One would have thought that Harrison was now clearly entitled to his reward of 20,000L.
Not at all! The delays interposed by Government are long and tedious, and sometimes insufferable.

Harrison had accomplished more than was needful to obtain the highest reward which the Board of Longitude had publicly offered.

But they would not certify that he had won the prize.

On the contrary, they started numerous objections, and continued for years to subject him to vexatious delays and disappointments.

They pleaded that the previous determination of the longitude of Jamaica by astronomical observation was unsatisfactory; that there was no proof of the chronometer having maintained a uniform rate during the voyage; and on the 17th of August, 1762, they passed a resolution, stating that they "were of opinion that the experiments made of the watch had not been sufficient to determine the longitude at sea." It was accordingly necessary for Harrison to petition Parliament on the subject.