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


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