The Sea-Man's Vade Mecum, 1707.

"J.L.": The Sea-Man's Vade Mecum: Containing the most Necessary Things for qualifying Seamen of all Ranks, viz.
I. Vulgar and Decimal Arithemetick, familiarly demonstrated and fitted to the meanest Capacity.
II. An exact Sea Dictionary.
III. What Winds will carry a Ship from one Port to another, and the Distance and Bearings of those Ports.
IV. The Theory and Practice of Gunnery, fully discuss'd in all its Parts; Together with the Duty of all the Officers belonging to a Ship.
V. His Royal Highness Prince George's Regulations of Officers.
VI. A compleat List of the Royal Navy.
VII. Trigonometry, apply'd to Plain, Oblique and Mercator Sailing.
VIII. An Abstract of all the Acts of Parliament relating to Seamen; together with a Table of Seamens Wages.

London: Printed and Sold by James Woodward behind the Royal-Exchange, 1707. 12mo, (12), 359 pp, ill.

To the READER.

As a Preface is customary, I will not throw this small Tract into the World naked. I shall only recommend it to the Sea-faring Man, as a Thing of the most general Use that ever was publish'd for the Instruction of young Seamen; and then shall proceed to give a general Account of what the Book contains.

First, Vulgar and Decimal Arithmetick in all their Parts, together with the Extraction of the Square and Cube Roots, each Rule being familiary demonstrated and properly apply'd, in some practical Questions and Examples.

Secondly, A Sea Dictionary, wherein you have the most part of the Sea-Terms explained Alphabetically.

Thirdly, The Names of all the Rigging belonging to a Ship, and what part of a Ship they belong to.

Fourthly, The Bearings and Distance from one another of most of the Trading Ports, as well in England, as elsewhere.

Fifthly, An Account of the Stores of Ordnance allow'd by Her Majesty, to each Ship in time of Peace or War; with the Duty of the Gunner, and all the other Officers belonging to a Ship.

Sixthly, Instructions to Pursers and Stewards, how they shall discharge their Duty, keep their Accompts, and regulate their Books; with a Table of Provisions ready cast up, what Provisions is due to any Number of Men for one Week.

Seventhly, A Pay Table for Officers and Seamen, exactly calculated from an Admiral to Gromet.

Eightly, A List of the Royal Navy, when, where, and by whom Built or Rebuilt, with their high, middle and low Complements of Men and Guns. With the Rates adjusted by the Master and Wardens of Trinity House to Pilots, for Piloting Her Majesty's Ships; also an Abstract of an Establishment by his Royal Highness Prince George, for the better regulating the Navy.

Ninthly, An Introduction to, and Compendium of, the Practice of Sea Gunnery.

Tenthly, A Treatise of Trigonometry, Plain and Oblique Sailing, &c.

Lastly, An Abstract of all the Acts of Parliament relating to Seamen and Navigation.

I have given you a general Account of what I have collected, from the best Authors, and most Intelligent Seamen; and hope, that what Errors have escap'd the Press, will not be accounted a Fault in him who

Subscribes himself
A Well-Wisher to
Navigation,
J.L.

The Table of Contents.

Vulgar Arithmetick	page 1
Decimal Arithmetick	18
A Decimal Table for Money	31
Extraction of the Square Root	38
Extraction of the Cube Root	38
A Table of Cube Roots	58
The Sea Dictionary	60
The Names of all the Rigging in a Ship	69
A Table of Boatswain Stores	74
Proportion of Masts and Yards belonging to a Ship	75
The Bearings and Distances of most places, from and to England	77
An Inventory of Ordnance and Stores for all Rates of Ships	107
Allowance of Powder in Peace and War	121
The Duty of a Gunner	123
Concerning the Masts of Ships	131
The Duty of the Clerk, Pilot, Mate, Surgeon and Seamen	133
The Duty of the Boatswain	141
The Pursers Duty	142
Sailing Instructions	145
Directions for Pursers and Stewards	148
An Account of what Provisions the Queen allows each Seaman per Week	149
A Table of Provisions ready cast up	156
The Number of Officers belonging to each Rate, in War and Peace	162
The Allowance of Pay belonging to the Officers of the Royal Navy	166
A Table of all Degrees of Pay, from 9l. 2s. per Month, to 9l. 6s.	from 170, to 172
The present State of the Admiralty and Navy, with the Allowance of Pay to Officers	169
The Annual Allowance to Commanders	171
Regulations established by Prince George	181
A List of the Royal Navy	106
Rates for Piloting Ships	119
An Introduction to Gunnery	229
A Compendium of Sea Gunnery	238
A Table of the Proportion of Guns and Shot	250
Eighteen necessary Proportions for a Sea Gunner,	from 238, to 260
Problems and Axioms in Trigonometry	260
To work Proportion by Logarithms	266
Trigonometry	269
Plain Sailing	282
A Traverse in plain Sailing	299
Questions in Navigation	281
Mercator Sailing by Meridionial Parts	288
Mercator Sailing by middle Latitude, two ways	290
Mercator Sailing by middle Longitude	291
How to find the Golden Number or Prime	292
How to find the Epact	293
How to find the Moon's Age for ever	294
How to know when it will be full Sea in any Port, Creeck, Road or River	295
Directions concerning the Tides	297
A Table of Longitude and Latitude	300
An Abridgement of the Acts of Parliament relating to Seamen

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius

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