HarrisontothefavouroftheCommissionersappointedbyActofParliamentasapersonhighlydeservingofsuchfurtherencouragementandassistanceastheyshalljudgeproperandsufficienttofinishhisthirdmachine。“TheCommissionersgrantedhimafurthersumof500L。Harrisonwasalreadyreducedtonecessitouscircumstancesbyhiscontinuousapplicationtotheimprovementofthetimekeepers。Hehadalsogotintodebt，andrequiredfurtherassistancetoenablehimtoproceedwiththeirconstruction；buttheCommissionerswouldonlyhelphimbydriblets。
AlthoughHarrisonhadpromisedthatthethirdmachinewouldbereadyfortrialonAugust1，1743，itwasnotfinishedforsomeyearslater。InJune，1746，wefindhimagainappearingbeforetheBoard，askingforfurtherassistance。Whileproceedingwithhisworkhefounditnecessarytoaddanewspring，“havingspentmuchtimeandthoughtintemperingthem。“Another500L。wasvotedtoenablehimtopayhisdebts，tomaintainhimselfandfamily，andtocompletehischronometer。
ThreeyearslaterheexhibitedhisthirdmachinetotheRoyalSociety，andonthe30thofNovember，1749，hewasawardedtheGoldMedalfortheyear。Inpresentingit，Mr。Folkes，thePresident，saidtoMr。Harrison，“Idohere，bytheauthorityandinthenameoftheRoyalSocietyofLondonfortheimprovingofnaturalknowledge，presentyouwiththissmallbutfaithfultokenoftheirregardandesteem。Ido，intheirnamecongratulateyouuponthesuccessesyouhavealreadyhad，andImostsincerelywishthatallyourfuturetrialsmayineverywayproveanswerabletothesebeginnings，andthatthefullaccomplishmentofyourgreatundertakingmayatlastbecrownedwithallthereputationandadvantagetoyourselfthatyourwarmestwishesmaysuggest，andtowhichsomanyyearssolaudablyandsodiligentlyspentintheimprovementofthosetalentswhichGodAlmightyhasbestoweduponyou，willsojustlyentitleyourconstantandunweariedperseverance。“
Mr。Folkes，inhisspeech，spokeofMr。Harrisonas“oneofthemostmodestpersonshehadeverknown。Inspeaking，“hecontinued，“ofhisownperformances，hehasassuredmethat，fromtheimmensenumberofdiligentandaccurateexperimentshehasmade，andfromthesevereteststowhichhehasinmanywaysputhisinstrument，heexpectsheshallbeablewithsufficientcertainty，throughallthegreatestvarietyofseasonsandthemostirregularmotionsofthesea，tokeeptimeconstantly，withoutthevariationofsomuchasthreesecondsinaweek，——adegreeofexactnessthatisastonishingandevenstupendous，consideringtheimmensenumberofdifficulties，andthoseofverydifferentsorts，whichtheauthoroftheseinventionsmusthavehadtoencounterandstrugglewithal。“
Althoughitiscommonenoughnowtomakefirst-ratechronometers——sufficienttodeterminethelongitudewithalmostperfectaccuracyineveryclimeoftheworld——itwasverydifferentatthattime，whenHarrisonwasoccupiedwithhislaboriousexperiments。Althoughheconsideredhisthirdmachinetobetheneplusultraofscientificmechanism，heneverthelessproceededtoconstructafourthtimepiece，intheformofapocketwatchaboutfiveinchesindiameter。Hefoundtheprincipleswhichhehadadoptedinhislargermachinesappliedequallywellinthesmaller，andtheperformancesofthelastsurpassedhisutmostexpectations。Butinthemeantime，ashisthirdtimekeeperwas，inhisopinion，sufficienttosupplytherequirementsoftheBoardofLongitudeasrespectedthehighestrewardoffered，heappliedtotheCommissionersforleavetotrythatinstrumentonboardaroyalshiptosomeportintheWestIndies，asdirectedbythestatuteofQueenAnne。
