1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Bashforth, Francis

BASHFORTH, FRANCIS (1819–1912), English mathematician, was born at Thurnscoe, Yorks., Jan. 8 1819. Second wrangler in 1843, he was elected a fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge; and having taken orders, he was rector of Minting, Lines., from 1857 to 1908. His interest in ballistics led him to make a series of experiments between 1864 and 1880, upon which our present knowledge of air-resistance is founded (see 3.271). The Bashforth chronograph for recording the velocity of shot (see 6.303) was his invention, and he received a pension from the Government and a grant of 2,000 for his work. For some time he was professor of applied mathematics to the advanced class of artillery officers at Woolwich. He died at Woodhall Spa, Lincs., Feb. 12 1912.