William Mountaine (c1700-1779)
Teacher and writer of mathematics and navigation.
Teaches "The Classics, Writing, Accompts, Book-keeping after the Italian form, Navigation, Astronomy, the Use of the Globes and other Branches of the Mathematics" in Gainford Street, Southwark.
- 1700-1705
- Born at Clint, West Riding, Yorkshire.
- 1744
- Revised and corrected James Atkinson's Epitome of the Art of Navigation orginally published in 1694.
- 1744
- The Seaman's Vade-mecum, and Defensive War was a revsion of R. Park's Defensive War by Sea.
- 1745 January 5
- Appointed Teacher and Examiner of Mathemathics at the Trinity House, Shad Thames, Southwork.
- 1751
- Elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
- 1755
- The Mariner's Compass Rectified, with Tables of the Sun's Declination was largely a revision of a work originally published by Andrew Wakely in 1633.
- 1757
- The Mariner's New Calender was a revision and improvement of an earlier work by Nathaniel Colson published in 1675.
- 17__
- The Practical Sea Gunner's Companion
- 1778
- A Description of the Lines Drawn on Gunter's Scale
- 1779 May 2
- Died at his home in Gainsford Street, Shad Thames, and was buried in the Parish Church of St John's.
Moutaine's library which consisted of more than 560 volumes, mainly on mathematics, navigation and science, was bequethed to the Burnt Yates School, Clint, together with a pair of globes, two telescopes, manuscript charts and his mathematical instruments.
In 1898 the library was sold to a bookseller in Leeds for a very small sum of money.
Printed Works
1744 The Seaman's Vade-mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea: Containing, the Proportions of Rigging, Masts and
Yards, Weight of Anchors, Sizes and Weight of Cables and
Cordage. The Exercise of the Small Arms,
Bayonet, Granades and Great Guns, Duty of Officers, &c.
Also, Shewing how to prepare a Merchant Ship for a close
Fight, by disposing their Bulk-heads, Leaves, Comings,
Look-holes, &c.
Chasing; the Advantages to be taken by the Chase considered
under all Positions in respect to Wind and Tide.
Defensive-Fighting; shewing how Merchant-Ships are to act,
whether single or in Fleets, when Canonaded or Boarded by the
Enemy.
An Epitome of the Art of Gunnery.
Naval Fortification; The Advantages of Mooring considered,
in respect to Wind and Tide: How to lay Booms in straight or
Rivers, with many other Particulars relating to the Navy and
Merchant Service.
Printed for W. and T. Page, London, 1744 (1st?).
16mo, 12×7 cm, xii, 262 pp, 3 plates.
Facsimile: Excerpt of 44 pp published before 1957.
Other editions 1747, 1756, 1757, 1761, 1763, 1767, 1776,
1778, 1780, 1782 & 1783.
J. Porter Shaw Library records 14 plates.
Partly based on excerpts from Robert Park's Defensive
War at Sea.
References: J. Porter Shaw Library*; Brown 120; Adams.
1744 Revised and corrected James Atkinson's Epitome of the Art of Navigation orginally published in 1694.
1747 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea: containing the Proportions of Rigging, Masts and
Yards, Weight of Anchors, Sizes and Weight of Cables and
Cordage, List of the Navy. The Exercise of the Small Arms,
Bayonet, Granadoes and Great-Guns, Duty of Officers, &c. Also
Shewing how to prepare a Merchant-Ship for a close Fight, …
Chasing; …
Defensive-Fighting; …
Naval Fortification; …
An Essay on Naval Book-keeping; …
Printed for W. and J. Mount, and T. Page, London, 1747. 12mo,
14×8 cm, (10), xii, 270 pp, 4 plates on three fold. sheets.
The rigging tables and the Epitome of the Art of Gunnery
have been left out and an Essay on Naval
Book-Keeping added to this edition.
Partly an abridgement of Robert Park's Defensive War by
Sea, (1704).
References: NMM*; Adams; David H. Roberts.
1755 The Mariner's Compass Rectified, with Tables of the Sun's Declination was largely a revision of a work originally published by Andrew Wakely in 1633.
1756 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea: containing the Proportions of Rigging, Masts and Yards
Weight of Anchors, Sizes and Weight of Cables and Cordage,
List of the Navy. The Exercise of the Small Arms, Bayonet,
Granadoes and Great-Guns, Duty of Officers, &c. also
Shewing how to prepare a Merchant-Ship for a close Fight.