ThoughHarrison’sthirdtimekeeperwasfinishedabouttheyear1758，itwasnotuntilMarch12，1761，thathereceivedordersforhissonWilliamtoproceedtoPortsmouth，andgoonboardtheDorsetshireman-of-war，toproceedtoJamaica。Butanothertediousdelayoccurred。Theshipwasorderedelsewhere，andWilliamHarrison，afterremainingfivemonthsatPortsmouth，returnedtoLondon。Bythistime，JohnHarrisonhadfinishedhisfourthtimepiece——thesmallone，intheformofawatch。AtlengthWilliamHarrisonsetsailwiththistimekeeperfromPortsmouthforJamaica，onNovember18th，1761，intheDeptfordman-of-war。TheDeptfordhadforty-threeshipsinconvoy，andarrivedatJamaicaonthel9thofJanuary，1762，threedaysbeforetheBeaver，anotherofHisMajesty’sships-of-war，whichhadsailedfromPortsmouthtendaysbeforetheDeptford，buthadlostherreckoningandbeendeceivedinherlongitude，havingtrustedentirelytothelog。Harrison’stimepiecehadcorrectedthelogoftheDeptfordtotheextentofthreedegreesoflongitude，whilstseveraloftheshipsinthefleetlostasmuchasfivedegrees！Thisshowsthehaphazardwayinwhichnavigationwasconductedprevioustotheinventionofthemarinechronometer。
WhentheDeptfordarrivedatPortRoyal，Jamaica，thetimekeeperwasfoundtobeonlyfiveandonetenthsecondsinerror；andduringthevoyageoffourmonths，onitsreturntoPortsmouthonMarch26th，1762，itwasfoundafterallowingfortherateofgainorlosstohaveerredonlyoneminutefifty-fourandahalfseconds。InthelatitudeofPortsmouththisonlyamountedtoeighteengeographicalmiles，whereastheActhadawardedthattheprizeshouldbegivenwherethelongitudewasdeterminedwithinthedistanceofthirtygeographicalmiles。OnewouldhavethoughtthatHarrisonwasnowclearlyentitledtohisrewardof20，000L。
Notatall！ThedelaysinterposedbyGovernmentarelongandtedious，andsometimesinsufferable。HarrisonhadaccomplishedmorethanwasneedfultoobtainthehighestrewardwhichtheBoardofLongitudehadpubliclyoffered。Buttheywouldnotcertifythathehadwontheprize。Onthecontrary，theystartednumerousobjections，andcontinuedforyearstosubjecthimtovexatiousdelaysanddisappointments。TheypleadedthatthepreviousdeterminationofthelongitudeofJamaicabyastronomicalobservationwasunsatisfactory；thattherewasnoproofofthechronometerhavingmaintainedauniformrateduringthevoyage；andonthe17thofAugust，1762，theypassedaresolution，statingthatthey“wereofopinionthattheexperimentsmadeofthewatchhadnotbeensufficienttodeterminethelongitudeatsea。“
ItwasaccordinglynecessaryforHarrisontopetitionParliamentonthesubject。ThreereignshadcomeandgonesincetheActofParliamentofferingtherewardhadbeenpassed。Annehaddied；
GeorgeI。andGeorgeII。hadreignedanddied；andnow，inthereignofGeorgeIII——thirty-fiveyearsafterHarrisonhadbegunhislabours，andafterhehadconstructedfourseveralmarinechronometers，eachofwhichwasentitledtowinthefullprize，——anActofParliamentwaspassedenablingtheinventortoobtainthesumof5000L。aspartofthereward。ButtheCommissionersstillhesitated。Theydifferedaboutthetemperingofthesprings。Theymusthaveanothertrialofthetimekeeper，oranythingwithwhichtoputoffasettlementoftheclaim。
Harrisonwasreadyforanyfurthernumberoftrials；andinthemeantimetheCommissionersmerelypaidhimafurthersumonaccount。
Twomoredrearyyearspassed。Nothingwasdonein1763exceptaquantityofinterminabletalkattheBoardofCommissioners。Atlength，onthe28thofMarch，1764，Harrison’ssonagaindepartedwiththetimekeeperonboardtheshipTartarforBarbadoes。Hereturnedinaboutfourmonths，duringwhichtimetheinstrumentenabledthelongitudetobeascertainedwithintenmiles，orone-thirdoftherequiredgeographicaldistance。HarrisonmemorialisedtheCommissionersagainandagain，inorderthathemightobtaintherewardpubliclyofferedbytheGovernment。
AtlengththeCommissionerscouldnolongerconcealthetruth。
InSeptember，1764，theyvirtuallyrecognisedHarrison’sclaimbypayinghim1000L。onaccount；and，onthe9thofFebruary，1765，theypassedaresolutionsettingforththattheywere“unanimouslyofopinionthatthesaidtimekeeperhaskeptitstimewithsufficientcorrectness，withoutlosingitslongitudeinthevoyagefromPortsmouthtoBarbadoesbeyondthenearestlimitrequiredbytheActl2thofQueenAnne，butevenconsiderablywithinthesame。“YettheywouldnotgiveHarrisonthenecessarycertificate，thoughtheywereofopinionthathewasentitledtobepaidthefullreward！
