them at once on a plane of advancement. The vexed questions of breech-
and muzzle-loading and of gun construction have been decided by each
nation in the manner most satisfactory to itself. Opinions differ
widely, and it is probable that many changes may be made in these
matters. Still, they all possess powerful guns which have certain
features in common, essential to heavy ordnance in the present stage of
its development. Large-grained powder, the first of these requisites,
is universally used (for varieties, see GUNPOWDER). Great length of
bore, to utilize the whole force of the powder, is another
characteristic. Great power is secured by immense charges of powder and
weight of shot. A caliber of at least 12 inches, giving an oblong shot
of about 700 pounds, seems to be regarded as a _sine qua non_ for all
armaments. (See CANNON, ORDNANCE, GREAT BRITAIN, RUSSIA, FRANCE, etc.)
England has taken the lead in all these improvements, and though it
would appear from recent events that her choice of gun systems is
unfortunate, there is no question that all great advances since Rodman’s
day have been based upon her expensive experiments. The work of the
celebrated “Committee on Explosives,” 1875, of which Col. Younghusband
and Capt. Noble (now a member of Sir Wm. Armstrong’s firm) were members,
did more to this end than any other investigation since Rodman’s
experiments in gunpowder. Acting upon the obvious idea that the peril to
the life of the gun is relieved by air-space, the committee recommended
the enlargement of the bore at the seat of the charge, or the use of a
chamber larger than the bore. This simple expedient led at once to an
immense increase in the power of guns while the pressure endangering
them was kept at a point lower than before. Every good thing can be
pushed too far. The immense charges made possible by the English chamber
have been continually added to by the Italians in their 100-ton
Armstrong monsters and the vital air-space reduced till a charge of 552
pounds of powder has recently (1880) burst one of these magnificent
guns.
_Nomenclature of Ordnance._--For component parts of cannon and their
description, see CASCABEL, BASE OF THE BREECH, BASE-LINE, BASE-RING,
BREECH, CHASE, ASTRAGAL AND FILLETS, NECK, SWELL OF THE MUZZLE, FACE,
TRUNNIONS, RIMBASES, BORE, and REINFORCE. For recent modifications in
the external form of cannon, see ORDNANCE, STRAINS UPON.
UNITED STATES.--_Smooth-bored._--The official system for the land
service comprises the following smooth-bored cannon: The Napoleon gun
for field service (see NAPOLEON GUN) and the mountain howitzer for
mountain and prairie service. (See HOWITZER.) For siege purposes, the
8-inch howitzer, 8- and 10-inch and 24-pounder Coehorn mortars,--and for
sea-coast defense, 13-, 15-, and 20-inch (Rodman) and 10-, 13- and
15-inch mortars. No 15-inch mortars have been yet cast. The 24-pounder
flank defense howitzer, as well as the 8- and 10-inch smooth-bored
Rodman and the 10-inch sea-coast mortar, no longer belong to the system,
and are no more to be cast. The 13-inch smooth-bore is an experimental
gun, not more than two or three of which have been cast. The
smooth-bored gun principally used in the naval service is the Dahlgren.
(See ORDNANCE, CONSTRUCTION OF.) The carronade is now little employed.
_Rifled Cannon._--The rifled cannon adopted for the land service of the
United States at the present time (1880) are, for the field service a 3-
and 3¹⁄₂-inch rifle, having the exterior shape of Rodman guns, but made
of wrought iron,--the former adopted in 1861; the 3¹⁄₂-inch gun has
never been made--the model was adopted in 1870,--and three mitrailleurs,
viz., 1-inch and ¹⁄₂-inch (Gatling), adopted in 1868, and a .45-inch
Gatling, adopted in 1874, intended to replace the ¹⁄₂-inch, and to use
the service cartridge of the rifle musket. In the siege service there is
but one rifle gun properly belonging to the system of the United States,
viz., 4¹⁄₂-inch, of casting, having the Rodman shape, but cast solid.
