WAD, (Bourre, Fr.) In gunnery, a substance made of hay or straw, and sometimes of tow rolled up tight in a ball. It serves to be put into a gun after the powder, and rammed home, to prevent the powder from being scattered, which would have no effect if left unconfined.
Wad-mill. A hollow form of wood to make the wads of a proper size.
Wad-hook. A strong iron screw, like those that serve for drawing corks, mounted upon a wooden handle, to draw out the wads, or any part of cartridges, which often remain in guns, and when accumulated stop up the vent.
WADA or WADADARY, Ind. A farm of a district.
WADABUNDY, Ind. Stated periods or dates, on which money is to be paid.
WADADAR, Ind. A government officer, who is responsible for the rents of a zemindary.
WADDING. Oakum, hay or straw, or any other article generally carried along with the guns to be made into wads.
Experiments relative to the effects of Wadding. The quantity of powder requisite to raise a shell weighing 218 lb. clear of the mortar and bed was found to be 4 oz. 2 dr. without any wadding; but with the help of a little wadding, rammed over the powder, 3 oz. 1 dr. were sufficient. The powder, requisite to raise a shell weighing 106 lb. clear of the mortar and bed, was found to be 2 oz. 6 dr. without any wadding; but with wadding, properly rammed over the powder, 2 oz. were found to be sufficient.
To raise a shell of 16 lb. 4 dr. were sufficient without wadding, and only 3 dr. with wadding.
And to raise a shell of 8 lb. 2 dr. were enough without wadding, and 1 dr. two-thirds with wadding.