SOME FEW PROPOSALS For public Service, both by SEA and LAND: Humbly offered to Consideration,  By SAMVEL HOWETT. 
I. THE First, being Two PROPOSALS, [For and Against.]  
1. For a Man of War against a Merchant's Ship, whom I call the Seeker.  
2. Against a Man of War by a Merchant's Ship, whom I call the Defender.  
Together with an Objection and an Answer.  
II. For the more safe and speedy landing an Army in an Enemy's Country, than hath been practised.  
III. For the planting about 100 extraordinary long and heavy Musquet-Barrels on a Wagon, in about three Foot square in breadth and height.  
iv For the charging of Field-pieces without Cartheridges or Ladles.  

The first Two PROPOSALS, Being FOR and AGAINST, Humbly and Chief offered to Consideration:  
The One for Offence, by a Man of War, whom I call the Seeker.  
The other for Defence, by a Merchant's Ship, whom I call the Defender.  
FIrst, FOR. The first showing how the Seeker, when he hath laid the other on board, may employ 20 of his Men so, that in a few Minutes, (provided they take the opportune time) he may make himself Master of the Upper Deck, whereby he will not only secure his Enemy's Men betwixt Decks, but preserve his own from much hurt and damage.  
That the Seeker may in a little time also, secure all the Ports on that side the Ship that he lays her on board of.  
After which,  
The Seeker may dispose of the Defender's Sails and Yards so, that the Ship will have little or no motion. That thereby the Seeker may put off his Ship, and lie thwart or cross the other Ships Stem or Stern, and rake his Ship fore and aft, till he doth surrender, or suffer his Ship to be burnt or sunk. Either of which the Seeker may do at his pleasure.  
All which may be performed in less than an hour's time, as is supposed.  
Secondly, AGAINST. That notwithstanding all that is aforesaid,  
It is humbly offered to show, How the Defender's Ship may be so fitted and provided, as to prevent the Seeker's great design of entering his Men on board the Ship's Deck: For that they seeing so much hazard (if not Destruction) attend them, if they should proceed: They will (as is presumed) forbear that Attempt.  
All which is to be performed by such Ways and Instruments as have not been practised by any People or Nation whatsoever.  
Here follows an Objection, with an Answer thereto.  
Object. You say, How a Man of War may attack a Merchant's Ship with probable Success. And also,  
How a Merchant's Ship may, with assistance of Instruments, be defended from being entered by a Man of War. But you say nothing in case two Men of War, Enemies to each other, should meet, they being of equal bigness, and numbers of Men and great-Guns, (be they 40, more or less) which of them probably may have the advantage.  
To which I answer:  
Answ. The two Ships of War I do call by the names of the Bear and Dog; and I do give each of them an advantage of the other, though in different manner.  
The Bear I do furnish with the defensive Instruments aforementioned, as his advantage, he having but 200 Men.  
The Dog hath none of the defensive Instruments, but hath 50 Men extraordinary added as his Advantage, so that he hath 250 Men.  
The Bear being so provided, fears not his Enemies entering his Men on board him (though he hath 50 Men more.) And having occasion to fight with but half his Guns, and they all of one side; and none of his Men being needful to appear upon the Deck in the sight of his Enemies, he may therefore divide his Men into two parts: The one half he may send into the Hold, whilst the others begin and continue the Battle, until wearied, or the time appointed be expired. After which time the others may be called up fresh, to manage the Guns, and fight, whilst the others, wearied, go down to rest, and refresh themselves for the like time they fought: So that 100 Men at a time fight with 250 of their Enemies.  
Now, on the other hand, the Dog being not provided with such defensive Instruments as the other, he calls all his Men to the Battle, that his Decks both above and below, are near filled with them: Many of which are exposed upon the upper Deck to ply small Shot, etc. in the view of their Enemy, which the Bear's Men are not.  
So that the whole considered, it is very probable that for every Man the Bear loses, the Dog may lose two, if not three; (all Accidents of both sides, as loss of Masts, Yards, etc. being set aside) and consequently the Bear so fitted, may be too hard for the Dog so manned.   

