gentlemen and noblemen who almost at all times have had free recourse
to my instruments. And if any of these workmen have been so ingenious
as to have got my invention, how far you may please to reward them for
their piracy must be left for you to determine; and I must set myself
down in old age, and thank God I can be more easy in that I have the
conquest, and though I have no reward, than if I had come short of the
matter and by some delusion had the reward!"

The Right Honourable the Earl of Egmont was in the chair of the Board
of Longitude on the day when this letter was read--June 13, 1765. The
Commissioners were somewhat startled by the tone which the inventor had
taken. Indeed, they were rather angry. Mr. Harrison, who was in
waiting, was called in. After some rather hot speaking, and after a
proposal was made to Harrison which he said he would decline to accede
to "so long as a drop of English blood remained in his body," he left
the room. Matters were at length arranged. The Act of Parliament (5
Geo. III. cap. 20) awarded him, upon a full discovery of the principles
of his time-keeper, the payment of such a sum, as with the 2500L. he
had already received, would make one half of the reward; and the
remaining half was to be paid when other chronometers had been made
after his design, and their capabilities fully proved. He was also
required to assign his four chronometers--one of which was styled a
watch--to the use of the public.

Harrison at once proceeded to give full explanations of the principles
of his chronometer to Dr. Maskelyne, and six other gentlemen, who had
been appointed to receive them. He took his timekeeper to pieces in
their presence, and deposited in their hands correct drawings of the
same, with the parts, so that other skilful makers might construct
similar chronometers on the same principles. Indeed, there was no
difficulty in making them; after his explanations and drawings had been
published. An exact copy of his last watch was made by the ingenious
Mr. Kendal; and was used by Captain Cook in his three years'
circumnavigation of the world, to his perfect satisfaction.

England had already inaugurated that series of scientific expeditions
which were to prove so fruitful of results, and to raise her naval
reputation to so great a height. In these expeditions, the officers,
the sailors, and the scientific men, were constantly brought face to
face with unforeseen difficulties a