Hoste, Paul

, born May 19, 1652, at Pont-de-Vesle, entered among the Jesuits in 1669, and acquired great skill in mathematics; accompanied the marechals d’Estrées and de Tourville, during twelve years, in all their naval expeditions, and gained their esteem. He was appointed king’s professor of mathematics at Toulon, and died there February 23, 1700, leaving, “Recueil des Traités de Mathematiques les plus necessaires a, un officier,” 3 volsi 12mo; “L’Art des armies navtrles, ou Traite” des evolutions navales,“Lyons, 1697, and more completely in 1727, folio. This work is not less historical than scientific, and contains an account of the most considerable naval events of the fifty preceding years. He presented it to Louis XIV. who received it graciously, and rewarded the author with 100 pistoles, and a pension of 600 livres a treatise on the construction of ships, which he wrote in consequence of some conversation with marechal de Tourville, is printed at the end of the preceding. In 1762, lieutenant O’Bryen published in 4to,” Naval Evolutions, or a System of Sea-discipline,“extracted from father L'Hoste’s” L’Art des armees navales." ¹