Alexi Baker

Basically, longitude is the east-west coordinate.

So if you think of the Earth as an orange and you peel 24 vertical pieces of that orange, each peel represents 15 degrees of longitude away from the prime meridian.

And that's because longitude is counted off in the same direction as the Earth is rotating on its axis.

So, you know, I think I'll start over on this description.

It's gotten away from me.

Should I use the orange?

Should I not use the orange?

Okay.

So longitude are the vertical lines on the globe and latitude are the horizontal lines.

And when you move besides beyond vertical and horizontal lines, it does quickly get away from you.

Latitude you can determine by just measuring the height of the sun or of the pole star above the horizon you see.

Longitude is a lot harder to find than latitude.

It was really important to that vision of Britain sort of taking over the world, both commercially and literally.

The big problem, the reason he was conflicting with the commissioners, is they thought it wouldn't help the nation if they couldn't also replicate his watches.

So they could be amazing one-offs, but would it be affordable and possible for other people, because he was getting on in age, for other people to make a lot more watches?

I honestly, even though it's silly to feel sorry for people in the 1700s, I feel sorry for both the Harrisons and the commissioners because they both had very valid points.

And also, you can definitely understand John Harrison was old by the standards of the time.

He was tired.

He had more medical ailments.

He wanted this solved and to get his reward, you know.