Founder. A person who casts cannon, etc.
Foundery. In military matters, the art of casting all kinds of ordnance, such as cannon, mortars, etc.
Foundry. A place for casting all kinds of ordnance; a foundery.
Four. A place of confinement in Paris to which vagabonds and persons who could not give any satisfactory account of themselves were committed; and when once shut up had their names registered, and were enlisted for the old French government. These Fours added annually 2000 men at least to the king’s regular army; by which means the capital was relieved of a multitude of thieves, pickpockets, etc.
Fourage (Fr.). Forage; in the artillery, it is used figuratively to signify hay, straw, or anything else of vegetable growth, which is used to ram into the bore of a cannon for the purpose of cleansing it.
Fourager (Fr.). To forage, or look about for provender and provisions. It likewise means among the French to ravage, desolate, pillage, and waste a country for the purpose of throwing the inhabitants into disorder. The word is derived from foras agere, or to seek for forage in the field.
Fourier (Fr.). A quartermaster belonging to a cavalry or infantry regiment. In France there were fouriers-majors who composed a part of the cavalry stall. Sergeant-fourier and corporal-fourier answer to our quartermaster-sergeant.
Fourniment (Fr.). A horn formerly used, which held about 1 pound of gunpowder to prime cannon. It was likewise used by cavalry and infantry soldiers, who slung it across their shoulders. The artillerists kept it in a belt.
Fowley. A decayed seaport town of England, in the county of Cornwall, at the mouth of a small river of the same name. It became famous in the old French wars, and in 1347 sent 37 tall ships to the siege of Calais. It was burned by the French in 1457.
Fowling-piece. A term sometimes applied to shot-guns of large caliber and great power, for shooting ducks, geese, and other large birds.