THE
PREFACE

The Instrument describ’d in this Tract, (tho’ useful to all Persons concern’d in the Measuring of Superficies and Solids) was principally design’d for the Assistance of the Officers of the Excise; for whom it is now found so useful and necessary, that no Gauger is thought to be well prepared for his Business without it: But the many Thousands that have been Sold, and the several Editions of this Tract, are so good Evidence of its utility, that it is as needless as unbecoming, for me to say any thing in its Commendation.

    If the READER finds this Edition somewhat different from some of the former, it is presumed he will have no cause to complain of the Alterations; for besides, that this is more Portable, and more Correct, here is also added [Sect. IX.] some Short and Plain Rules for the Gauging of Malt; with a particular Account of the Dimensions and Content of the Standard-Bushel, and how the same were found and ascertained; also a Table shewing the Diameter and Depth of any legal Bushel, Half-Bushel, Peck, or Gallon, with Directions for making any of these Measures, and for Rectifying such as are already made.

    In this Edition are added New Tables of Excise agreeing to the Act of Parliament made in the Year 1710, for laying Additional Duties upon all Exciseable Liquors, advancing the Excise Three pence per Barrel stong, and One peny per Barrel small Beer. In the said Tables I have kept the same method as was observ’d by our Author, which was Calculated for the Common Brewery both in Town and Country; and I have added two Cash-Tables for Victualers both for strong and small Beer, which were never in any of the Former Editions. And that this Book and Sliding-Rule may be Compleat Companions for the Officers of the Excise, &c. I have Enlarg’d the short Rules for Gauging of Malt, and explain’d the Gauge Point, and the Lines marked MD, or Line called the Malt Depth, shewing its great use in casting up Malt Guages.

    The present Proprietors, being desirous that this Edition should as far as possible appear perfect, have requested me to Revise the following Sheets, and to add or alter what I thought was most necessary, which I have accordingly done, and that not Transiently, but with care have wrought every Operation over a new, both by Pen and Sliding Rule; so that I hope very few (if any) Errors have escaped.

    To my knowledge this Tract and Sliding-Rule are so well known amongst the Officers of his Majesty’s Revenues, that there is no room to doubt, but that the said Book and Rule, will be in great Esteem as long as the Excise it self shall continue.

    And here further let me acquaint the Reader, that the Line E, is not only useful to Extract the Cube-Root, and to find the Solidity of a Sphere, as mentioned in Pages 36, and 62, but is also more particularly useful to all concern’d in Stereometry, for calculating Diagonal Lines to any Cask whatsoever, as I shall here shew, viz.

As the known Length of any Diagonal Line on the Line D, in Inches,
Is to the Content of the same Cask on the Line E, in Gallons,
So is the Content of any other Cask in Gallons, on the Line E.
To the Diagonal of that Cask in Inches on the Line D.

    Example. Admit a Cask in the form of a Spheroid,

OPERATION.

    Set 27.8 on D, to 48.3 on E, and as the Rule now stands, it is a Table: So against any Number of Gallons on the Line E, you have given on the Line D, the Length of the Diagonal in Inches and Decimal Parts. Thus,

For WINE.

    Let the Dimensions of a Spheroidal Cask be as above, the Content in Wine-Gallons will be 58.97; then for the Diagonal, set 27.8 on D, to the Content 58.97 on E, and as the Rule now stands, you have the Wine-Diagonal for a Spheroidal Cask. Thus,

And so on ad infinitum.

C. LEADBETTER.

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This page was last updated on 29 March 2000.