A DISCOURSE ON THE _Theory of Gunnery_. A DISCOURSE ON THE _Theory of Gunnery_. DELIVERED AT THE Anniversary Meeting of the ROYAL SOCIETY, November 30, 1778. By Sir JOHN PRINGLE Baronet. PUBLISHED BY THEIR ORDER. [Illustration] LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY. MDCCLXXVIII. [Illustration] GENTLEMEN, Among the several experiments communicated to the society, during the course of the preceding year, none seeming so much to engage your attention, as those contained in the Paper, intituled, _The force of fired gun-powder, and the initial velocity of cannon-balls, determined by experiments_: with much pleasure therefore I acquaint you, that, on account of the pre-eminence of that communication, your Council have judged the author, Mr. CHARLES HUTTON, worthy of the honour of the annual medal, instituted on the bequest of Sir GODFREY COPLEY Baronet, for raising a laudable emulation among men of genius, in making experimental inquiries. But, as on former occasions, so now, your Council, waving their privilege of determining the choice, have acted only as a select number deputed by you, to prepare matters for your final decision. I come then, on their part, briefly to lay before you the state of the _Theory of Gunnery_, from its rise to the time when its true foundation was laid, in order to evince how conducive those experiments may be to the improvement of an art of public concern, as well as to the advancement of _natural knowledge_, the great object of your institution. And if, upon a review of the subject, you shall entertain no less favourable an opinion of Mr. HUTTON’s performance, than what your Council have done, it is their earnest request that you would enhance the value of this prize, by authorizing your President to present it to our ingenious brother in your name.