L'art des armées navales, ou Traité des évolutions navales, qui contient des règles utiles aux officiers généraux, & particuliers d'une armée navales ; avec des exemples tirez de ce qui s'est passé de plus considérable sur la mer depuis cinquante ans [...]. [- Théorie de la construction des vaisseaux, qui contient plusieurs traitez de mathématique sur des matières nouvelles et curieuses].

2 parts in 1 vol., folio: [14]-424 pp.; 132 (of 133) in text pl.; [12]-172-[4] pp.; 11 fold. pl. (part 1: pl. 55 missing; minor spotting, sl. toned, sm. marg. tear).

Contemp. vellum (spine sl. worn).

Very rare 1st ed. of Paul Hoste's (1652-1700) first major work on naval tactics. As a chaplain aboard the ships of Admiral Anne-Hilarion de Cotentin, Count of Tourville (1642-1701) the mathematician Hoste spent twelve years at sea during which time he analysed the practical limitations of handling ships. This resulted in a groundbreaking and widely-read book on naval tactics that combined fighting instructions with neat geometry. This rigorous mathematical treatment dominated French naval strategy throughout the 18th century. Appended to the text was, at Tourville’s express orders, a shorter work on naval architecture. With the original title page dated 1697 and thus one of the first copies sold on the market (the remaining stock was sold with a new title page dated 1727 by Bruyset in Lyon). Engr. ill.: 132 (of 133) in text pl. in the 1st part and 11 folding pl. in the 2nd part.
Ref. L.D. Ferreiro. - "The Aristotelian Heritage in Early Naval Architecture. From the Venice Arsenal to the French Navy, 1500-1700". In: Theoria 68 (2010), pp. 227-241.