David Papillon, in his “Practical Art of Fortification,” 4to. 1645, enumerating the ordnance and ammunition of a garrison, observes:—“for a towne of two English miles circumference, of these sorts, six cannons, six demi-cannons, six long culverins [or double for a sea-port], twentie sacres [or less for a sea-port], and twelve drakes, and one hundred thousand [pounds?] weight of powder.”—P. 97.
In “Mathematical Magick,” 1648, Bishop Wilkins incidentally remarks—“the greatest cannon in use, does not carry above 64 pound weight,” page 126. And in the 19th chapter of the same work he states the charge to be 40 lbs. of powder.
John Greaves, Geometry Professor of Gresham College, who was born in 1602, and died in October, 1652, made experiments for trying the force of great guns, at Woolwich, 18th of March, 1651, which were published in the 15th volume of the Philosophical Transactions, 1685.
The following extracts are given, from their specifying the description, weight, and sometimes the size of the cannon used, with the charge of powder and weight of shot.
The great ordnance tried were:—
1. “An iron demy Canon, of 3500 lbs. weight, and having a cylinder bore, the bullet 32 lb. of iron, the powder 10 lb.
2. “An iron demy Canon, having a taper bore, and being 3600 lbs. in weight, and 4 inches longer than the former, the iron bullet 32 lb.
3. “Experiment with a whole Culverin in brass, of 5300 lbs. in weight, 11 foot one inch in length, with a taper bore, being intended for a chase piece to the frigate called the Speaker; the iron bullet was 18 lbs. in weight, the powder 10 lbs.
4. “A whole Culverin in brass, made at Amsterdam, for the French, with this mark 3580, being 10 foot long, and not very thick in the breech, 18 lb. bullet, and 9 lb. of powder.
5. “An iron Demy Culverin, 9 lbs. iron bullet, and 4 lb. of powder. This half Culverin was shot eight times.