# The disgrace that was The Board of Longitude



## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

From *The Times* today..


*It was the great scientific contest of the 18th century – a £20,000 prize promised to anyone who could solve the thorny navigational problem of calculating longitude – and in 1765, John Harrison was convinced that he had won it….

… The significance of the problem was illustrated by the size of the prize: £20,000 – worth more than £6 million today – for a method that could determine longitude within 30 nautical miles. Awards of £15,000 and £10,000 were available for less accurate methods. 
Harrison, a clock-maker, realised that an accurate timepiece would do the job. By setting the clock to noon in London, a navigator could compare this to the local time as he sailed around the world. 
Because of the Earth’s rotation, this would reveal longitude. However, it would require an exceptionally accurate clock, which could cope with a ship’s pitch and yaw and the corrosive sea air. 
The H4 clock was tested on a voyage to Jamaica in 1761. It lost only five seconds, a navigational error of one nautical mile. The Board of Longitude insisted on a second test. On that voyage to Barbados, the clock lost 39 seconds. 
The board still refused to pay out, prompting Harrison to write his pamphlet. He was finally awarded £8,750 in 1773, aged 80. He died three years later*


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

"Longitude" by Dava Sobel (ISBN 1857025024) is recommended reading.
The TV series was well presented as well.
Possibly the Board of Longitude were not totally at fault. More of a "Who you know" and "Who you are" scenario.


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## Pat Thompson (Jan 25, 2006)

Greetings Mon Braves,

Could it be that The Board of Longitude were given no Latitude by the Government of the day ?


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Mark

I wish i was on a different longitude than freezing my b---s of here in Irish Sea


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## Sister Eleff (Nov 28, 2006)

Pat Thompson said:


> Greetings Mon Braves,
> 
> Could it be that The Board of Longitude were given no Latitude by the Government of the day ?


I think it was quite definitely a case of Harrison not 'fitting the bill' for the 'gentlemen' of the Board. There was someone else that the Board preferred but he couldn't quite come up with the goods and they kept putting Harrison off while they waited. Very simplistically, Harrison was a tradesman & therefore not considered a 'gentleman'. This is how the book portrays the whole thing and unfortunately typical of the era however, the King supported Harrison.

I agree the book is well worth reading, the TV programme was also good but didn't go quite as far as the book.


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## Bill Davies (Sep 5, 2007)

Maskelayne???


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## slick (Mar 31, 2006)

All,
Harrison I understand also built a Church Clock which I have been told is at Barrow on Humber, does anyone have any further info?
Yours aye,
Slick


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Slick,
As far as I know of the various clocks that Harrison made, one is at Nostell *Priory Nostell * - maybe this is the one to which you refer?


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## McCloggie (Apr 19, 2008)

Never mind Gydynia - we all think of you when we check _Harry's own_ clock and realise that you are doing a sterling job in the Irish Sea. As was said just the other night we really appreciate your efforts - it was not for you being in the Irish Sea one of the rest of us might have to be!!

Cheers Neville!
McC


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Slick, there were a couple of James Harrisons at Barton on Humber who appeared just after John. Not sure if they were relations of John or not, but they were bell founders and there are probably a few of their bells still around.

John T.


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## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

slick said:


> All,
> Harrison I understand also built a Church Clock which I have been told is at Barrow on Humber, does anyone have any further info?
> Yours aye,
> Slick


Harrison built the wooden clock that is in the stable of Brocklesby Hall


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