The 30-pounder (4.2-inch) Parrott so extensively used is not a
regulation gun. (See ORDNANCE, CONSTRUCTION OF.) The weight of the
4¹⁄₂-inch is 3570 pounds. It has an extreme length of 133 inches. The
twist is uniform, and the weight of the solid projectile 32¹⁄₂ pounds,
and of the charge 3¹⁄₄ pounds. The piece is loaded at the muzzle. The
rifled sea-coast guns belonging to the system are a 10- and 12-inch,
made of cast iron, and weighing 40,681 and 52,000 pounds respectively.
The extreme length of the 10-inch is 180, and of the 12-inch 192 inches;
the weight of the solid shot, 292 and 620 pounds respectively; the twist
in each is uniform, and both are muzzle-loaders. Such is the official
system of the United States. All the large guns are cast iron and are
now useless as an armament to cope with modern armed ironclads. We have,
however, a number of experimental guns, the models of which must be our
immediate reliance in case of foreign war. In making these experimental
rifles it has been held in view to utilize as far as possible the
cast-iron ordnance now on hand. They are all made of cast-iron cases
fitted with internal tubes of wrought iron (steel has also been used)
after the plans of Parsons and Palliser. (See ORDNANCE, CONSTRUCTION
OF.) The 12¹⁄₄-inch rifle, muzzle-loader, is an original construction,
the case required being larger than the 15-inch smooth-bored. The weight
of gun is 40 tons; charge, 110 pounds _hexagonal powder_; shot, 700
pounds. The others are converted guns,--the 10-inch rifle,
muzzle-loader, converted from 13-inch smooth-bore by inserting
wrought-iron tube; two patterns of 8-inch rifle, breech- and
muzzle-loaders, converted from 10-inch smooth-bores by muzzle and breech
insertion of tubes. Quite a number of the muzzle-loaders have been made
and mounted. A similar gun has been made for the naval service by
converting the 11-inch Dahlgren. Parrott 100-pounders have also been
converted into 6.4-inch breech-loaders for the navy.
Although the Parrott gun does not belong to the system adopted by the
United States, it has been much employed for both siege and sea-coast
purposes, almost to the exclusion of other rifled cannon. They are also
very generally used in the naval service. There are eight of these guns
employed in the service of the United States, viz.: a 300-pounder
(10-inch), 200-pounder (8-inch), and 100-pounder (6.4-inch), in use by
both land and naval forces; a 60-pounder (5.3-inch) and 30-pounder
(4.2-inch), used exclusively by the navy, and a 30-pounder (4.2-inch),
20-pounder (3.67-inch), and 10-pounder (3-inch), employed exclusively by
the land forces. The Parrott cannon are all muzzle-loading and made of
cast iron, reinforced with a wrought-iron jacket. See ORDNANCE,
CONSTRUCTION OF.
GREAT BRITAIN.--The cannon employed in the British service are all
rifled, and nearly all muzzle-loaders.
_Royal Arsenal, Woolwich._--The guns belonging to the British system,
and made at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, are: for land service, an
11-inch gun, wrought iron, muzzle-loading, weighing 25 tons; two 7-inch,
weighing 7 tons, and differing slightly in length and details of
construction; a 16-pounder (3.6-inch), weighing 12 cwt.; and a 9-pounder
(3-inch), weighing 8 cwt. These guns are all made of wrought iron. There
are also an 8-inch howitzer weighing 46 cwt., also of wrought iron, and
two converted guns, viz., a 64-pounder (6.29-inch) converted from
32-pounder, and an 80-pounder converted from 68-pounder smooth-bore.
