Porte de secours, Fr. the gate in a citadel, which has an outlet towards the country, is so called. By means of this gate the garrison can always receive succors or reinforcements, in cases of civil insurrection, or under circumstances of surprise.
PORTEE du fusil, Fr. by this expression the French generally understand the distance which a musquet-shot goes to its ultimate destination. It is supposed to vary from 120 to 150 toises.
Portee des piéces, Fr. the flight, range, or reach of cannon.
Portee à toute volée. Fr. the flight of a cannon shot when it makes an angle of something under 45 degrees with the horizon, or level of the country. In this manner it completes the greatest possible range.
Portee de but en blanc, Fr. the forward direction and flight of a ball, constituting a straight line, which it describes from the mouth of the piece to its ultimate object. It has been generally found, by experience that the distance so described, could not exceed 300 toises. Beyond that, the ball has been known to deviate. According to Belidor, pieces of ordnance will carry farther in the morning and at night, when the weather is cool and rarefied, than in the middle of the day, or at noon, when the heat of the sun prevails. This circumstance is amply discussed in his Bombardier Francois; and his observations were proved to be correct by experiments made in June, 1744, at Essonne. These experiments commenced at seven o’clock in the morning, and lasted till twelve. It was remarked, that the shells, which were thrown out of three mortars, gradually fell short of their original range. Besides the portée a toute volée, and the portée de but en blanc, or the full range and the point blank shot, there is the ricochet, which marshal Vauban invented. See [Ricochet].
PORTER, Fr. to carry. It is a marine term; as porter toutes ses voiles. To carry all her sails. It is likewise used as a word of command, viz. Portez vos armes. Carry arms.
Porter une botte, Fr. to make a thrust or pass.
PORTES d’une ville du guerre, Fr. openings which cross the ramparts of a fortified town or place, and are generally arched over. These openings are usually made in the middle of the curtain, between two bastions. They are from nine to ten feet broad, and from thirteen to fourteen feet high. The gates are mostly decorated with trophies of war: and in some instances a very superfluous magnificence is exhibited.
PORTEURS d’eau, Fr. Water carriers. In India they are called Beestees. Amongst the Turks the Sakkas, or water-carriers, are taken from the lowest rank of soldiers belonging to the Capikuly infantry. The number of these men depends upon the nature of the service on which the turks are employed. They are under the orders of the officers who command companies; and although their situation is not only the most degrading, but the most laborious in the army, they may nevertheless become soldiers. Their dress consists of brown leather; and from the continual fatigue which they undergo, their appearance is wretched in the extreme.
PORTFIRE, a composition of meal powder, sulphur, and saltpetre, driven into a case of paper to serve instead of a match to fire guns.