The Congreve rocket is a new species of war-rocket, invented by Sir William Congreve. This incendiary rocket drew the attention of the European nations, after the attack of the British on Copenhagen; where, we are informed, they did incredible execution. This rocket may be considered to be a carrier of fire. Their effect, however, in the Chesapeake, and elsewhere, during the late war, was very trifling. They seemed, in fact, little calculated to injure and more to intimidate.[38] They differ from the common rocket as well in their magnitude and construction, as in the powerful nature of their composition; which is such, that without the encumbrance of any ordnance, (the rocket containing the propelling power wholly within itself), balls, shells, case-shot and carcasses, may be projected to the distance of one thousand to three thousand yards. The principle of projectile force is so greatly increased, as not only to triple the flight of small rockets so formed, but also to allow of the construction of rockets of such dimensions, as, on the ordinary principles of combination, would not even rise from the ground, and of such powers of flight and burthen, as have hitherto been considered altogether impracticable.
On the basis of this increase of power, Congreve has succeeded in making this rocket. They are formed of various dimensions, as well in length as in caliber, and are differently armed, according as they are intended for the field, or for bombardment and conflagration; carrying in the first instance either shells or case shot, and in the second, for the purpose of destroying shipping, buildings, stores, &c. a peculiar species of composition, which never fails of destroying every combustible material with which it comes in contact. The latter are called carcass-rockets, and were first used at Boulogne in 1805, after many experiments, which were made by Congreve, at Woolwich. The attack in 1806 was merely desultory, in which not more than 200 rockets were fired. The town was set on fire by the first discharge, and continued burning for near two days. After the affair at Copenhagen, which established their reputation, it appears that a committee of officers, who had witnessed their effect in that bombardment, pronounced them to be "a powerful auxiliary to the present system of artillery."
At the seige of Flushing, they appear to have been used with success, and general Monnet, the French commandant, made a formal remonstrance to lord Chatham respecting the use of them in that bombardment. The rocket system was also tried with success, and the crown prince of Sweden was the first general, who bore testimony to their effects in this service. At the memorable battle of Leipzig, they proved, we are informed, a powerful weapon, and also, when the British army under Wellington, crossed the Adour. In 1814, a rocket-corps was established in the British service.
General de Grave transmitted, to the Society of Encouragement of Paris, a Congreve rocket, or an English incendiary rocket, which was found on the French coast. M. Gay-Lussac examined it. The case was made with gray paper, and painted. The inflammable matter was of a yellowish-gray, and the sulphur was distinguishable with the naked eye. It burnt with a quick flame, and exhaled sulphurous acid gas.
According to his analysis, (Archives des Découvertes, ii, 303), the composition gave
| Nitrate of potassa, | 75. | 00 |
| Charcoal, | 1. | 6 |
| Sulphur, | 23. | 4 |
| —— | — | |
| 100 | ||
| —— | — |
Gay-Lussac, after determining the proportions of the constituent parts, made a composition of a similar kind, and charged a case, which exhibited the same properties as the English rocket.
The great general point of excellence of the rocket system, if we may judge from the account of English writers, is the facility with which all the natures of this weapon may be conveyed and applied. Its peculiar applicability to naval bombardment is said to rest on this property, that there is no reaction, no recoil in the firing of the largest rocket; so that by this means carcasses, equal to those projected by the largest mortars, may be thrown from the smallest boats. Its peculiar fitness for land service is, that it is a description of extremely powerful ammunition without ordnance, so that the burthen of mortars and guns is dispensed with, and all that is to be carried is actual available missile matter, capable of range, and of many of the most important effects of the heaviest artillery. The rocket system, as a system of ammunition without ordnance, is highly extolled by British writers.
We will now speak of their construction. All rockets designed for service are cylindrical, having strong metallic cases, and armed, as we before observed, either with carcass composition for bombardment and conflagration, or with shells and case shot for field service. They are, however, of various weights and dimensions, from the eight-inch carcass or explosion rocket, weighing nearly three hundred weight, to the six pound shell rocket, which is the smallest size, used in the field. The sticks, which are employed for regulating their flight, are also of different lengths, according to the size and service of the rocket; and which, for the convenience of carriage, are stowed apart from the rocket, and so contrived as to consist of two or more parts, which are connected to it, and to each other, when requisite, with the utmost expedition. The 32 pounder rocket carcass, which is the nature hitherto chiefly used for bombardment, will range 3000 yards with the same quantity of combustible matter as that contained in the 10 inch spherical carcass, and 2500 yards with the same quantity as that of the 13 inch spherical carcass. The 12 pounder rocket case shot, which is so portable that it may be used with the facility of musketry, has a range nearly double that of field artillery, carrying as many bullets as the 6 pounder spherical case. We may remark here, that the projectile force of the rocket is well calculated for the conveyance of case shot to great distances; because, as it proceeds, its velocity is accelerated instead of being retarded, as happens with any other projectile; while the average velocity of the shell is greater than that of the rocket only in the ratio of 9 to 8. Independent of this, the case shot conveyed by the rocket admits of any desired increase of velocity in its range by the bursting of powder, which cannot be obtained in any other description of case.
Rocket ammunition is divided into three classes, heavy, medium, and light; the former including all those above 42 lbs., which are denominated according to their caliber, as eight-inch, seven-inch, &c. rockets; the medium including all those from 42 lbs. to 24 lbs.; and the light embracing from 18 pounder to 6 pounder inclusive.