Sir John Pringle

“ Some however may think, that the objects of this society are the arts of peace alone, not those of war, and that considering how numerous and how keen the instruments of death already are, it would better become us to discourage than to countenance their farther improvement. ”

“ Mean while, in the beginning of the 16th century, unqualified as the Italians then were for entering upon physico-mathematical inquiries [3] , they nevertheless made the attempt, and in particular took the theory of projectiles into consideration. Some imagined that a body impelled with violence, such as a ball discharged from a cannon, moved in a right line till the force was spent, and that then it fell in another right line perpendicularly to the earth. Upon this principle, absurd as it was, we find one of the earliest authors grounding [10] his whole theory of gunnery [4] ”

“ As they had the principle from Galileo, so they believed themselves [14] warranted by that respectable author, not to fear from that cause any objection, which he himself had suggested, but had removed. Among these projectiles (says he) which we make use of, if they are of a heavy matter and a round form; nay if they are of a lighter matter, and have a cylindrical form, such as arrows shot from bows, their track or path will not sensibly decline from the curve of a parabola [8] .
Here then was the theory of gunnery laid, in appearance, on the most solid foundation. ”

“ Upon the first application of this principle to the purposes of war, nothing perhaps was less thought of than to assist so empirical a practice by scientific rules; for, however aiding in these matters the ancient mechanicians might have been, who, like Archimedes, had invented or perfected some of the balistic machines, no praise seemed now due to the mathematicians for either the discovery or improvement of the new artillery. ”

“ We had reason therefore to expect, that a neighbouring state, intent upon the advancement of the arts and sciences in general, would not fail to give particular attention to those that should appear most subservient to its grandeur. ”

“ As to the advantages accruing to philosophy from the labours both of Mr. Robins and Mr. Hutton, speak [31] they not for themselves? The sciences of motion and pneumatics are promoted by them; and of what avail their perfection would be for the farther interpretation of nature, you need not be informed. In fine, we have here before us, in these experiments, the surest test of our advancement in true knowledge, which is, the improvement of a liberal art, and the enlargement of the powers of man over the works of creation. ”

“ Lastly, it is from these experiments, or from others that may be made after the like manner, we are instructed how to answer every question relative to military projectiles, except such as depend on the resistance of the air to bodies moving swiftly in it. This indeed is a consideration which leaves room for greater improvement in the art, and for conferring fresh honours on those, who, like Mr. Hutton, shall have opportunities and abilities for continuing and perfecting this very curious and useful inquiry. ”

“ But when upon a closer examination we find, that since the invention of arms of the quickest execution, neither battles nor sieges have been more frequent nor more destructive, indeed apparently otherwise; may we not thence infer, that such means as have been employed to sharpen the sword, have tended more to diminish than to increase the number of its victims, by shortening contests and making them more decisive. ”

“ Now these experiments, though made by Mr. Hutton with cannon-balls of a small size, may nevertheless form just conclusions when applied to cannon-shot of the largest size. And such conclusions inform us of the real force of powder when fired, either in a cannon or a mortar, impelling a ball or bomb of a given weight; that is, they discover with what velocity a given quantity of powder drives those projectiles in a second, or in any other assigned portion of time. ”

“ And thus far the Italians having proceeded, they seemed to have taken leave, and to commit the subject to other nations, whose greater power, or greater ambition, was more likely to make them avail themselves of the perfection of a military art, than their instructors. ”

“ Mr. Robins, for determining the initial velocity of shot, arising from different quantities of powder, made use of balls of about an ounce weight; whereas Mr. Hutton, for the same purpose, hath employed those of different weights, from one pound to nearly three; or, in other words, Mr. Robins made trial with musket-shot only, Mr. Hutton with cannon-balls from 20 to about 50 times heavier. This was a considerable step gained in a disquisition of that part of the science, in which the resistance of the air and other circumstances were not concerned ”

“ It [11] would seem then, that if this mathematician had at first been so far mistaken, as to fancy that some part of the course of a projectile was in a straight line, he had afterwards changed his opinion, and was perhaps singular in what he finally embraced. ”

“ But far be it from our intention to relate the imperfections of others, in order to raise ourselves by the comparison. Candour requires of us not only to acknowledge, that in this country, as to the point in question, we did not surpass our neighbours ”