for some party purpose) he was thus promoted.[1] He either could not, or would not, understand so plain a proposition, as that, if his mode of explaining the above Act of Parliament was allowed, and works were commenced, which by the lowest estimate would require an outlay of £900, it was necessary funds should be provided to meet this exigency, which, as no expense had been contemplated by the measure, unless merely for travelling charges to the gentlemen, or for loss of time to the watchmakers, unavoidably rendered it abortive: not from any oversight by those who drew up the clauses, but because Lord Morton who, at this Commission, as at that of the Longitude, it so happened, directed every thing as he would have it, put a construction on the Act altogether fantastical.[2]
- ↑ Whatever were their inducements, it would have been well if it did not recal the historical fact, that Peter the great, for special reasons made a patriarch of his fool.
- ↑ It was, that if any tools were necessary in constructing the Timekeepers different from those used by clock and watchmakers, a number of workmen were to be immediately set on preparing such tools; which being ready, two or three more Timekeepers were to be proceeded with; and these, being completed, were to be tried "in such manner as the Commissioners shall judge proper; so as to convince them that the discovery made by Mr. Harrison is sufficient to enable other workmen to make watches of equal goodness."—It requires no argument to show that this way of explaining the invention would have called for an outlay, both of time and money, al-
