century£»¡¡became¡¡somewhat¡¡dilapidated£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡Clock¡makers'
Company¡¡of¡¡the¡¡City¡¡of¡¡London¡¡took¡¡steps¡¡in¡¡1879¡¡to¡¡reconstruct
it£»¡¡and¡¡recut¡¡the¡¡inscriptions¡£¡¡¡¡An¡¡appropriate¡¡ceremony¡¡took
place¡¡at¡¡the¡¡final¡¡uncovering¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tomb¡£
But¡¡perhaps¡¡the¡¡most¡¡interesting¡¡works¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡John
Harrison¡¡and¡¡the¡¡great¡¡labour¡¡of¡¡his¡¡life£»¡¡are¡¡the¡¡wooden¡¡clock
at¡¡the¡¡South¡¡Kensington¡¡Museum£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡four¡¡chronometers¡¡made¡¡by
him¡¡for¡¡the¡¡Government£»¡¡which¡¡are¡¡still¡¡preserved¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Royal
Observatory£»¡¡Greenwich¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡three¡¡early¡¡ones¡¡are¡¡of¡¡great
weight£»¡¡and¡¡can¡¡scarcely¡¡be¡¡moved¡¡without¡¡some¡¡bodily¡¡labour¡£¡¡
But¡¡the¡¡fourth£»¡¡the¡¡marine¡¡chronometer¡¡or¡¡watch£»¡¡is¡¡of¡¡small
dimensions£»¡¡and¡¡is¡¡easily¡¡handled¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡still¡¡possesses¡¡the¡¡power
of¡¡going¡¡accurately£»¡¡as¡¡does¡¡¡¨Mr¡£¡¡Kendal's¡¡watch£»¡¨¡¡which¡¡was¡¡made
exactly¡¡after¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡These¡¡will¡¡always¡¡prove¡¡the¡¡best¡¡memorials¡¡of
this¡¡distinguished¡¡workman¡£
Before¡¡concluding¡¡this¡¡brief¡¡notice¡¡of¡¡the¡¡life¡¡and¡¡labours¡¡of
John¡¡Harrison£»¡¡it¡¡becomes¡¡me¡¡to¡¡thank¡¡most¡¡cordially¡¡Mr¡£
Christie£»¡¡Astronomer¡Royal£»¡¡for¡¡his¡¡kindness¡¡in¡¡exhibiting¡¡the
various¡¡chronometers¡¡deposited¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Greenwich¡¡Observatory£»¡¡and
for¡¡his¡¡permission¡¡to¡¡inspect¡¡the¡¡minutes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Board¡¡of
Longitude£»¡¡where¡¡the¡¡various¡¡interviews¡¡between¡¡the¡¡inventor¡¡and
the¡¡commissioners£»¡¡extending¡¡over¡¡many¡¡years£»¡¡are¡¡faithfully¡¡but
too¡¡procrastinatingly¡¡recorded¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡may¡¡be¡¡finally¡¡said¡¡of¡¡John
Harrison£»¡¡that¡¡by¡¡his¡¡invention¡¡of¡¡the¡¡chronometerthe
ever¡sleepless¡¡and¡¡ever¡trusty¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mariner¡¡he
conferred¡¡an¡¡incalculable¡¡benefit¡¡on¡¡science¡¡and¡¡navigation£»¡¡and
established¡¡his¡¡claim¡¡to¡¡be¡¡regarded¡¡as¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡greatest
benefactors¡¡of¡¡mankind¡£
POstscript¡£In¡¡addition¡¡to¡¡the¡¡information¡¡contained¡¡in¡¡this
chapter£»¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡recently¡¡informed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Rev¡£¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Sankey£»
vicar¡¡of¡¡Wragby£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡family¡¡is¡¡quite¡¡extinct¡¡in¡¡the¡¡parish£»
except¡¡the¡¡wife¡¡of¡¡a¡¡plumber£»¡¡who¡¡claims¡¡relationship¡¡with
Harrison¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡representative¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Winn¡¡family¡¡was¡¡created¡¡Lord
