Anakwanitsa Kuchita Zinthu Zimene Zinali Zosatheka

Pa October 22, m’chaka cha 1707, sitima zankhondo za ku Britain zinanyamuka ulendo wolowera ku nyanja ya English Channel koma zinasochera panjira. Kodi zotsatira zake zinali zotani? Sitima zinayi zinachita ngozi pafupi ndi zilumba za m’nyanja ya Atlantic ku Scilly, m’dziko la England ndipo anthu pafupifupi 2,000 anafa.

KALELO, zinali zosavuta kwa anthu oyendetsa sitima kudziwa malo amene ali akamalowera kumpoto kapena kum’mwera kwa dziko. Koma zinkawavuta kudziwa malo amene ali akamalowera kum’mawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko. Chakumayambiriro kwa zaka za m’ma 1700, sitima zambirimbiri zinkadutsa m’nyanja ya Atlantic chaka chilichonse, koma zambiri zinkachita ngozi chifukwa chosochera. Koma ngozi yaikulu imene inachitika m’chaka cha 1707 ndi imene inachititsa kuti anthu a ku Britain akhale ndi chidwi chofuna kupanga chipangizo chothandiza kudziwa malo amene munthu ali akamapita kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko lapansi.

Mu 1714, Nyumba ya Malamulo ya dziko la Britain inalonjeza kuti ipereka mphotho yokwana mapaundi 20,000 kwa aliyense amene angapange chipangizochi. Masiku ano ndalama zimenezi zingakwane madola mamiliyoni ambiri.

Sinali Ntchito Yamasewera

Kudziwa malo omwe munthu ali akakhala kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko kunali kovuta kwambiri chifukwa kuti munthu akwanitse kuchita zimenezi ankafunika kudziwa nthawi molondola kwambiri. Yerekezerani kuti inuyo mumakhala ku London, komwe ndi kumpoto kwa dziko lapansi, ndipo nthawi kumeneko ili 12 koloko masana. Mwalandira foni kuchokera kwa munthu amenenso amakhala kumpoto kwa dziko lapansi ndipo iye akunena kuti kumeneko nthawi ili 6 koloko m’mawa. Zimenezi zikusonyeza kuti nthawi yake ikutsalira ndi maola 6. Popeza kuti inuyo mukudziwa bwino kusiyana kwa nthawi kumeneku komanso mapu, nthawi yomweyo mukudziwa kuti mnzanuyo amakhala ku North America, ndipo kumeneko dzuwa likungotuluka kumene. Ndiyeno ngati mutadziwa nthawi yeniyeni ya malo omwe mnzanuyo ali mpaka ndi masekondi omwe, zingakuthandizeni kudziwa bwinobwino malo enieni amene mnzanuyo ali.

Kale kwambiri anthu oyendetsa sitima, kulikonse kumene anali, ankatha kudziwa kuti nthawi yakwana 12 koloko masana akaona kuti dzuwa lafika paliwombo. Ngati woyendetsa sitima atadziwa nthawi yeniyeni ya kwawo, ankatha kudziwa mtunda umene wayenda polowera kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko. Ngati walakwitsa, sankalakwitsa mpaka kupitirira makilomita 50. Ngati munthu atayenda ulendo wautali kwa milungu 6, akanatha kupeza mphoto imene inalonjezedwa ija.

Koma zinali zovuta kwambiri kudziwa nthawi ya kumene munthuyo wachokera. Anthu oyendetsa sitima ankatenga wotchi inayake yachikale, koma nthawi zambiri wotchi imeneyi sinkagwira ntchito m’sitima zimene zinkayenda mwapendapenda chifukwa cha mafunde. Komanso wotchi imeneyi sinkalondola kwenikweni chifukwa kunja kukayamba kuzizira kwambiri kapena kutentha kwambiri, wotchiyi inkataya.  Ndiye kodi akanatani kuti azidziwa nthawi molondola?

Kugwiritsa Ntchito Mwezi ndi Nyenyezi

Akatswiri a zakuthambo anaganiza zogwiritsa ntchito mwezi ndi nyenyezi kuti adziwe nthawi. Iwo anabwera ndi nzeru yolemba matchati othandiza anthu oyenda panyanja kudziwa malo amene ali akamalowera kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko lapansi mogwirizana ndi malo amene mwezi ndi nyenyezi zinazake zili.

