Background
John Letcher was born in Lexington, Virginia, United States, on March 29, 1813.
(Principles of Naval Architecture Series: The Geometry of ...)
Principles of Naval Architecture Series: The Geometry of Ships by John Letcher Edited by J. Randolph Paulling (2009) Although there are still practitioners of the traditional art of manual fairing of ship lines, the geometry of most hull forms ranging from small yachts to the largest commercial and naval ships are now almost invariably developed using one of the commercially available hull modeling software packages. Such software normally includes, in addition to the hull modeling and display functions, routines for the computation of hydrostatics, stability and other hull properties. It may form a part of a comprehensive computer-based design and manufacturing system or it may be included in a shipboard computer-based operational system used for cargo load monitoring and damage control. The present volume presents first, the theoretical basis for these hull modeling systems and second, the procedures for computing hull geometric, buoyancy and other properties by mathematical methods utilizing such models. The emphasis is upon the nomenclature and fundamentals underlying several different methods of hull geometrical modeling with the intention of providing the understanding needed to use intelligently both existing and future tools. Some topics included in the volume are continuity and fairness of surfaces, B-spline and NURBS representation, ruled and developable surfaces, subdivision surfaces, and classic computational topics such as hydrostatic properties and initial stability. This is a subject area characterized by a continuing stream of innovation and new software products so the objective here is to present the basis needed to understand and keep abreast of new developments in the field.
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(Excerpt from Address on the Re-Inauguration of the Bronze...)
Excerpt from Address on the Re-Inauguration of the Bronze Statue of George Washington, at the Virginia Military Institute, September 10, 1866 This Statue was originally placed here in pursuance of a Joint Resolution passed by the Legislature of Virginia, the 8th day of Marchi 1856 and Which is in the following words. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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John Letcher was born in Lexington, Virginia, United States, on March 29, 1813.
He attended Washington College (today Washington and Lee University) and subsequently studied law.
In 1839 he established a law practice in Lexington and in the same year became editor of the Valley Star, a Democratic newspaper in a local Whig stronghold.
Intensely interested in politics, Letcher was active in the presidential campaigns of 1840, 1844, and 1848, serving as Democratic elector in 1848. He signed the Ruffner Pamphlet of 1847, which proposed the abolition of slavery in that part of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge; however, he soon repudiated this antislavery stand.
Letcher attended the state constitutional convention of 1850-1851 and was a vigorous advocate of retaining the Caucasian basis of representation in both houses of the legislature. In 1851 Letcher was elected to the U. S. Congress, where he served until 1859.
Letcher was nominated by the Virginia Democratic party for the governorship in 1859 and was elected by a slight margin after a spirited campaign. In the 1860 presidential campaign Letcher supported Stephen A. Douglas, and after the secession of the lower South, he provided support for the peace movement. Letcher opposed the secession of Virginia until the Federal government called for troops in April 1861.
After the war he was imprisoned for several months in Washington. Upon his release and his return to Virginia, he counseled the South to accept the outcome of the war in good faith. Letcher himself had lost a great deal of property; his home had been burned by the Union Army, and inflation left him practically bankrupt. For 10 years after the war Letcher practiced law in Lexington. He served two terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, from 1875 to 1877. He died in Lexington on Jan. 26, 1884.
(Excerpt from Address on the Re-Inauguration of the Bronze...)
(Principles of Naval Architecture Series: The Geometry of ...)
He was never a true abolitionist. He was a vigilant opponent of government extravagance, for which he earned the name "Honest John Letcher, Watchdog of the Treasury. " In Congress he consistently defended the rights of the South against Northern interference, although he never glorified slavery as an institution.
As Virginia's governor during the Civil War, Letcher proved a zealous supporter of the Confederacy and advocated the vigorous prosecution of the war until Southern independence could be achieved.
He married Susan Holt. Letcher's son, John Davidson Letcher, was a professor at Oregon State University, serving as acting president from January 1892 to June 1892.