Chasing; …
Defensive-Fighting; …
Naval Fortification; …
An Essay on Naval Book-keeping; …
W. and J. Mount & T. and T. Page, London, 1756.
12mo, 14×8 cm, (10), xii, 270 pp, ill., 4 plates.
Facsimile: Conway Maritime Press, London, 1971.
References: Private Collection*; Adams.
1757 The Mariner's New Calender was a revision and improvement of an earlier work by Nathaniel Colson published in 1675.
1757 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
at Sea, containing the Proportions of Rigging, Masts and
Yards, Weight of Anchors, Sizes and Weight of Cables and
Cordage, List of the Navy, Exercise of the Small-Arms,
Bayonet, Granadoes and Great Guns, Duty of Officers, etc.,
also, shewing how to prepare a Merchant-Ship for a Close
Fight, etc., etc., and Essay on Naval Bookkeeping, the Method
of Forming Signals, etc.
W. & J. Mount & T. & T. Page, London, 1757 (4th).
8vo, 17 cm, (10), xii, 270 pp, plates.
Includes a glossary of nautical terms.
References: NMM; Sotheran 846:20028; RCA Bibl; Adams.
1761 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and defensive
at Sea: containing the Proportions of Rigging, Masts and
Yards, …
Also showing how to prepare a merchant-ship for a close
fight …
W. & J. Mount & T. & T. Page, London, 1761 (5th). 8vo, 17 cm,
(10), xii, 270 pp, ill, 4 plates.
J. Porter Shaw Library records (2) leaves of plates.
Containing: A martime dictionary; A list of the Royal Navy;
Of the Lord High-Admiral, rank and command …; The duty
of sea-officers; Rules of discipline; The exercise of small
arms; Of hospital ships; How to prepare a ship for a close
fight; Conduct to be used in chasing; Defense fighting in
general; Naval fortification; Instructions for a Captain's
Clerk; Pursery; The Method of forming signals for the
regulation of merchant-ships sailing in company.
References: NMM; Sotheran 846:20028a; J. Porter Shaw Library;
Adams.
1763 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea.
Dublin, 1763. ? pp.
References: Adams.
1767 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea.
J. Mount & T. Page, London, 1767. 12mo, ?? pp.
First edition 1744.
References: Adams.
1776 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea. Containing the proportions of rigging, masts, and
yards, weight of anchors, sizes and weight of cables and
cordage, list of the Navy. The exercise of the small arms,
bayonet, granadoes, and great-guns, duty of officers, etc.,
also showing how to prepare a merchant ship for a close fight,
by disposing their bulk-heads, leaves, coamings, lookholes,
etc. Chacing: the advantages to be taken by the chace,
considered, under all positions in respect to wind and tide,
etc., etc.
J. Mount, T. Page & W. Mount, London, 1776;-8vo, ? pp, 4 plates.
References: Cruising Assoc.; Adams.
17__ The Practical Sea Gunner's Companion
1778 A Description of the Lines Drawn on Gunter's Scale
1778 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum and Defensive War
and Defensive War by Sea: Containing the Proportions of
Rigging, Masts, and Yards, Weight of Anchors, Sizes and
Weight of Cables and Cordage, List of the Navy, The Exercise
of the small Arms, Bayonet, Granadoes, and Great Guns, Duty
of Officers, &c. also Shewing how to prepare a Merchant-Ship
for a close fight, by disposing their Bulk-heads, Leaves,
Coamings, Look-holes, &c.
Chacing; the Advantages to be taken by the Chace considered,
under all Positions in respect to Wind and Tide.
Defensive Fighting; shewing how Merchant Ships are to act,
whether signle or in Fleets, when Cannonaded or Boarded by
Enemy, &c.
Naval Fortification; the Advantages of Mooring considered,
in respect to Wind and Tide; and how to lay Booms in strait
and crooked Rivers, &c.
An Essay on Naval Book-keeping; as well in respect to the
Purser, as to the Captain's Clerk and Steward. The Method of
forming Signals for the Regulation of Merchant-Ships sailing
in Company, under the Direction of a Commodore in Time of
War; with many other Particulars relating to the Navy and
Merchant Service.
By William Mountaine, Mathematical Examiner to the Honourable
Corporation of Trinity-House of Deptford-Strond, and F.R.S.
