250 years military maritime sea clocks 2023 marks the 330th anniversary of John Harrison's birth but also the 250th anniversary since the last bit of Longitude Prize money was awarded by British parliament. In 1773, 80 years old English clock maker John Harrsion was awarded the final amount of Prize money for his " seawatch n° 1 " H4 clock which solved the Longitude problem. Harrison had been working half a century to perfect his watches . Note the great details in these paintings, with Harrison holding John Jefferys watch and his own H4 clock on the table besides him. As Great Britain asserted its position with France and had to avoid these precious time keepers could be caught by Spanish or Dutch navy ships, copies of Harrison H4 were sent on sea trials. A time of sextants and clocks, while today's rise of technology has isolated us from the natural World, unfortunately much to our detriment. (National Maritime Museum - Greenwich GB)
