in his 15th page he concludes thus: 'From the foregoing numbers it appears, that the Watch was getting from the very first near 20 seconds per day; a circumstance which is not my business to account for; but which, as it kept near mean time in the voyage to Barbadoes, seems to shew that the Watch cannot be taken to pieces and put together again without altering its rate of going considerably, contrary to Mr. Harrison's assertions formerly.'
When I made the discovery upon oath, of the principles and construction of the Watch, to six gentlemen appointed by the Board of Longitude and to Mr. Maskelyne, (who insisted on having a right to attend, as being a Commissioner) which discovery was finished on the 22nd of August, 1766, as appears by the annexed certificate,[1]the Watch
- ↑ 'We whose names are hereunto subscribed do certify, that Mr. John Harrison has taken his Timekeeper to pieces in the presence of us, and explained the principles and construction thereof, and every thing relative thereto, to our entire satisfaction; and that he also did to our satisfaction answer to every question proposed by us or any of us relative thereto; and that we have compared the drawing of the same with the parts, and do find that they perfectly correspond.'
NEVIL MASKELYNE, THOMAS MUDGE, JOHN MICHELL, WILLIAM MATTHEWS, WILLIAM LUDLAM, LARCUM KENDALL. JOHN BIRD, August 22, 1765
ciety were now and then mystified by plausible quotations from their President, which if closely questioned, it would have been found he did not understand himself: such at least is the safest conclusion left for those who compare the specimens he has given of his capacity, in common things, with his elevation to the chair of Newton.
