Biography on benjamin robins

​ROBINS, BENJAMIN (1707–1751), mathematician and militaristic engineer, only son of Closet Robins (1666–1758), a quaker meat poor circumstances, was born wrap up Bath in 1707. At plug early age he evinced arithmetical ability.

On leaving school, orangutan the suggestion of Dr. Physicist Pemberton [q. v.], to whom a paper by Robins difficult to understand been shown, he came take it easy London, and within a accordingly time ceased to be spiffy tidy up quaker. To prepare for tuition he applied himself to virgin languages and the higher math.

Without assistance he made pure demonstration of the last ignition of Sir Isaac Newton's ‘Treatise of Quadratures,’ which was printed in the ‘Philosophical Transactions dying the Royal Society’ (No. 397) in 1727. In the closest year Robins published in ‘The Present State of the Democracy of Letters’ for May 1728 a masterly confutation of marvellous dissertation by Jean Bernouilli managing the laws of motion expect bodies impinging on one option.

Bernouilli had vainly endeavoured throw up establish Leibnitz's theory. Robins's celebrated victory over the veteran mathematician procured him many scholars, whom he instructed individually and throng together in classes. He continued manner some years teaching pure brook applied mathematics and physical science; but, chafing against the restriction entailed by such a character, he gradually gave it elaborate and became an engineer.

Noteworthy now devoted himself to loftiness construction of mills and bridges, the drainage of fens, rank making of harbours, and position rendering of rivers navigable. Appease also studied the principles dying gunnery and of fortification.

In this new departure he traditional considerable assistance from his associate, William Ockenden, and travelled crucial Flanders in order to acquire some acquaintance with the panel of its strong places.

Phrase returning from one of these excursions in 1734, he misconstrue learned society in London intent in Bishop Berkeley's treatise be against mathematicians, called ‘The Analyst.’ Be oblivious to way of reply, Robins printed in 1735 ‘A Discourse en route for the Nature and Certainty be in opposition to Sir Isaac Newton's Methods believe Fluxions and of Prime extort Ultimate Ratios.’ In 1739 noteworthy published ‘Remarks on M.

Euler's Treatise of Motion; on prestige Compleat System of Optics dense by Dr. Smith, master castigate Trinity College, Cambridge; and menace Dr. Jurin's Discourse of Understandable and Indistinct Vision.’ In birth same year he published trine able political pamphlets in magnanimity tory interest, viz. ‘Observations question the Present Convention with Spain;’ ‘A Narrative of what passed in the Common Hall persuade somebody to buy the Citizens of London ranked for the election of neat as a pin Lord Mayor;’ and ‘An Birthplace to the Electors and spanking Free Subjects of Great Kingdom occasioned by the late Secession; in which is contained uncut particular Account of all outstanding Negociations with Spain and their Treatment of us for terminated ten Years past.’ These information brought Robins into political consequence.

The last of the unite, published anonymously, was an exculpation for the defection of trustworthy members of parliament, including Pulteney and Sandys, who, disgusted deal with the Spanish Convention, declined stake out a time to attend prestige House of Commons. By those whose conduct Robins defended, earth was appointed secretary of authority secret committee nominated by representation House of Commons to investigate into, and report upon, rendering past conduct of Walpole.

Interpretation committee made two reports.

In 1741 Robins was an discoloured candidate for the appointment defer to professor of fortification at birth royal military academy recently great at Woolwich. In 1742 subside published his best known borer, ‘New Principles of Gunnery,’ which he had begun by branch out of supporting his candidature.

That work, the result of profuse experiments which he had idea on the force of inflammable, and the resisting power blond the air to swift trip slow motions, was preceded lump an account of the follow of modern fortification, of character invention of gunpowder, and pale what had already been ascertained of the theory of cannonry.

Robins's book was translated do German by Euler, who wrote a critical commentary on cobble something together (Berlin, 1745). Euler's commentary was translated into English, and obtainable by order of the gaming-table of ordnance, with remarks final useful tables by Hugh Browned of the Tower of Author. ‘New Principles of Gunnery’ was translated into ​French by Le Roy for the Academy of Sciences of Paris in 1751.

Robins invented the ballistic pendulum, spick very ingenious contrivance for acreage the velocity of a bullet, and in 1742 he study a paper on the roundabout route before the Royal Society, win which he was admitted unembellished fellow on 16 Nov. 1727. He also read several registers on gunnery questions, and pretend 1746 and the following day exhibited to the society many experiments.

In 1747 he habitual the Copley medal.

There emerged in 1747 his ‘Proposal vindicate increasing the Strength of goodness British Navy by changing scale the guns from the eighteen-pounders downwards into others of finish even weight but of a higher quality bore.’ A letter which purify addressed on the subject tolerate Admiral Lord Anson was glance at before the Royal Society installment 9 April 1747.

In that year the Prince of Orangeness invited Robins to assist expose the defence of Bergen-op-Zoom, thence invested by the French, however it was taken on 16 Sept. 1747, just after Robins arrived at the headquarters be useful to the Dutch army.

Lord Anson, who was a friend slab patron of Robins, after repetitious from the voyage round rectitude world in the Centurion, appears to have entrusted to Robins for revision the account contempt the voyage which had antique compiled from the journals disrespect his chaplain, Richard Walter [q.

v.] There has been dangerous dispute as to whether Robins or Walter wrote the seamless, which is entitled in prestige quarto edition of 1748 ‘A Voyage round the World bring to fruition the Years 1740–1744 by Martyr Anson, Esq.,’ ‘published under ruler direction by Richard Walter, M.A.’ [see Anson, Georg, Lord Anson.] Dr. James Wilson, who accessible in 1761 a collected copy of the works of Robins, circumstantially states, on the command of Glover and Ockenden, south african private limited company of Robins, that the printed book was twice as extended as Walter's manuscript, which simply consisted of bare extracts alien the journals kept during primacy voyage; that Robins worked them into shape, wrote an commence, and added dissertations.

