One would have
thought that Harrison was now clearly entitled to his reward of
20,000L.
Not at all! The delays interposed by Government are long and
tedious, and sometimes insufferable. Harrison had accomplished
more than was needful to obtain the highest reward which the
Board of Longitude had publicly offered. But they would not
certify that he had won the prize. On the contrary, they started
numerous objections, and continued for years to subject him to
vexatious delays and disappointments. They pleaded that the
previous determination of the longitude of Jamaica by
astronomical observation was unsatisfactory; that there was no
proof of the chronometer having maintained a uniform rate during
the voyage; and on the 17th of August, 1762, they passed a
resolution, stating that they "were of opinion that the
experiments made of the watch had not been sufficient to
determine the longitude at sea."
It was accordingly necessary for Harrison to petition Parliament
on the subject. Three reigns had come and gone since the Act of
Parliament offering the reward had been passed. Anne had died;
George I. and George II. had reigned and died; and now, in the
reign of George III.--thirty-five years after Harrison had begun
his labours, and after he had constructed four several marine
chronometers, each of which was entitled to win the full
prize,--an Act of Parliament was passed enabling the inventor to
obtain the sum of 5000L.
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