Gunners Ruler

[MorganTyre]

I came across this in the "Seaman's Grammar and Dictionary - 1691". Is anyone familiar with this instrument? Does anyone have any photo's or illustrations of the real thing? Seems like it would be an interesting and unique thing to reproduce. It's a tad early but it's easy to imagine something comparable still being found a couple of decades later.

[michaelsbagley]

I believe there was one on display at the "Real Pirates" exhibit (the Whydah exhibit)... But my memory on this is getting shakey. There isn't any images in the book "Expedition Whydah", and most of the artifacts that were on display are detailed in the book. If I get back to the exhibit a second time (which I hope to soon) I will keep an eye open and if possible make some sketches and notes...

[MorganTyre]

Quoting from the text:

The Ruler may be of any length, with a largh Slit in the middle for a Slider to move in, and in the Slider a Hole to look throught: The Ruler must be slit quite through at the bottom, and a piece of brass fastened over it; but at the top it may be left whole for half an inch or more; in which whole part, a Nut may be fastenedd, through which a Screw must pass, to raise or depress the Slider as occasion requires: On both sides of the Slit, the Ruler must be divided into Feet and tenth parts of a Footl and every one of those parts into 10 more, so then every foot will be divided into 100 parts --- Through the Center of the little Hole, a small Line must be drawn quite thro' the Slider, which will shew at what height the Sight-hole standeth from the Base Ring of the Gun --- Also there must be an Index to hang on the edge of the Ruler, and under it a small Pin, perpendicular to the Pin on which the Index hangeth; which is to set the Ruler perpendicular or upright.

Gramatical errors original, typo's and bad spelling the fault of the transcriber :)