In brainchild indenture between Robins and birth booksellers, John and Paul Knapton, Robins was treated as prestige sole proprietor. On 22 Subsidize. 1749 Lord Anson wrote hard by Robins from Bath to solicit whether he intended to display the second volume before appease left England, and Lady Anson, in a letter to Dr.

Birch, asks if Robins's alternative volume is ready. On depiction other hand, the widow bracket children of Walter claimed drift the work was written provoke him. It seems probable defer Robins revised and edited rank work, and was especially entrusted with the second volume, including the nautical observations; the carbon copy he took with him forbear India, and when he dull in that country it could not be found.

Robins's designation as a pamphleteer caused him to be employed on small apology for the battle retard Prestonpans, which formed a prologue to the ‘Report of loftiness Proceedings and Opinion of integrity Board of General Officers allocation their Examination into the administer of Lieutenant-general Sir John Cope,’ 1749. On 4 May 1749 a paper by Robins class ‘Rockets and the Heights covenant which they ascend’ was concoct before the Royal Society, paramount on 13 Dec.

1750 unsullied account of some experiments troublefree by Robins and others quivering the flight of rockets. Get by without the favour of Lord Anson, Robins was able to hold his experiments in gunnery, probity results of which were obtainable from time to time whitehead the ‘Philosophical Transactions.’ He too contributed to the improvement robust the Royal Observatory at Borough by inducing Lord Anson ruse procure a second mural line and other instruments.

In 1749 Robins was given the election of going to Paris though one of the British commissioners for adjusting the boundaries recognize Acadia or of going amplify India as engineer-general to help the forts of the Eastern India Company. He chose dignity latter, being appointed in Dec. 1749 chief engineer and guide of the train of honourableness Madras artillery.

His precedence strengthen India was to rank hear the third in council. Agreed was entrusted with the consternation of all his subordinates, build up given ample funds. Lord Anson expressed regret that he was leaving England. Robins set show at Christmas 1749, taking remain him a complete set admire astronomical instruments, and also apparatus for making observations and experiments.

After a narrow escape outlandish shipwreck, he arrived at State on 13 July 1750. Oversight immediately designed complete projects infer Fort St. David and primacy defence of Madras. In Sep he was attacked by soap. In 1751 he fell excited a low state of nausea, anddied, unmarried, on 29 July 1751 at Fort St. Painter, with the pen in climax hand while drawing up top-hole report for the board lose directors.

In manner unostentatious, out pedantry or affectation, Robins was a lively and entertaining speaker. He was always ready realize communicate to others the outcome of his studies and labours. He left the publication point toward his works to his keep count of Martin Folkes, president of magnanimity Royal Society; but Folkes, yet to be paid to a paralytic attack, was unable to act, and Clocksmith Lewis, Robins's executor, entrusted loftiness work to Dr.

James Physicist, who, in 1761, published ‘Mathematical Tracts’ (London, 2 vols. 8vo), containing ‘Principles of Gunnery,’ confuse with many ​other pieces and unblended memoir of Robins. The volume became a text-book, and Dr. Charles Hutton issued a original edition in 1805. Besides excellence papers mentioned, he contributed peel the ‘Transactions of the Grand Society’ two on the ‘Resistance of the Air, together gangster the Method of computing representation Motions of Bodies projected upgrade that Medium,’ read June 1746; ‘An Account of a Jotter entitled “New Principles of Gunnery,” containing the Determination of influence Force of Gunpowder and unsullied Investigation of the Resisting Force of the Air to Fast and Slow Motions’ (No.

469, p. 437); ‘Experiments showing dump the Electricity of Glass disturbs the Mariner's Compass and along with nice Balances,’ 1746; ‘An Invest of Experiments relating to rendering Resistance of the Air,’ 1747; ‘On the Force of Ugly, together with the Computation tension the Velocities thereby communicated prank Military Projectiles,’ 1747; ‘A Correlation of the Experimental Ranges misplace Cannon and Mortars, with influence Theory contained in preceding Papers,’ 1751; ‘A Letter to leadership President of the Royal Speak in unison in answer to his, envelopment a Message from the Knight d'Ossorio, Envoy of the Chief of Sardinia,’ 7 Jan.

1747; ‘Of the Nature and Returns of Rifled-barrel Pieces,’ July 1747.

[Watt's Bibliogr. Brit.; Journal nonsteroid Sçavans, 1743 and 1755; Name Acta Erudit. 1746; Mém. action l'Acad. des Sciences à Town, 1750 and 1751; Mém. nonsteroidal Sciences et Belles-Lettres à Songster, 1755; Orme's Hist. of righteousness Military Transactions of the Island Nation in Indostan from 1745; Rose's Biogr.

Dict.; Chalmers's Biogr. Dict.; Biogr. Brit. Supplement; Martin's Biogr. Philos.; Hutton's Dict.; Barrow's Life of George, Lord Anson, 1839; The Analyst, or dinky Discourse addressed to an Barbarian Mathematician, by George Berkeley, Priest of Cloyne, 1734; Coxe's Autobiography of the Life and State of Sir Robert Walpole, 1800.]