Copy in an unidentified hand of ‘Memorial offered to the Honourable Commissioners of Excise concerning the Mensuration of Tuns or Backs that have some irregularity in the Figure and Situation of the Bottom ... To which is added a Method of correcting the common Tables, and some new Theorems` by Colin Maclaurin.
Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.23.1.13
Scope and Contents
There is a pen drawing of a ship on folio vi. This is a work of applied mathematics written in order to enable customs officers to gauge the contents of molasses barrels used in the port of Glasgow.
Dates
- Creation: 1735.
Extent
0.00 Linear metres (vi folios + 94 pages. Folio.)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
The manuscript was bought by the Advocates’ Library in 1798.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.
Bibliography
The work was printed from this copy, with introduction (and a reduced facsimile of page 77), by Judith V Grabiner, as ‘Mathematician among the molasses barrels: Maclaurin`s unpublished memoir on volumes`, in ‘Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society’, volume 39 (1996), pages 193-240.
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland
- Date
- 11 05 2015
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Descriptive Rules
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Contact:
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk