CHRONOMETERS. 



Ever since the year 1794, my attention has been much devoted to the practical use 

 of chronometers, both while 1 belonged to the Honourable East India Company's 

 service, and in the Royal Navy, where I had, when serving under the gallant Lord 

 de Saumarez, the charge of the navigation of both the Channel and the Baltic fleet. 



On taking command of the expedition fitted out for the discovery of a North-west 

 Passage, my first care was to obtain good chronometers, and also as many of them as 

 possible. My own chronometer was made by the late justly celebrated Earnshaw, and 

 was certainly a very superior one; I therefore took it as the standard for com- 

 parison, with the whole thirteen. Several of these were the property of private 

 persons, who either lent them to the expedition, or sent them on trial : of the latter 

 description were those sent by Messrs. Parkinson and Frodsham, who sent two with 

 a memorandum that their rate would increase to fourteen seconds and then remain 

 steady : a circumstance which actually took place, and which went to prove that they 

 had discovered some new principle, in their regulation or construction, and ray report 

 on them could not be but very favourable. Since this every expedition has been 

 furnished by Parkinson and Frodsham with these valuable machines, and the 

 reports on their performance have been uniformly favourable. On this voyage 

 I purchased of them the pocket chronometer 1081, which was distinguished as 

 being that made for Sir E. Parry, on his attempt to reach the North Pole, as 

 well as for its uniform rate. These makers also kindly sent with me a box chro- 

 nometer at their own risk, which could not but be a great acquisition. Both of 

 these performed to admiration; the box chronometer, until we left Victoria harbour, 

 where it was purposely allowed to run down that it might be more easily carried, and 

 the pocket one during the whole time. On our arrival they were both returned to the 

 makers, and being desirous to make public the principle on which these instruments 



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