Pasted cartridges are formed in the usual manner upon a former; and when five-sixths of the paper are rolled, the remaining portion is pasted with a paste made of flour and glue, mixed together. The bottom is pasted over in the same manner. When the cartridge is drawn off the former, it is placed to dry in the sun, or near a stove.
With regard to the cost of cartridges in France, it appears, that a pound of packthread costs twelve sous, and workmen receive from fifteen to twenty sous per thousand for their labour. The whole expense of 100,000 would be, for paper, 105 livres; for packthread, 18 livres, 15 sous; for making 100 livres; total 223 livres, 15 sous. Bigot has furnished us with the following estimate:
| For 31 reams of paper, at 4 fr. 50 c. the ream, is | 140 | fr. | 60 c. |
| For 31¼ lbs. of packthread at 80 centimes, | 24 | ||
| Labour, 1 fr. per thousand, | 100 | ||
| Five days work, for the cutter, | 5 | ||
| —————— | |||
| Total. | 269 | fr. | 60 c. |
One hundred thousand cartridges, for which the above is a calculation, require also
| Bullets of lead, | 5556 lbs. |
| Powder, | 2500 lbs. |
Sec. II. Of Cannon Cartridges.
The gargousse of the French, in artillery, is a sack or bag of paper, or parchment, destined to enclose the load of a cannon. When it is made of serge, it is then called a pouch, (sachet); and, when united with the ball, it receives the name of ball-cartridge.
Bigot remarks, that these cartridges have been substituted for the dangerous and unsafe use of the spoon, or ladle, (lanternes, Fr.[31]), by means of which the load was carried to the bottom of the piece. They are paper bags or sacks, of the caliber of the gun. The loading is much more expeditious, and less danger is to be apprehended. It requires only, that the piece should be well sponged, and the priming to communicate with the load.
For the construction of these cases, coarse gray paper, and sufficiently strong, is used; and they should be well pasted. The paper, which is used with advantage, and commonly employed, is 23 inches in length, and 28 inches in breadth. It serves for all calibers, and even proof charges, which are stronger than the ordinary loads. The paper is cut of such a size as to leave from 11/4 inches, to 11/2 inches, on the roller, and a sufficiency to cover the lower extremity. One of the sides, as well as the side which is cut, is pasted. The paper is rolled upon the former, or roller, and is straightened, so that the hand may be passed over the pasted part, and the paper tightened. The bottom of the bag is placed upon the roller, and, in folding it, the bag is tied above that part of the paper, which is pasted. The bag is then dried, by placing it on one end upon a table, and exposing it to the air.