A discourse on the theory of gunnery. : Delivered at the anniversary meeting of the Royal society, November 30, 1778. / By Sir John Pringle, baronet. Published by their order.

  • John Pringle
Date:
1778
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A discourse on the theory of gunnery. : Delivered at the anniversary meeting of the Royal society, November 30, 1778. / By Sir John Pringle, baronet. Published by their order. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    requeft long after, as containing, befides his own, the labours of feveral other members of that fociety of the moft diftinguifhed merit. So many, and fuch hands concurring in framing this work, it was no wonder that the learned throughout Europe were confirmed by it in the Galilean theory; and the more as M. Blondel had obviated the only objection they fuppofed could be made to it, the rejijlance of the air, which he had taken care exprefsly to mention, and fo to combate as to per- fuade the reader, that the retardation arifing from * , ) that caufe was fo inconfiderable as to be of no account in the practice. This illufion about the fmall or non-refiftance of the air -to bodies rapidly moving in it, was fo prevalent at the end of the laft century, and in the beginning of the prefent, that in the hiftory of the Royal Academy for the year 1707, we find their worthy and mofl accom— plifhed fecretary, after taking notice of the joint labouis of fo many able mathematicians concerned in Blon- DEl.'s publication, venturing to fay, it did not appear that any thing was then zvanting for the practice of the art [of Gunnery] except perhaps perfeBing the inflruments for pointing a cannon or mortar.but that geometry had /