The Admiralty acquired this chronometer in August 1856 “in exchaThe Admiralty acquired this chronometer in August 1856 “in exchange for Arnold 578”. It served on many Royal Navy voyages between 1856 and 1937, before it was sold to the dealer Percy Webster. This two-day marine chronometer has a fusee with Harrison’s maintaining power, an Earnshaw-type spring detent escapement and bimetal compensation balance.
At some point in its career, this chronometer was demoted to a training instrument, as it was no longer deemed reliable for navigation. Chronometers used in the Navy could have different statuses; the most reliable ones were used for navigation; whilst other chronometers could be used as deck or hack watches for transporting time around the vessel or taking observations on deck. By marking the instruments with a brass X, the Admiralty distinguished it from chronometers that could be relied upon.
After it became part of the collection the chronometer was loaned to the BBC at Ealing Studios on 10 February 1978, for part of the filming of the TV mini-series The Voyage of Charles Darwin.
Service record:
HMS Industry 1856-1861
HMS Trident 1864
HMS Wolverene 1865-1868
HMS Victor Emanuel 1886
HMS Pylades 1894-1898
HMS Tiger 1916-1917
HMS Alsatian 1918