when and where

the Longitude Act dangled the Crown's gold
for anyone who'd find a ship at sea
for such a story to be fully told
clocks must compete against astronomy
John Harrison's chronometer came through
a challenge to the gazers at the stars
for whom the only time-piece that is true
must use the moons of Jupiter or Mars
'til patents let the Market Forces drive
Invention languished waiting for a prize
scant profit to make innovators thrive
until the law let them monopolize
the first Tech Revolution was set free
by innovations starting in IP