Stealth Journeys with the Steam Mapper

Chapter 82: More Time Out

"Since you mentioned Captain William Bligh, did you know that when he served as a sailing master under Captain Cook on Cook's third voyage on the H.M.S. Discovery they were using the new designs of horologist John Harrison's chronometer to be able to accurately determine their longitudinal locations throughout their voyages?"

"Well, MYKA, I am familiar with the importance of using chronometers in sailing ship navigation.   Mom shared a wonderful book written as historical fiction written by Amy Brill and about a young woman astronomer who learned from her father about repairing chronometers and using telescopes to watch the skies for comets.    It was called The Movement of Stars and it was based on Maria Mitchell, the true- life winner of a Danish medal for being first to see the new arrival of a comet."

"Mom knew I would like the scientific explanations within the story.   I'm sure glad satellites can pinpoint our locations all over the earth with superior accuracy.    Who knows?   Maybe someday, the data giving our exact location might save our lives.   I definitely plan to learn more about John Harrison's timepieces.   Tell me some more."

"Well, the consensus of scientists of that time, was that a mechanical solution could not be as accurate as a celestial solution.  Sir Isaac Newton and many others of the Academy of Sciences were certain of it.   Some others tried every way to thwart John Harrison's plans to solve the "Nautical Question".   Creating a clock that could keep such reliable time onboard a ship seemed impossible.  The clockworks had to be able to adjust to temperature and air pressure and storms and rocking ships and all sorts of factors."

"Horologist John Harrison devised clocks that corrected for all the problems for which clocks at sea were susceptible, so that ships could pinpoint exactly where they were at all times.   That way they didn't have to rely on sextants and compasses in the old way relying on star charts and complicated tables and clear night skies.   He spent many decades perfecting his clocks in hopes of being declared the winner of a prolonged contest to win a large sum of money for solving the nautical question of having reliable longitude.   I read a great book on this subject written back in 1995 by Dava Sobel."

"And, I had the pleasure of seeing John Harrison's clocks all in action back in March of 2002, during the UK's Science Week in a special exhibition at the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.   The curator did not expect this event to happen again in his lifetime.  These were the actual timepieces, H-1, H-2, and H-3, and, the oversized pocket watch known as H-4 created back in the 1700s.   According to Dava, the H-4 model couldn't run because the key had been misplaced and it was too perfect to open up its mechanisms and risk damaging it.   So, I guess they found the key!"

"Captain Cook had to use a copy of H-4, called K-1, assembled by another horologist named Kendall.  An inferior model known as K-2 was used by Captain Bligh on the H.M.S. Bounty, and was stolen by his crew and kept on Pitcairn Island back in 1789, and then sold to an American whaling ship in 1808.   Horologists love the history of these early devices.    Another special event took place in 2015, when a copy of Harrison's pendulum clock was assembled and tested one hundred days and proved exceedingly accurate.  King George III was the one to see that Harrison finally got the prize money and recognition he so rightly deserved."

StLF was once again dumbstruck by the trivia MYKA could spew out at a moment's notice. "Well, you used "whore-ologist" three times, so I'm glad they are all about timepieces and not something else!   Guess, I'll call my little cousin one, instead of calling her a thespian, and see what kind of reaction I get.   She really is talented.   Everyone said so after seeing her sixth grade acting debut last year.    She loves telling time.  So, I'll call her a time expert and teach her a new word.  I'm sure my aunt and uncle will be thrilled.   They really dote on her.   They adopted her as a baby.   Dad's younger brother, Uncle Bob and his wife, Aunt Carol waited a long time to start a family.   Children are pretty rare among our branch of the Fulton family tree."

Their conversation had gone on for so long, that it was time to get up and stretch their legs.  They agreed to meet again in the snack bar later, after visiting the laboratories to see if anyone needed help with the recording of data.

After a late- night shift in the lab,  MYKA found StLF had returned to the snack bar and was sitting in a corner, facing the wall.  "Hey there!   Sitting down on the job?"   StLF gave a startled glance, as though caught in a trance.   MYKA  thought the long day had a way of doing that to anyone.

StLF turned around and smiled. "I'm just glad to be off my feet.   But, I'm glad you joined me. I could use another dose of entertainment before bedtime."

"So . . .  MYKA, can you think of another trivia question to share?   Maybe a movie one?"