GUNNER'S MATE. A petty officer appointed to assist the gunner.
GUNNER'S PIECE. In destroying and bursting guns, means a fragment of the breech, which generally flies upward.
GUNNER'S QUADRANT. See [Quadrant].
GUNNER'S TAILOR. An old rating for the man who made the cartridge-bags.
GUNNER'S YEOMAN. See [Yeoman].
GUNNERY. The art of charging, pointing, firing, and managing artillery of all kinds.
GUNNERY-LIEUTENANT. "One who, having obtained a warrant from a gunnery ship, is eligible to large ships to assist specially in supervising the gunnery duties; he draws increased pay."
GUNNERY-SHIP. A ship fitted for training men in the practice of charging, pointing, and firing guns and mortars for the Royal Navy. (See [Seamen-gunners].)
GUNNING. An old term for shooting; it is now adopted by the Americans. After the wreck of the Wager, on hearing the pistols fired at Cozens, "it was rainy weather, and not fit for gunning, so that we could not imagine the meaning of it."—Gunning a ship. Fitting her with ordnance.—Gunning, in mining, is when the blast explodes and does not rend the mass.—Gunning, signals enforced by guns.
GUNNING-BOAT, or Gunning-shout. A light and narrow boat in which the fen-men pursue the flocks of wild-fowl.