Medium Ranges with the above Mortars, at 15 Degrees.
| 10 Inch. | 8 Inch. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | ||||
| lb. | oz. | Sec. | Yards. | lb. | oz. | Sec. | Y’ds. | ||
| 1 | 4 | 5 | 464 | — | 11 | 4 | ¹⁄₂ | 427 | |
| 1 | 6 | 5 | ¹⁄₂ | 543 | — | 12 | 4 | - | 485 |
| 1 | 8 | 6 | 590 | — | 13 | 5 | 513 | ||
| 1 | 12 | 6 | ³⁄₄ | 685 | — | 14 | 5 | - | 559 |
| 1 | 14 | 7 | 765 | 1 | — | 6 | - | 690 | |
| 2 | — | 7 | 805 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 822 | ||
| 2 | 4 | 7 | ¹⁄₂ | 884 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 827 | |
| 2 | 8 | 7 | ³⁄₄ | 960 | 1 | 6 | 7 | ³⁄₄ | 1004 |
| 2 | 12 | 8 | 1070 | 1 | 8 | 8 | ¹⁄₂ | 1012 | |
| 3 | — | 8 | ¹⁄₂ | 1154 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 1196 | |
| 1 | 11 | 9 | 1337 | ||||||
All English mortars are erroneously fixed to an angle of 45 degrees, and custom has prevailed to lash them strongly with ropes to that elevation. In a siege, shells should never be thrown with an angle of 45 degrees, excepting in one case only; that is, when the battery is so far off that they cannot otherwise reach the works: for when shells are thrown out of the trenches into the works of a fortification, or from the town into the trenches, they should have as little elevation as possible, in order to roll along and not bury themselves; whereby the injury they do, and the terror they cause to the troops, is much greater than if they sink into the ground. On the contrary, when shells are thrown upon magazines, or any other buildings, with an intention to destroy them, the mortars should be elevated as high as possible, that the shells may acquire a greater force in their fall, and consequently do more execution. The British are the only nation that fix mortars to an elevation of 45 degrees, the proper range is from 32¹⁄₂ to 35 degrees.
The use of mortars is thought to be older than that of cannon; for they were employed in the wars of Italy to throw balls of red-hot iron, and stones, long before the invention of shells. It is generally believed, that the Germans were the first inventors, and that they were actually used at the siege of Naples, in the reign of Charles the VIII., in 1435. History informs us, with more certainty, that shells were thrown out of mortars at the siege of Wachtendonk, in Guelderland, in 1588, by the earl of Mansfield. Shells were first invented by a citizen of Venlo, who, on a festival, celebrated in honor of the duke of Cleves, threw a certain number, one of which fell on a house, and set fire to it; by which misfortune the greatest part of the city was reduced to ashes. Mr. Malter, an English engineer, first taught the French the art of throwing shells, which they practised at the siege of Motte, in 1634. The method of throwing red-hot balls out of mortars, was first put in practice, with certainty, at the siege of Stralsund, in 1675, by the elector of Brandenburg; though some say in 1653, at the siege of Bremen.
Land-Mortars, are those used in sieges, and of late in battles, mounted on beds; and both mortar and bed are transported on block-carriages. There is also a kind of land-mortars, mounted on travelling carriages, invented by count Buckeburg, which may be elevated to any degree; whereas the British as we have already stated, are fixed to an angle of 45 degrees, and are firmly lashed with ropes.
Partridge Mortar, is a common mortar, surrounded by 13 other little mortars, bored round its circumference in the body of its metal. The centre one is loaded with a shell, and the others with grenades. The vent of the large mortar being fired, communicates its fire to the small ones; so that both shell and grenades go off at once. The French used them in the war of 1701, and more especially at the siege of Lisle, in 1708, and at the defence of Bouchain in 1702.
Hand-Mortars, were frequently used before the invention of cohorns. They were fixed at the end of a staff of 4¹⁄₂ feet long, the other end being shod with iron to stick in the ground: while the bombardier, with one hand, elevated it at pleasure, he with the other hand fired.
Firelock-Mortars, Bombards, are small mortars, fixed at the end of a firelock they are loaded as all common firelocks are; and the grenade, placed in the mortar at the end of the barrel, is discharged by a flint-lock; and, to prevent the recoil hurting the bombardier, the bombard rests on a kind of halberd, made for that purpose. They were first invented by major-general Siebach, a German, about the year 1710.
Names of the several parts of a Mortar.
Grand divisions exterior, viz.—The whole length, of the mortar, muzzle, chace, reinforce, breech, trunnions.