Benjamin Robins's New Principles of Gunnery and the Response From the British Mathematical, Educational, and Military World of the Mid‐Eighteenth Century

Abstract

Abstract This article analyses to what degree Benjamin Robins's discoveries in his book New Principles of Gunnery , 1742, affected the British mathematical, military, and educational world of the mid‐eighteenth century. While it drew praise and critique from Europe, especially from the notable mathematician Leonhard Euler, his mathematical theories were not quickly adopted in Britain. This article will highlight the analysis by the professors at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and how that affected the education of cadets at the academy. Furthermore, this article will investigate whether Robins had any influence on the efficacy of British artillery in combat during the Seven Years War, particularly in its campaigns in Germany.