Printed for J. Mount, T. Page & W. Mount, London, 1778. 12mo,
14.5×8.5 cm, (10), xii, 270 pp, ill., 3 fold. plates.
Maritime Dictionary: or, An Explanation of the most
useful Sea-Terms, digested into Alphabetical Order
[pp 1-xii].
References: The Mariners' Museum*; Adams.
1780 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum and Defensive War
by Sea: containing the Proportions of Rigging, Masts and Yards,
Weight of Anchors, Sizes and Weight of Cables and Cordage,
List of the Navy. The Exercise of the Small Arms, Bayonet,
Granadoes and Great-Guns, Duty of Officers, &c. Also
Shewing how to prepare a Merchant-Ship for a close Fight, …
Chasing; …
Defensive-Fighting; …
Naval Fortification; …
An Essay on Naval Book-keeping; …
Printed for J. Mount & T. Page & W. Mount, London, 1780.
12mo, 14×8.5 cm, (10), xii, 270 pp, 4 folding plates.
References: NMM; RCA Bibl; Adams; Scott; Maggs IV.
1782 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea. …
With Additions & Corrections by John Adams.
Mount & Page, London, 1782. ?? pp.
References: Adams.
1783 The Seaman's Vade-Mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea: containing a Maritime Dictionary;
The Proportions of Rigging, Masts and Yards;
Weight of Anchors, Sizes and Weight of Cables and Cordage,
List of the Navy. The Exercise of the Small Arms, Bayonet,
Granadoes and Great-Guns, Duty of Officers, &c. also
Shewing how to prepare a Merchant-Ship for a close Fight.
Chasing; …
Defensive-Fighting; …
Naval Fortification; …
An Essay on Naval Book-keeping; …
The Method of Forming Signals for sailing in Company, …
With additions by John Adams, …
Printed for Mount & Page, London, 1783. 8vo, 18 cm,
(10), xii, 242 pp, 4 fold. plates.
References: NMM; Adams.
1746 An Account of the methods used to describe lines on Dr. Halley's chart of the terraqueous globe shewing the variation of the magnetic needle about the year
1744 ...
By William Mountaine and James Dodson.
W. Mount & T. Page, London, 1746. 4to.
1758 An Account of the methods used to describe lines on Dr. Halley's chart of the terraqueous globe shewing the variation of the magnetic needle about the year
1756, in all known seas. By William Mountaine and James Dodson.
W. Mount & T. Page, London, 1758. 4to.
1763 A Defence of Mercator's chart againt the censure of the late Mr. West of
Exeter: in a letter to Charles Morton, M.D. Secret. R.S.
Philosophical Transactions Vol. 53, London, 1763. pp 69-80.
1766 A Letter ...
to the Right Honourable James Earl of Morton, President of the Royal Society,
containing some observations on the variation of the magnetic needle, made on
board the Montagu man of war, in the years 1760, 1761, and 1762 by Mr. David
Ross, Surgeon.
Philosophical Transcations Vol. 56, London, 1766. pp 216-199 [i.e. 233].
1757 A Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Maaclesfield, President, the
Council and Fellows, of the Royal Society, concerning the variation of the
magnetic needle; with a sett of tables annexed, which exhibit the result of
upwards of fifty-thousand observations, in six periodic reviews, from the year
1700 to the year 1756, both inclusive, and are adapted to every five degrees
of latitude and longitude in the more frequented oceans.
Philosophical Transactions Vol. 50, London, 1757. pp 329-349.
1747 The Practical sea-gunner's companion: or, an introduction to the art of
gunnery ...
Being the substance of the Captains Povy and Binning with large improvements.
W. & J. Mount & T. Page, London, 1747. 4to.
J. Mount & T. Page, London, 1763. 4to.
J. Mount & T. Page & W. Mount, London, 1781. 4to.
1749 The Seaman's Vade-mecum, and Defensive War
by Sea. An essay on naval book-keeping.
G. Grierson, Dublin, 1749. 12mo.
1758 A short dissertation on maps and charts; in a letter to the Rev. Thomas Birch, D.D. and Secret. R.S.
Philosophical Transactions Vol. 50, part II for the year 1758. pp 563-568.
References:
W.R. Chaplin: William Mountaine, F.R.S., Mathematician.
The American Neptune Vol. 60 (1960), pp 185-190, 1 plate.
Updated 1996-04-26 by
Lars Bruzelius
Sjöhistoriska Samfundet |
The Maritime History Virtual Archives.
Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.