Schools of Artillery. See [Artillery, Schools of].
Schultz’s Powder. A powder for fire-arms invented by Capt. Schultz of the Prussian army, sometimes called [white gunpowder], though this term is also applied to other powder. It is made by treating grains of wood with a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids, by means of which a low form of nitro-cellulose is produced. The explosive power is heightened by steeping the prepared grains in a solution of nitre. Dittman’s sporting powder, manufactured in America, is believed to be a similar powder.
Schumla, Shoomla, or Shumla. A large fortified town of Turkey in Europe, in the province of Bulgaria, about 58 miles southwest from Silistria. The Russians have made several unsuccessful attempts to take it in their different wars with Turkey.
Schuwalow Gun (Fr.). A gun named after the inventor, a Russian general. It differed from a common gun in having an oval bore; the greater diameter lay in a horizontal direction; it had also a long cylindrical chamber.
Schweidnitz. A town of Prussian Silesia, on the left bank of the Weistritz, 42 miles southeast of Liegnitz. It is in part fortified, and was besieged and taken four times within fifty years, the last time by the French in 1807, when the defenses were in great part destroyed.
Schwytz. One of the cantons of Switzerland. It was one of the three original cantons that formed the Confederation in 1308 against the Austrian power; and from its name the modern appellation of the entire country has been derived.
Sciathus (now Skiatho). A small island in the Ægean Sea, east of the Magnesian coast of Thessaly. It is frequently mentioned in the history of the invasion of Greece by Xerxes. It subsequently became one of the subject allies of Athens. Its chief town was destroyed by the last Philip of Macedonia.
Science, Military. See [Logistics], [Stratagem], [Strategy], [Tactics], and [War].
Scillus. A town of Elis, on the river Selinus, south of Olympia. It was destroyed by the Eleans in the war which they carried on against the Pisæans, whose cause had been espoused by the inhabitants of Scillus. The Lacedæmonians subsequently took possession of the territory of Scillus; they gave it to Xenophon after his banishment from Athens.
Scimeter. See [Cimeter].