IO MAC LtOD, The Place of Science in History. 



Protestantism in England and the Low Countries. In 

 1585 the town of Antwerp was taken by Alexander of 

 Parma after a long siege. In 1588 Philip II. sent against 

 his enemies the Spanish fleet known as the Invincible 

 Armada. Prince Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, 

 became Stadtholder of the provinces Holland and Zee- 

 land in 1584, after the assassination of his father, William 

 the Silent, and in 1 591 he became General-en-Chief of 

 the armies of the united Low Countries. 



It is while the storm of a terrible war was raging 

 over his country that we find Simon Stevin making his 

 memorable discoveries in mathematics and physics and 

 popularising useful sciences. But like Archimedes in 

 former times, he was soon led to take an active part in 

 the struggle against the invader. Prince Maurice, who 

 gave him his confidence and asked his advice on many 

 occasions, made him Director of the Waterstaat* and 

 afterwards appointed him Quarter-Master General. 



The intervention of Stevin was rich in results. He 

 was, it appears, the first to introduce into military science 

 the defence of fortresses by means of cannon. He is also 

 the inventor of that system of defence which consists in 

 inundation, by means of a system, of skillfully placed 

 sluices. 



It is chiefly due to this innovation that he contributed 

 so largely to the defeat of the Spaniards, and to the 

 deliverance of the Dutch provinces. 



If we reflect for an instant upon the work accomplished 

 by Simon Stevin, whose principal achievements we have 

 already summed up in a few words, we shall no longer 

 hesitate in recognising his historical importance. He 

 indicated and applied the remedy for the disorder which 

 until his time had reigned in the financial affairs of the 



4 This is the administration of canals, dikes, sluices, etc. 



