Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Müller, William (d.1846)

by Henry Manners Chichester

MÜLLER, WILLIAM (d. 1846), writer on military and engineering science, describes himself as an officer of Electoral Hanoverian cavalry, who, about the close of last century, became the first-appointed public instructor (docent) in military science in the university of Gottingen, which conferred upon him the degrees of doctor of philosophy and master of arts (Müller, Relations of the Campaign, 1809, Preface; Handbuch der Groben Geschutzes). He states that during the ten years he held that post he made a vast number of experiments in artillery, and so far as his time and pecuniary resources admitted, travelled in France, Prussia, Holland, Bohemia, Austria, &c., to inspect battlefields and engines of war (ib.) He adds that he had under his instruction many distinguished officers, including German and Russian princes, who served both in the German and French armies during Napoleon's subsequent campaigns (Müller, Science of War, vol. i. Preface). After the French seized Hanover a second time in 1807, Müller came to England, and on 24 April 1809 was appointed a second lieutenant of engineers in the king's German legion, in British pay, becoming first lieutenant, 20 May 1809, and second captain, 13 Dec. 1812. He was employed in the home district; published several works in English; patented an improvement in pumps (British patent 3300, 12 Feb. 1810); and in 1813 was employed on a survey of the coast about the mouths of the Elbe, which after the peace was extended as far as Boulogne-sur-Mer. The German legion was disbanded, and Müller, with other officers, placed on half-pay from 24 Feb. 1816, when he was appointed a captain of engineers in the reformed Hanoverian army, and was much engaged on survey work. In 1828 he patented in England (British Patent 5680, 16 July 1828), an instrument he called a 'cosmosphere,' consisting of 'cosmically' (equatorially?) mounted terrestrial and celestial globes ' for the solution of problems in navigation, spherics, and other sciences.' Müller, who was a K. H., and wore the German Legion war-medal, died at Stade, in Hanover, where he had long resided, on 2 Sept. 1846.

He was author of the following works:

1. 'Analytische Trigonometric,' Gottingen, 1807.
2. 'Anfangsgriinde der reinen Mathematik,' Gottingen, 1807.
3. 'Handbuch der Verfertigung des groben Geschiitzes,' Gottingen, 1807.
4. 'Grundriss zu Vorlesungen der militarischen Encyclopedic,' Gottingen, 1808 (Müller states that his encyclopedia was subsequently printed in Germany, France, and Holland under the First Empire).
5. 'Handbuch der Artillerie,' Berlin, 1810 (for the preceding list see preface to Müller, Science of War, vol. i.)
6. 'A Relation of the Military Operations of the Austrian and French Armies in the Campaign of 1809,' London, 1810, 8vo.
7. 'Elements of the Science of War,' 3 vols. 8vo, London, 1811.
8. 'A Topographical and Military Survey of Germany,' London, 1815, 12mo.
9. 'Hydroozo-chorographische General-Postu. Wege-Carte des Königr. Hannover.' In twelve sheets and reduced, Hanover, 1823.
10. 'Special-Carte der Fürstenthums Lippe,' Hanover, 1824.
11. 'Beschreibung der Sturmfluthen an den Ofern der Nordsee u. der sich darin ergiessenden Strome u. Flüsse, 3-4 Feb. 1825, mit Carte u. Planen,' Hanover, 1825-8.
12. 'The Cosmosphere, or Cosmographically-mounted Terrestrial andCelestial Globes, for Self-instruction and the Use of Schools,' London, 1829. With an Appendix on 'Instruments for Calculating Latitude and Longitude at Sea.'

According to the British Museum Catalogue he was probably the writer of 'Versuch einer kurzen Geschichte des Königr. Hannover u. Herzogth. Braunschweig-Lüneburg,' Hanover, 1832, 8vo, a small work published under the signature 'R.'

[Hanoverian Staats-Kalendars and British Army Lists; Beamish's Hist. German Legion, vol. ii.; Müller's Writings; Neuer Nekrolog. der Deutschen, Weimar, 1846, xxiv. 1089. In the list of his works in the British Museum Catalogue Müller figures under two entries as 'Mueller, Wilhelm, officer of Hanoverian Cavalry,' and 'Mueller, Wilhelm, engineer.']

H. M. C.