Both of these guns are of cast iron, with wrought-iron tubes, and were
converted according to the Palliser method. For the Woolwich 38-ton gun,
see ARMSTRONG CANNON. For sea service exclusively, there are made at the
Woolwich Arsenal a 12-inch, weighing 35 tons; two 8-inch, weighing 9
tons respectively, of the same length, one having no preponderance, and
differing in other details of their construction; two 7-inch, weighing
6.5 tons respectively, differing slightly in length and details; a
7-inch, weighing 4.5 tons; and 9-pounder (3-inch), weighing 6 cwt. These
guns are all made of wrought iron, and are muzzle-loading. For both land
and sea service, there are made at the Royal Arsenal a 12-inch, weighing
25 tons; a 10-inch, weighing 18 tons; two 9-inch, one of which has no
preponderance, the other a preponderance of 5 cwt.; three 64-pounders
(6.3-inch), each weighing 64 cwt., but differing in length and
construction. These guns are all made of wrought iron; for both services
is used a 64-pounder (6.29 inch), converted from 8-inch smooth-bored
according to the Palliser method. There are besides two bronze guns, one
called the “boat gun,” a 7-pounder (3-inch) weighing 200 pounds; the
other a 9-pounder (3-inch), used in the Indian service, and weighing 8
cwt.; also a 7-pounder (3-inch) mountain gun of steel, and weighing 150
pounds; these are all muzzle-loaders. The 9-, 10-, 11-, and 12-inch
calibers have all steel tubes; one 7-ton and one 6.5-ton gun have tubes
of wrought iron.
_Armstrong Cannon._--The guns used in the British service made by Sir
William Armstrong are--for the land service--a 12-inch weighing 38 tons
(some of these guns are bored to 12¹⁄₂ inches), an 11-inch weighing 25
tons, a 7-inch weighing 7 tons, a 40-pounder (4.75-inch) weighing 35
cwt., a 25-pounder (4-inch), and a 16-pounder (3.6 inch) weighing 18 and
12 cwt. respectively, a 9-pounder (3-inch) weighing 6 cwt., a 10-inch
weighing 6 tons, having no preponderance. These guns are all of wrought
iron and muzzle-loading. There are also used in the land service, and of
the same make, a 7-pounder (3-inch) muzzle-loading steel gun weighing
150 pounds, an 8-inch muzzle-loading howitzer made of wrought iron and
weighing 46 cwt., a 64-pounder (6.29-inch) converted from 32-pounder,
and an 80-pounder (6.29-inch) converted by Palliser method from
68-pounder muzzle-loading, made of cast iron with wrought-iron tubes.
The other guns manufactured by Sir William Armstrong, and used in the
land service, are all breech-loading, viz.: a 7-inch (screw) weighing 72
cwt., a 20-pounder (3.75-inch screw) weighing 16 cwt., a 64-pounder
(6.4-inch wedge) weighing 64 cwt., and a Gatling gun (0.45) weighing 3
cwt. 84 pounds. The guns used in the sea service of this make are a
12-inch weighing 35 tons, an 8-inch weighing 9 tons, two 7-inch weighing
6 tons 10 cwt. and 90 cwt. respectively, and a 9-pounder (3-inch)
weighing 6 cwt. These are all muzzle-loading, and made of wrought iron.
There is another muzzle loading gun used for sea service, viz., a
64-pounder (6.29-inch) converted from 8-inch, and weighing 71 cwt.; this
gun is of cast iron with a wrought iron tube. The breech-loaders used
for sea service are two 20-pounders (3.75-inch screw) weighing 15 and 13
cwt. respectively, 40-pounder (4.75-inch) wedge weighing 32 cwt., and a
Gatling gun (0.65-inch) weighing 7 cwt. 35 pounds; these guns are all of
wrought iron. For land and sea service are constructed a 12-inch
weighing 25 tons, a 10- and 9-inch weighing 18 and 12 tons respectively,
a 64-pounder (6.3-inch) weighing 64 cwt., a 9-pounder (3-inch) weighing
8 cwt., a 7-pounder (3-inch) weighing 200 pounds, and made of steel; the
others are of wrought iron, and all are muzzle-loading. The
breech-loading guns of this manufacture used in both land and sea
service are a 7-inch (screw) weighing 82 cwt., two 40-pounders
(4.75-inch) screw weighing 35 and 32 cwt., respectively, a 12-pounder
(3-inch), 9-pounder (3-inch), and 6-pounder (2.5-inch) screw weighing 8,
6, and 3 cwt. respectively. They are all made of wrought iron. See
ARMSTRONG GUN.