Second PROPOSAL. For the more safe and speedy landing an Army in an Enemy's Country, than hath been yet practised.  
IT is humbly offered to show, how a threefold Defence against Horse and Foot may be planted on the Shoar; two of which will be five foot high, and one of them Musquet-proof: And may be planted in about half an hour, on any Ground above the Wash of the Water, (a bare Rock only excepted.)  
That the said Defences may be taken up in about half an hour, and carried on men's backs, half a mile, or a mile; and planted again in the like half hour.  
That by the Security thereof, ten thousand Men may be landed (it's presumed) within a few hours, (provided there be Boats sufficient for that purpose.)  
That the Defences, both singly and altogether, may be useful in the Field several ways; as the defending the passing a Ford, a Bridge, or Lane, or any Passage, though 100 Yards broad, etc.  
As also to defend the Train of Artillery from any Surprise, though planted in an open Field.  
It is not intended to put the King to one penny Charge, till (by a Model) his Majesty be so well satisfied with their usefulness, as to order the employing of them.  
 
The three Defences, with their Intervals, when planted, will be as broad as a Pike is long; that neither Man nor Horse can leap over any of them, much less all.  
That the said Defences are each of a different kind: And that all of each kind are fixed together the whole length they are intended, whether 20, 50 or 100 Yards more or less, and all of them fastened to the Ground: So that it will be very difficult and hazardous for the Enemy to endeavour to separate, and much more to remove them.   

Third PROPOSAL. Whereas ordinary Musquet-Barrels are about three Foot and quarter, and three Foot and a half long, and weigh but about six or seven pounds' weight each.  
IT is humbly offered to show how Musquet-Barrels may be made of betwixt four and five, and five and six foot long; and weigh about twelve, fourteen or sixteen Pounds each: Which, for length and substance, will (as is presumed) carry a Shot much farther, and do Execution at a much greater Distance than any ordinary Barrel.  
The which said Barrels may be planted on a Wagon of any number to about an hundred; and may be drawn by one Horse to each Score; and managed by one Man to each Score also, and take but about three Foot room in breadth and height.  
So that one hundred Barrels in a Wagon will require five Horses and five Men, allowing one Man more to each Wagon, to perform several Services thereto belonging, which are too many here to particularise and explain.  
That the said six Men will be able to measure out Powder, etc. and charge and discharge the said Barrels (every Shot being rammed down) i● about four Minutes, which will be about fifteen times in an hour.   

Fourth PROPOSAL. For Field-Pieces. That Field-Pieces, of what bore or length soever, may be laden with as much Expedition and more Security without Cartheridges and Ladles, as with them: For these three Reasons, viz:  
1. THAT thereby the Charge of Cartheridges will be saved.  
2. That there will be so speedy and certain joining and mixing the two Powders, that if the Prime fires, it is not probable the other can miss, which with Cartheridges they often do, whereby the opportunity of making the Shot, is lost.  
3. That it will prevent an Accident, which the Proposer hath seen, viz. That when a Gun hath been fired, the Gunner spunging the Gun, leaving a Man to stop the vent; and he being negligent therein, (as is supposed) there hath been left some Live-snuff of the shattered Cartheridge in the Gun, which hath (as believed) fired the next Cartheridge that hath been put in, to the destruction of the Gunner that was lading the Gun; which, if laden with Powder only, (it is presumed) would not have done.  
That such Provision may be made, that will enable two Men to measure out Powder without Cartheridges, (and not waste one pound in a whole Day) as fast as 20, if not 30 Field-pieces, shall be charged and discharged.  
From my Lodgings at Mr. Fox 's House in Great-Kirby-Street in Hatton-Garden, Jan. 16. 1689.