Kwa zaka zoposa 100, akatswiri a masamu, a zinthu zakuthambo komanso anthu oyenda panyanja anayesetsa kuti apange chipangizo chothandiza munthu kudziwa malo amene ali akakhala kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko lapansi koma zinkawavuta. Chifukwa cha mavuto amenewa, anthu ankaona kuti n’zosatheka kupanga chipangizo chodziwira malo amene munthu ali akamalowera kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko lapansi.

Kalipentala Wina Anadzipereka Kupanga Chipangizocho

Kalipentala wina wakumudzi, dzina lake John Harrison, yemwe ankakhala m’mudzi wotchedwa Lincolnshire ku Britain, anaona kuti akhoza kukwanitsa kupanga chipangizochi. Mu 1713, asanakwanitse zaka 20, Harrison anapanga wotchi ndipo zinthu zambiri pa wotchiyo zinali zamatabwa. Kenako iye anatulukira njira yothandiza kuti wotchiyo isamataye sitima ikamayenda mwapendapenda kapena nyengo ikasintha. Panthawiyo, wotchi yolondola kwambiri inkataya ndi mphindi imodzi patsiku, koma wotchi ya Harrison inkangotaya ndi sekondi imodzi yokha pa mwezi. *

Kenako Harrison anaganiza zopanga wotchi yomwe ingamathe kusonyeza nthawi yolondola kwambiri akamayenda nayo panyanja. Ataganizira kwambiri za nkhaniyi kwa zaka zinayi, iye anapita ku London kukauza bungwe lomwe linasankhidwa kuti lipereke mphoto lija kuti iye akufuna kupanga wotchi yolondola. Ali kumeneko, Harrison anadziwana ndi katswiri wopanga mawotchi dzina lake George Graham. Katswiriyu anapatsa Harrison ngongole ya ndalama zambiri popanda chiwongola dzanja, yoti agwiritse ntchito popanga wotchiyo. Mu 1735, Harrison anamaliza kupanga wotchiyo ndipo anakapereka ku bungwe la asayansi otchuka kwambiri ku Britain lotchedwa Royal Society. Wotchiyi inkalemera makilogalamu 34 ndipo zitsulo zake zinali zonyezimira kwambiri.

Harrison anatumizidwa ku Lisbon kuti akayese wotchiyi, osati ku West Indies komwe kunali kofunika kuyesera kuti munthu apeze mphotoyi. Atamaliza kuiyesa, anapeza kuti wotchiyi inkalondola kwambiri. Iye akanathanso kupempha kuti wotchiyi ikayesedwenso kutsidya lina la nyanja ya Atlantic kuti apatsidwe mphotoyo. Koma iye sanachite zimenezi ndipo atakumana koyamba ndi bungwe lopereka mphoto lija, panalibe munthu wina aliyense amene anapezera wotchiyo vuto kupatulapo Harrison mwiniwakeyo. Harrison ankafuna kuti chinthu chimene wapanga chisakhale ndi vuto ngakhale pang’ono, choncho iye ankaonabe kuti atha kupanga wotchi ina yabwino kuposa imene anapangayo. Iye anapempha bungwelo kuti limupatse ndalama zina zochepa komanso nthawi kuti apange wotchi yabwino kwambiri.

Patapita zaka 6, Harrison anamaliza kupanga wotchi yake yachiwiri ndipo inali yabwino kuposa yoyamba ija moti bungwe lija linasangalala nayo kwambiri. Wotchiyi inkalemera makilogalamu 39. Koma Harrison ankaonabe kuti akhoza kupanga wotchi ina yabwino kuposa imeneyi. Panthawiyi n’kuti iye ali ndi zaka 48. Iye anayambanso kupanga wotchi ina  yachitatu, yomwe inali yosiyana kwambiri ndi ziwiri zoyamba zija, ndipo anatha zaka 19 akuipanga.

