Page:Account of John Harrison and his chronometer.djvu/3

Rh On the 12th of March, 1761 Mr. Harrison at a Board of Longitude held that day at the Admiralty received verbal instructions for his son William to proceed directly to Portsmouth, and that he was to go by Sea with his third Machine or time keeper and Mr. John Harrison, on notice being sent him from the Secretary of the Admiralty was directly to proceed to Portsmouth by land with his fourth time keeper, commonly called a Watch. The verbal Instructions given to Mr. William Harrison at this Board were that he must be at Portsmouth on the 12th day of April at which time a Ship would be ready at that Place to take him on board and proceed to Jamaica. That his Instructions what he was to do in and at the end of the Voyage should be sent to him at Portsmouth. That he was to remain on board the Ship which he was to go round in till he received such Instructions. And that the Commissioners of the Navy would Whip him, with the Machine on board one of their Transports to carry him to Portsmouth. On the 20th of March, Mr. William Harrison by order of the Commissioners of the Navy went on board the Jane and Elizabeth, Bucket Master then lying at Deptford and they arrived at Portsmouth on the 29th of the same Month. Mr. William Harrison on his arrival wrote to his Father desiring him to acquaint Lord Anson therewith, and according to his Verbal Instruction, remained on board the Ship expecting his instructions from the Admiralty or the Board of Longitude how he should proceed. Mr. John Harrison on receiving his sons letter, went with it to Lord Anson who ordered him to write directly to his son and inform him that he must get the Machine on shore of into a Folkstone Cutter, and there wait till further orders. Mr. William Harrison