Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Letter, 'On the mathematical theory of the stability of earthwork and masonry' from W J [William John] Macquorn Rankine to George Gabriel Stokes

Reference number: AP/38/13

Date: 18 February 1856

Description

Rankine presents his 'two fundamental principles' regarding he stability of earthwork and masonry, namely the principle of the stability of earth and the principle of the transformation of structures.

Includes two figures in the text illustrating Rankine's mathematical theory.

Subject: Mathematics / Civil engineering

Received 19 February 1856. Read 6 March 1856.

Written by Rankine in Glasgow.

This letter was published in full in volume 8 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the mathematical theory of the stability of earth-work and masonry'.

Reference number
AP/38/13
Earliest possible date
18 February 1856
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Drawing
Manuscript

Creator name

William John Macquorn Rankine

View page for William John Macquorn Rankine

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

William John Macquorn Rankine, Letter, 'On the mathematical theory of the stability of earthwork and masonry' from W J [William John] Macquorn Rankine to George Gabriel Stokes, 18 February 1856, AP/38/13, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_38_13/letter-on-the-mathematical-theory-of-the-stability-of-earthwork-and-masonry-from-w-j-william-john-macquorn-rankine-to-george-gabriel-stokes, accessed on 11 October 2024

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_38_13/letter-on-the-mathematical-theory-of-the-stability-of-earthwork-and-masonry-from-w-j-william-john-macquorn-rankine-to-george-gabriel-stokes

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/ap_38_13/letter-on-the-mathematical-theory-of-the-stability-of-earthwork-and-masonry-from-w-j-william-john-macquorn-rankine-to-george-gabriel-stokes" title="Letter, 'On the mathematical theory of the stability of earthwork and masonry' from W J [William John] Macquorn Rankine to George Gabriel Stokes" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Related Publications

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Archived Papers

    Dates: 1768-1989

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    View collection