| For Mortars. | Howitzers. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature. | Weight of each Shot. | Number in each Case. | Weight of each Case filled. | Weight of each Shot. | Number in each Case. | Weight of each Case filled. | ||
| Inch. | oz. | Nᵒ. | lbs. | oz. | oz. | Nᵒ. | lbs. | oz. |
| 10 | 8 | 170 | 91 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | 6 | 90 | 38 | 4 | 6 | 90 | 33 | 8 |
| 5½ | 3 | 55 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 55 | 12 | 8 |
| 4⅖ | 2 | 55 | 8 | 1¼ | 2 | 55 | 8 | 2 |
Table of Grape Shot, for
Sea and Land Service.
| Nature. | Weight of each shot. | Total Weight of the grape complete. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lbs. | oz. | lbs. | oz. | ||
| 42 | Pounders. | 4 | 0 | 46 | 6 |
| 32 | ” | 3 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| 24 | ” | 2 | 0 | 25 | 5 |
| 18 | ” | 1 | 8 | 19 | 15½ |
| 12 | ” | 1 | 0 | 10 | 15 |
| 9 | ” | 0 | 13 | 7 | 6 |
| 6 | ” | 0 | 8 | 5 | 8½ |
| 4 | ” | 0 | 6 | 3 | 14½ |
| 3 | ” | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10½ |
| ½ | ” | 0 | ⅗ lead | 8¾ | |
Small shells, as 4⅖ inches, and hand grenades were quilted into grape for 13 inch mortars at Gibraltar. The fuzes were turned inwards next the iron tampion, and leaders of quick match for communicating fire to the fuzes were introduced through holes made in the wood bottom, and placed as near the fuzes as possible in the center of the grape. These answered very well for short ranges.
Shand.
Hot Shot.—The powder for firing with hot shot must be in strong flannel cartridges, without any holes, lest some grains should remain in the bore, in putting the cartridge home. Over the powder must be rammed a good dry wad, then a damp one, and then the hot shot; and if the gun lays at a depression, there must be a wad over the shot, which may be rammed home. If the above precautions be attended to, the gun may be pointed after being loaded, without the smallest danger; as it is well known that the shot will grow cold in the gun, without burning more than a few threads of the wads next it. This is not the mode usually taught of loading with hot shot, but is that which was practised during the siege of Gibraltar. Mr. Durtubie proposes putting the shot when heated, into a tin cannister, as an effectual method of preventing accidents.
The grates usually made for heating shot will generally make them red hot in ¾ of an hour.
SINES.—See table of [Natural Sines], at the end of the word Gunnery.
SOUND.—The medium velocity of sound is nearly at the rate of a mile, or 5280 feet; in 4⅔ seconds; or a league in 14 seconds; or 13 miles in one minute.—But sea miles are to land miles nearly as 7 to 6: therefore sound moves over a sea mile in 5¾ seconds nearly; or a sea league in 16 seconds.
Hutton.