St¡£¡¡Oswald¡¡in¡¡1885¡£¡¡¡¡Harrison¡¡is¡¡not¡¡quite¡¡forgotten¡¡at¡¡Foulby¡£¡¡
The¡¡house¡¡in¡¡which¡¡he¡¡was¡¡born¡¡was¡¡a¡¡low¡¡thatched¡¡cottage£»¡¡with
two¡¡rooms£»¡¡one¡¡used¡¡as¡¡a¡¡living¡¡room£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other¡¡as¡¡a¡¡sleeping
room¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡house¡¡was¡¡pulled¡¡down¡¡about¡¡forty¡¡years¡¡ago£»¡¡but¡¡the
entrance¡¡door£»¡¡being¡¡of¡¡strong£»¡¡hard¡¡wood£»¡¡is¡¡still¡¡preserved¡£¡¡
The¡¡vicar¡¡adds¡¡that¡¡young¡¡Harrison¡¡would¡¡lie¡¡out¡¡on¡¡the¡¡grass¡¡all
night¡¡in¡¡summer¡¡time£»¡¡studying¡¡the¡¡details¡¡of¡¡his¡¡wooden¡¡clock¡£
Footnotes¡¡to¡¡Chapter¡¡III¡£
£§1£§¡¡Originally¡¡published¡¡in¡¡Longmam's¡¡Magazine£»¡¡but¡¡now¡¡rewritten
and¡¡enlarged¡£
£§2£§¡¡Popular¡¡Astronomy¡£¡¡¡¡By¡¡Simon¡¡Newcomb£»¡¡LL¡£D¡££»¡¡Professor¡¡U¡£S¡£
Naval¡¡Observatory¡£
£§3£§¡¡Biographia¡¡Britannica£»¡¡vol¡£¡¡vi¡£¡¡part¡¡2£»¡¡p¡£¡¡4375¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡volume
was¡¡published¡¡in¡¡1766£»¡¡before¡¡the¡¡final¡¡reward¡¡had¡¡been¡¡granted
to¡¡Harrison¡£
£§4£§¡¡This¡¡clock¡¡is¡¡in¡¡the¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡Abraham¡¡Riley£»¡¡of¡¡Bromley£»
near¡¡Leeds¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡informs¡¡us¡¡that¡¡the¡¡clock¡¡is¡¡made¡¡of¡¡wood
throughout£»¡¡excepting¡¡the¡¡escapement¡¡and¡¡the¡¡dial£»¡¡which¡¡are¡¡made
of¡¡brass¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡bears¡¡the¡¡mark¡¡of¡¡¡¨John¡¡Harrison£»¡¡1713¡£¡¨
£§5£§¡¡Harrison's¡¡compensation¡¡pendulum¡¡was¡¡afterwards¡¡improved¡¡by
Arnold£»¡¡Earnshaw£»¡¡and¡¡other¡¡English¡¡makers¡£¡¡¡¡Dent's¡¡prismatic
balance¡¡is¡¡now¡¡considered¡¡the¡¡best¡£
£§6£§¡¡See¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Folkes's¡¡speech¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Royal¡¡Soc¡££»¡¡30th¡¡Nov¡££»¡¡1749¡£
£§7£§¡¡No¡¡trustworthy¡¡lunar¡¡tables¡¡existed¡¡at¡¡that¡¡time¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡not
until¡¡the¡¡year¡¡1753¡¡that¡¡Tobias¡¡Mayer£»¡¡a¡¡German£»¡¡published¡¡the
first¡¡lunar¡¡tables¡¡which¡¡could¡¡be¡¡relied¡¡upon¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡this£»¡¡the
British¡¡Government¡¡afterwards¡¡awarded¡¡to¡¡Mayer's¡¡widow¡¡the¡¡sum¡¡of
5000L¡£
£§8£§¡¡Sir¡¡Isaac¡¡Newton¡¡gave¡¡his¡¡design¡¡to¡¡Edmund¡¡Halley£»¡¡then
Astronomer¡Royal¡£¡¡¡¡Halley¡¡laid¡¡it¡¡on¡¡one¡¡side£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡found
among¡¡his¡¡papers¡¡after¡¡his¡¡death¡¡in¡¡1742£»¡¡twenty¡five¡¡years¡¡after
the¡¡death¡¡of¡¡Newton¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡similar¡¡omission¡¡was¡¡made¡¡by¡¡Sir¡¡G¡£¡¡B¡£
Airy£»¡¡which¡¡led¡¡to¡¡the¡¡discovery¡¡of¡¡Neptune¡¡being¡¡attributed¡¡to
Leverrier¡¡instead¡¡of¡¡to¡¡Adams¡£
CHAPTER¡¡IV¡£
JOHN¡¡LOMBE£º¡¡INTRODUCER¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡SILK¡¡INDUSTRY¡¡INTO¡¡ENGLAND¡£
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Commonwealth£º¡¡That¡¡is¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡a¡¡general¡¡Industry¡¡of¡¡Mind¡¡and
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