A new way for sounding the depth of the sea without a line
Date
30 September 1663
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p2
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 298mm
width (page): 185mm
width (page): 185mm
Subject
Description
Diagram illustrating Robert Hooke's invention for sounding the sea without a long line, using instead a ball sunk to the bottom of the sea by a weight which is released as soon as it touches the sea-floor and returns to the surface.
The design was discussed at the meeting of the Royal Society on 30 September 1663, and printed in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), and again in vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667).
Other copies of the figure can be found in RBO/2i/301 or RBO/2ii/203v, RBC/2/094 and MS/776/483. The original drawing of this apparatus by Hooke is at Cl.P/20/23/001.
The design was discussed at the meeting of the Royal Society on 30 September 1663, and printed in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), and again in vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667).
Other copies of the figure can be found in RBO/2i/301 or RBO/2ii/203v, RBC/2/094 and MS/776/483. The original drawing of this apparatus by Hooke is at Cl.P/20/23/001.
Transcription
"Between the long wire-staple B of the Ball A I press in with my fingers a springing wire C, on the bended end F of which, I hang the weight D, by its ring E, and so let them down into the water in this posture, towards the bottom of which they are carried with a considerable swiftnes, which the weight D touching first, is thereby stopt, but the Ball, by the impetus, it acquired in descending, being carried downwards, a little after the other is stopt, suffers the springing wire C to fly back and thereby sets itself at liberty to reascend."
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 30 September 1663, ‘Mr. Hooke brought in the description of the new ways contrived by him for sounding the depth of the sea without a line, and fetching water from any depth; which were ordered to be registered’ (Birch 1:307). Text and figure printed in Birch 1:307-08.
18 April 1678, 'Sir Jonas Moore related, that he had made many trials with the ball and weights of lead for the sounding the depth of the sea: and that he had found it exceedingly difficult to determine any thing by them, by reason that it was almost impossible to discover them certainly at their first appearing above water' (Birch 3:399).
Printed in R. Hooke, ' Appendix to the Directions for Seamen, bound for far Voyages', Phil. Trans., vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), pp. 147-49; and again in 'Directions for observations and experiments to be made by masters of ships, pilots and other fit persons in their sea voyages', Phil. Trans., vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667), pp. 433-48.
18 April 1678, 'Sir Jonas Moore related, that he had made many trials with the ball and weights of lead for the sounding the depth of the sea: and that he had found it exceedingly difficult to determine any thing by them, by reason that it was almost impossible to discover them certainly at their first appearing above water' (Birch 3:399).
Printed in R. Hooke, ' Appendix to the Directions for Seamen, bound for far Voyages', Phil. Trans., vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), pp. 147-49; and again in 'Directions for observations and experiments to be made by masters of ships, pilots and other fit persons in their sea voyages', Phil. Trans., vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667), pp. 433-48.
Related fellows
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Associated place