GERMANY.--In Germany the Krupp gun is almost entirely employed; they are
all breech-loading and constructed of steel. (For particular
construction, see ORDNANCE, CONSTRUCTION OF.) Those used in the German
land service are a 28-centimetre howitzer weighing 9.82 tons, caliber
in inches 11.023, a long 21-centimetre weighing 9.84 tons, caliber 8.241
inches, a short 21-centimetre weighing 8.84, caliber 8.241 inches, a
short 15-centimetre weighing 2.9 tons, caliber 5.869 inches, a 12-, 9-,
8-, and 6-centimetre, whose calibers are 4.735, 3.602, 3.090, and 2.362
inches, and whose weights are 1.37 tons, and 935, 649, and 235 pounds
respectively. In the sea service are used a 30¹⁄₂-centimetre weighing
35.3 tons, caliber 12.007 inches, a short 26-centimetre weighing 17.67
tons, caliber 10.236 inches, a long 24-centimetre weighing 14.38 tons,
caliber 9.267 inches, and a short 24-centimetre. For both land and sea
service are employed a long 17-centimetre weighing 5.5 tons, caliber
6.771 inches, a short 17-centimetre, a long 15-centimetre weighing 3.03
tons, caliber 5.869 inches, and a long 15-centimetre weighing 3.09 tons.
FRANCE.--The guns adopted in the French service are both breech- and
muzzle-loading, and are, for the land service, a siege-gun, 24-pounder
rifled breech-loading, weighing 40.55 tons, caliber 6.01 inches, for
fortress guns a 24- and 12-pounder rifled muzzle-loading, weighing 5953
and 3307 pounds, and having calibers of 6.01 and 4.77 inches
respectively. For siege-guns a 24- and 12-pounder rifled weighing 4409
and 1940 pounds, whose respective calibers are 6.01 and 4.77 inches and
muzzle-loading. For field artillery a 12-, 8-, and 4-pounder rifled,
weighing respectively 1367, 1234.6, and 727.55 pounds, and whose
calibers are 4.77, 4.17, and 3.40 inches respectively, all
muzzle-loading. There is also a 4-pounder rifled muzzle-loading mountain
piece weighing 220.5 pounds, whose caliber is 3.40 inches. In the
sea-coast service there are a 30-pounder (muzzle-loader) not hooped,
weighing 61 cwt., caliber 6.48 inches, a 30-pounder (muzzle-loader or
breech-loader) hooped, weighing 70.86 cwt., caliber 5.46 inches, a
howitzer 22-centimetre rifled and hooped, caliber 8.66 inches. In the
French sea-service are a 32-centimetre weighing 34.5 tons, caliber
12.599 inches, and a 27-centimetre weighing 21.7 tons, caliber 10.803
inches. Both of these guns are breech-loading. For both land and sea
service are used a 24-centimetre weighing 13.8 tons, caliber 9.499
inches, a 19-centimetre weighing 7.9 tons, caliber 7.638 inches, a
16-centimetre weighing 98.42 cwt., caliber 6.484 inches, a 14-centimetre
weighing 52.26 cwt., caliber 5.456 inches. The guns used for sea service
only, or for both land and sea service, are all made of cast iron, tubed
with steel nearly to the trunnions, and strengthened near the breech by
steel rings heated and shrunk on. The fortress guns, most of the siege,
and all the field-guns are made of bronze. The large breech-loaders use
the solid breech-screw _fermeture_. The term “pounder” as applied to
certain guns has no reference to the weight of the oblong projectile
used, but to the weight of the corresponding spherical solid shot.
RUSSIA.--In the Russian service the Krupp gun is rapidly taking the
place of all others; there are, however, still used for sea service, a
12-inch and 6-inch breech-loader weighing 40 tons and 3.92 tons
respectively; also a 12.2-pounder boat-gun weighing 792 pounds, and for
both land and sea service an 8-inch breech-loader weighing 8.754 tons,
and an 8-inch breech-loading mortar, weighing 3.21 tons. These guns are
all made of steel.
=Ordnance, Ammunition for.= For convenience in loading and safety in
transportation, cannon ammunition is prepared in a peculiar manner and
with great care. The ammunition so prepared is classified into field and
mountain, siege and sea-coast ammunition.