Ali mkati mopanga wotchi yachitatuyi, yomwe inali yaikulu kwambiri, Harrison anatulukira njira ina yatsopano. Mnzake wina wokonza mawotchi anapanga wotchi yaing’ono yam’thumba potengera nzeru za Harrison. Poyamba anthu ankaganiza kuti mawotchi akuluakulu ndi amene angakhale olondola kwambiri kuposa mawotchi ang’onoang’ono. Koma Harrison anagoma kuona kuti wotchi yaing’onoyi inkalondola kwambiri. Choncho, bungwe lija litakonza kuti akayese wotchi yakeyo panyanja ya Atlantic m’chaka cha 1761, Harrison anali ndi chikhulupiriro chonse kuti ngati atapanga wotchi ina yachinayi, osati yachitatuyi, ikhoza kukamupezetsa mphoto. Wotchi yachinayi imeneyi inkalemera kilogalamu imodzi yokha. Harrison atamaliza kupanga wotchiyi anati: “Kuchokera pansi pa mtima, ndikuthokoza Mulungu Wamphamvuyonse pondipatsa moyo wautali kuti ndimalize ntchito imeneyi.”

Panachitika Chinyengo

Panthawiyi panali mpikisano chifukwa akatswiri a zakuthambo nawonso anali atatsala pang’ono kutulukira njira zodziwira malo amene munthu ali akamapita kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko. Ndipo vuto lina linali lakuti munthu amene anali mkulu wa bungwe lomwe linasankhidwa kupereka mphoto, dzina lake Nevil Maskelyne, analinso katswiri wa zakuthambo. Wotchi yachinayi ya Harrison anakaiyesa kwa masiku 81 m’nyanja ya Atlantic. Wotchiyi inkalondola kwambiri ndipo inangotaya ndi masekondi asanu okha. Komabe, bungweli linkazengereza kumupatsa Harrison mphoto yake ponena kuti sanatsatire malamulo ena amene anagwirizana ndiponso kuti wotchiyo inangolondola mwamwayi. Choncho, Harrison anangopatsidwa ndalama zochepa. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali, mu 1766, Maskelyne analemba tchati chosonyeza malo osiyanasiyana amene mwezi umadutsa. Tchatichi chinkathandiza anthu oyenda panyanja kudziwa malo amene ali akamalowera kummawa kapena kumadzulo kwa dziko akayenda mphindi 30 zokha. Harrison ankaopa kuti mwina Maskelyne ndi amene apatsidwe mphotoyo.

Kenako, mu 1772, katswiri wina wofufuza malo dzina lake James Cook anagwiritsa ntchito wotchi ya Harrison pa ulendo wake wachiwiri wa panyanja. Ndipo iye ananena kuti wotchiyi inamuthandiza kwambiri kuposa mmene ankaganizira. Panthawiyi n’kuti Harrison ali ndi zaka 79 ndipo anakwiya ndi zimene bungwe lopereka mphoto lija linkachita. Kenako iye anakasuma kwa mfumu ya ku England ndipo m’chaka cha 1773, Harrison anapatsidwa ndalama zotsala zija. Koma sanalengezedwe kuti iye ndi amene wapambana mphoto ija mpaka pamene anamwalira, patapita zaka zitatu. Iye anamwalira ali ndi zaka 83.

Patangopita zaka zochepa, mawotchi otere ankagulitsidwa mapaundi 65 okha. Chifukwa cha nzeru komanso khama lake, kalipentala wakumudziyu anakwanitsa kuchita zinthu zimene zinali zosatheka.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

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(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

Kudziwa malo amene muli pogwiritsa ntchito wotchi

6 koloko m’mawa 12 koloko masana

NORTH AMERICA BRITAIN

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John Harrison, katswiri wopanga mawotchi

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SSPL/Getty Images

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Wotchi yoyamba ya Harrison, yomwe inkalemera makilogalamu 34

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National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Ministry of Defence Art Collection

[Chithunzi patsamba 22]

Wotchi yachinayi ya Harrison, yomwe inkalemera kilogalamu imodzi yokha

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

SSPL/Getty Images

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 20]

Ship in distress: © Tate, London/​Art Resource, NY; compass: © 1996 Visual Language