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XIX. A Defence of Mercator’s Chart againft 
the Getifure of the late Mr. Weil : of Ex- 
eter : In a Letter to Charles Morton, 
M. D. Secret . R. S. from Mr. William 
Mountaine, F. R. S . 
Fo DoBor Morton, Secretory to the Royal Society. . 
Dear Sir, , 
Read March 17, Received your favour with Mr. Sa- 
I763 ' J[^ muel Dunn’s letter, touching Mr. 
Weft’s method of conftruding a nautical planisphere, 
referred to me by the Royal Society, which I now 
beg leave to return with the following account. 
As this ifland is fttuate by nature, not only for 
coafting trade, but foreign commerce, fo every real 
improvement in the art of navigation has always met 
with the approbation and encouragement of the in- 
genious and fenfible part of thefe kingdoms. 
The greateft fingle advantage that this important 
bufinefs ever received, was from the invention of the 
mariner’s compafs ; and next to this, the projedion of 
a true nautic practical chart claims place; — this laft 
was performed by that great improver of navigation, 
Mr. Edward Wright, as appears by his book intitled ; 
“ certain errors in navigation deteded and correded”, 
publilhed about the year 1599. 
In chapter 2d, of faid book, he tells us, ts that 
cc the errors in the plain chart had been complained; 
CC Of ; 
