Filibuster. A lawless military adventurer, especially one in quest of plunder; a freebooter; a pirate; applied especially to the followers of Lopez in his expedition to Cuba in 1851.
Filings. Are movements to the front, rear, or flanks by files.
Fillet. A molding used on cannon of old pattern.
Fillibeg, or Filibeg. A little plaid; a kilt or dress reaching nearly to the knees, worn in the Highlands of Scotland, and by the soldiers of Highland regiments in the British service.
Fillibuster. See [Filibuster].
Final Velocity. In gunnery, is the technical term for the uniform velocity which a projectile would acquire in falling through an indefinite height in the air. A body falling in vacuo is uniformly accelerated, its velocity being continually increased. In the atmosphere the case is different. Since the resistance of the air increases with some power of the velocity greater than the square, it follows that at some point in the descent the retardation becomes equal to the acceleration, and the body will move with uniform velocity. This is called “final velocity,” and is one of the most important elements in the theory of projectiles. Every projectile has its own “final velocity.” Other things being equal, that projectile is best which has the greatest “final velocity.” The “final velocity” of a given projectile will depend upon its weight on the one hand, and the extent of surface and the way it is presented to the air on the other. The extent and form of the surface directly opposed to the action of the air will largely determine the resistance. The best form, as determined by the experiments of Borda, is the [ogival]. The resistance, other things being the same, may be taken as proportional to the area of greatest cross-section. The weight in spherical projectiles is proportional to the cube of this dimension. It follows from these general principles that large projectiles are better than small, dense better than light, solid better than hollow, in regard to their final velocities; moreover, that oblong projectiles are better than spherical, ogival-headed oblong better than flat-headed, and long rifle projectiles better than short, in the same regard.
Finding. Before a court-martial deliberates upon the judgment, the judge-advocate reads over the whole proceedings of the court; he then collects the votes of each member, beginning with the youngest. The best mode of doing so is by slips of paper. The Articles of War require a majority in all cases, and in cases of sentence of death two-thirds. It is not necessary to find a general verdict of guilt or acquittal upon the whole of every charge. The court may find the prisoner guilty of part of a charge, and acquit him of the remainder, and render sentence according to their finding. This is a special verdict.
Finland. A Russian grand duchy; in the middle of the 12th century was conquered by the Swedes, who introduced Christianity. It was several times conquered by the Russians (1714, 1742, and 1808), and restored (1721 and 1743); but in 1809 they retained it by treaty.
Fire. In the art of war, a word of command to soldiers of all denominations to discharge their fire-arms, cannon, etc. It likewise expresses a general discharge against an enemy. To be “under fire” means to be exposed to the attack of an enemy by cannonade or fusilade. The fire in artillery may be either direct, ricochet, rolling, plunging, horizontal, or vertical, according to the nature of the projectile and the angle of elevation. A fire is said to be direct, when the projectile hits the object without striking any intermediate one; ricochet, when the projectile strikes the ground or water under a small angle of fall, penetrates obliquely to a certain distance, and is then reflected at an angle greater than the angle of fall. This action may recur frequently, depending, as it does, on the nature of the surface struck, the initial velocity, shape, size, and density of the projectile, and on the angle of fall. It is employed in siege-works to attain the face of a work in flank, or in reverse; and in the field, or on water, when the object is large, and the distance is not accurately known. The character of ricochet fire is determined by the angle of fall. It is flattened when this angle does not exceed 4°, and curvated when the angle is between 6° and 15°. Against troops the angle of fall should not exceed 3°. A particular kind of ricochet fire called rolling is produced by placing the axis of the piece parallel, or nearly so, with the ground. It was formerly much used when the conditions were favorable in the field service, where it was very effective, as the projectile never passes at a greater distance above the ground than the muzzle of the piece. The projectile was solid round shot; rifled projectiles are unsuited to this kind of fire. When the object is situated below the piece, the fire is said to be plunging. This kind of fire is particularly effective against the decks of vessels. Under low angles of elevation the fire of guns and howitzers is said to be horizontal. The fire of mortars under high angles of elevation is called vertical.
Fire-alarm. An alarm given of a fire or conflagration. In military barracks or camp, it is sounded on drum or bugle, or the discharge of fire-arms by the guard.