Terry Foreman on 11 Jan 2011  •  Link

Georges Fournier, Jesuit and chaplain of the French Navy [1] on a ship of the line, acquired both extensive knowledge of military matters and tactics, but also technical matters.

Fournier's father publishes the Hydrography in 1643. Although the design of ships had slowly evolved to give remarkable results - as evidenced by Sovereign of the Seas designed by Phineas Pitt in 1637 or the Crown French in 1633 - in the work of Georges Fournier research appears to give ship design a more scientific basis [2].

He was also the author of a Treatise of fortifications or military architecture, deriving the positions and moreover the estimated time for constructing fortifications [3] The original edition was published in Paris in 1648 by Jean Henault in Dauphine Hall at the Guardian Angel. Another edition was published in Mainz in 1668 at Louis Bourgeat [4] .

He was also a Professor of Rene Descartes.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geor…

Michael Robinson on 14 Feb 2011  •  Link

Fournier, Georges,
Hydrographie contenant la théorie et la practiqve de tovtes les parties de la navigation, Compost par le Pere George Fovrnier de la Compagnie de Jesus. Secone Edition. Reueue, corrigée, et augmentée par l'Autheur auant son deceds. Plus la Nauigation du Roy d'Escosse, Iaques Cinqviesme du Nom, de son Royaume, & Isfles Hebrides & Orchades, fous la conduite d'Alexandre Lyndsay excellem Pilote Efcoffon.
Paris" Chez Iean Du Pvis, rue Saint a la Couronne d'or MDCLXVII [1667]

fo., [20], 706, [16], 6
PL 2678

Photographic facsimile:
http://echo.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/E…

See also:
Description d'vn navire royal.
Paris: chez Nicholas Berary et Antoine de Fer [1667]

PL 1842(1)
The plates only from the above, with a differing additional text.

Terry Foreman on 25 Aug 2019  •  Link

Now online:
Hydrographie contenant la theorie et la practique de toutes les parties de la nauigation. Composé par le pere Georges Fournier de la Compagnie de Iesus, pub 1643 https://archive.org/details/bub_g…