I 53 ] 



VII- Memoir ly Lord'ii^hriv'R, of Merch'iston, the cehlrated 

 Inventor of the Lugarithvis, on his different Contrivances 

 *'Jor tli£ De/mce ofthisjsland}" with Remarks., 



SIR, To Mr. Tifloch. 



J- HE following memoir has beea already pulblislied in Dr, 

 Anderson's excellent miscellany, the bee, vol. iii. p. 133. 

 but your readers will perhaps agree with me in thinking it 

 deser\"es republication, and may not be displeased to find it 

 accompanied with some observations, which I believe have 

 not belbre been brought together. The original of this very 

 curious paper is preserved among the manuscripts of An- 

 thony Bacon, Esq, in the Lambeth Library, marked 658, 

 anno log6. 



Yours, &c, * D, 



** Secret inventions, profitable and necessary in these days 

 for the defence of this island, and withstanding of 

 strangers, enemies to God's truth and religion, 



** Firstj The invention, proof, and perfect demonstra- 

 tion, geometrical and algebraical, of a burning mirror, 

 which receiving of dispersed beams of the sun, doth reflex 

 the same beams altogether united, and concurring precisely 

 in one mathematical point, in the which point, most ne- 

 cessarily it ^igendcreth fire; with an evident demonstration 

 of their error who affirm this to be made a parabolic section. 

 The use of this invention scrveth for the burning of the 

 enemy's ships at whatsoever appointed distance. 



" Secondly, The invention and sure demonstration of 

 another mirror, which receiving the dispersed beams of any 

 material fire, or flame, yieldeth also the former ttftct, and 

 scrveth for the like use, 



" Thirdli/y The invention and visible demonstration of a 

 piece of artillery, which shot, passeth not lineally through 

 the army, destroying only those that stand in the random 

 thereof, but superficially ranging abroad, within the whole 

 appointed place, and not departing forth of the place, till 

 it hath executed his whole strength, by destroying all those 

 that be within the bounds of the said jilace. The use 

 hereof not only serveth greatly against the army of the 

 enemy on land, but also by sea, serving to destroy and cut 

 down, at one explosion, the whole masts and tackling of 

 so many ships as be within the appointed bounds, as well 

 abreid as iu large, so lung as any slrcnuth at all rcmaincth. 

 D 3 " *' lourthli/, 