ItispleasanttocontrastthegenerousconductoftheKingofSardiniawiththeprocrastinatingandilliberalspiritwhichHarrisonmetwithinhisowncountry。Duringthesameyearinwhichtheaboveresolutionwaspassed，theSardinianministerorderedfourofHarrison’stimekeepersatthepriceof1000L。
each，atthespecialinstanceoftheKingofSardinia“asanacknowledgementofMr。Harrison’singenuity，andassomerecompenseforthetimespentbyhimforthegeneralgoodofmankind。“Thisgratefulattentionwasallthemorepraiseworthy，asSardiniacouldnotinanywayberegardedasagreatmaritimepower。
Harrisonwasnowbecomingoldandfeeble。Hehadattainedtheageofseventy-four。Hehadspentfortylongyearsinworkingouthisinvention。Hewaslosinghiseyesight，andcouldnotaffordtowaitmuchlonger。Stillhehadtowait。
“Fulllittleknowestthou，whohastnottried，Whathellitisinsuinglongtobide；
Tolosegooddays，thatmightbebetterspent；
Towastelongnightsinpensivediscontent；
Tospendto-day，tobeputbackto-morrow，Tofeedonhope，topinewithfearandsorrow。“
ButHarrisonhadnotlosthisspirit。OnMay30th，1765，headdressedanotherremonstrancetotheBoard，containingmuchstrongerlanguagethanhehadyetused。“Icannothelpthinking，“hesaid，“thatIamextremelyill-usedbygentlemenfromwhomImighthaveexpectedadifferenttreatment；for，iftheActofthel2thofQueenAnnebedeficient，whyhaveIsolongbeenencouragedunderit，inordertobringmyinventiontoperfection？And，afterthecompletion，whywasmysonsenttwicetotheWestIndies？Haditbeensaidtomyson，whenhereceivedthelastinstruction，’Therewill，incaseyousucceed，beanewActonyourreturn，inordertolayyouundernewrestrictions，whichwerenotthoughtofintheActofthel2thofQueenAnne，’——
Isay，hadthisbeenthecase，ImighthaveexpectedsomesuchtreatmentasthatInowmeetwith。
“Itmustbeownedthatmycaseisveryhard；butIhopeIamthefirst，andformycountry’ssakeIhopeIshallbethelast，tosufferbypinningmyfaithuponanEnglishActofParliament。
HadIreceivedmyjustreward——forcertainlyitmaybesocalledafterfortyyears’closeapplicationofthetalentwhichithaspleasedGodtogiveme——thenmyinventionwouldhavetakenthecoursewhichallimprovementsinthisworlddo；thatis，Imusthaveinstructedworkmeninitsprinciplesandexecution，whichI
shouldhavebeengladofanopportunityofdoing。Buthowwidelydifferentthisisfromwhatisnowproposed，viz。，formetoinstructpeoplethatIknownothingof，andsuchasmayknownothingofmechanics；and，ifIdonotmakethemunderstandtotheirsatisfaction，Imaythenhavenothing！
“Hardfateindeedtome，butstillhardertotheworld，whichmaybedeprivedofthismyinvention，whichmustbethecase，exceptbymyopenandfreemannerindescribingalltheprinciplesofittogentlemenandnoblemenwhoalmostatalltimeshavehadfreerecoursetomyinstruments。Andifanyoftheseworkmenhavebeensoingeniousastohavegotmyinvention，howfaryoumaypleasetorewardthemfortheirpiracymustbeleftforyoutodetermine；andImustsetmyselfdowninoldage，andthankGodI
canbemoreeasyinthatIhavetheconquest，andthoughIhavenoreward，thanifIhadcomeshortofthematterandbysomedelusionhadthereward！“
TheRightHonourabletheEarlofEgmontwasinthechairoftheBoardofLongitudeonthedaywhenthisletterwasread——June13，1765。TheCommissionersweresomewhatstartledbythetonewhichtheinventorhadtaken。Indeed，theywereratherangry。Mr。
Harrison，whowasinwaiting，wascalledin。Aftersomeratherhotspeaking，andafteraproposalwasmadetoHarrisonwhichhesaidhewoulddeclinetoaccedeto“solongasadropofEnglishbloodremainedinhisbody，“helefttheroom。Matterswereatlengtharranged。TheActofParliament5Geo。III。cap。20