_Ammunition for Field Service_ is composed of solid shot, shells,
spherical case-shot, and canister-shot (see headings). In mountain
service solid shot are omitted. A stand of ammunition is composed of the
projectile, sabot, straps, cartridge-bag, cylinder, and cap. The
projectile is secured by two tin straps, fastened at the ends with tacks
driven into the sabot. The straps cross each other at right angles; for
solid shot, one strap passing through a slit in the other; for hollow
projectiles, both straps are fastened to a tin ring which surrounds the
fuze-hole. A round of canister for the field service consists of a tin
cylinder filled with cast-iron shot, which slips over the end of the
sabot, to which it is secured with small nails. The materials of which
cartridge-bags are made are flannel, wildbore, or serge; the fabric
should be soft and closely woven, to prevent the powder sifting out.
Fabrics of cotton and flax are not used, because the powder sifts
through them, and they are more apt to leave fire in the gun than woolen
stuffs. A cartridge-bag for the field service is made of two pieces,--a
rectangular piece for the sides, and a circular piece for the bottom.
The charge is determined by measurement. The cylinder and cap are made
of stout paper. The cylinder is used to give stiffness to the cartridge
at the junction of the sabot and bag; the cap covers the exposed portion
of the bag, is drawn off before loading, and placed over the projectile,
or thrown away. The cartridge-bag is attached to the projectile by tying
it around the grooves of the sabot with twine.
_Fixed Ammunition._--Ammunition thus prepared is called fixed
ammunition. It is used in the field and mountain service for smooth-bore
guns and howitzers. For rifled guns the bag and projectile are carried
separately. The term _strapped ammunition_ is applied when the
projectile is attached to a sabot without grooves; and to give a proper
form to the cartridge-bag, the mouth is closed with a cartridge-block,
which resembles a sabot; hence the name strapped ammunition. This kind
of cartridge is nearly obsolete.
_Packing, etc._--As soon as ammunition is finished it should be gauged,
to see that it is of the proper caliber; it is afterwards packed in
boxes containing 10 rounds each.
_Siege and Sea-coast Ammunition._--On account of the great weight of
siege and sea-coast ammunition, the cartridge-bag and projectile are
carried separately. The cartridge-bags for large charges of powder are
made of two pieces of woolen stuff, or of a paper tube with a woolen
cloth bottom. The former are preferred for rapid firing. For sea-coast
howitzers the bag should fill the chamber; if the piece be fired with a
reduced charge, a cartridge-block should be inserted into the bag to
give it proper size. For mortars the bag is only used to carry the
powder, and when the piece is loaded, the powder is poured into the
chamber; bags of any suitable size will answer for this service. For
hot-shot cartridges bags are made double, by putting one bag within
another. Care should be taken to see that the bags are free from holes.
For ricochet firing, or other occasions when very small charges are
required, a cartridge-bag of inferior caliber may be used. In the siege
and sea-coast services, solid shot are transported and loaded loosely,
but hollow projectiles are strapped to sabots, to prevent the fuze from
coming in contact with the powder of the charge. The sabots are made
from thick plank, and the straps are fastened as in the field service.
=Ordnance, Carriages for.= The carriages for cannon may be classified
from their use into field, mountain, prairie, and sea-coast carriages,
and mortar-beds. (See particular headings.) They may be further divided
into those required for the immediate service and transportation of
cannon, as gun-carriages and mortar-beds, and those employed for the
transportation of ammunition, implements and materials for repairs, as
caissons, mortar-wagons, forges, and battery-wagons. The field-,
mountain-, prairie-, and siege-carriages being required for the
transportation of their pieces are similar in their construction; those
for sea-coast purposes differ materially from the others.
_Nomenclature of Artillery Carriage._--The principal parts of the
field-carriage and of all artillery carriages, other than the sea-coast,
are: stock, of squared wood in two pieces, which serves to connect the
gun-carriage with the limber, and to direct the piece; it includes the
head, to which the sponge-bucket ring is attached; groove, trail, or
curved part of the stock, which rest on the ground when the piece is
unlimbered; rounding of the trail, trail-plate, a piece of iron fastened
to the end of the trail and terminated by a very strong ring, called the
lunette, which receives the pintle-hook by which the limber is attached;
pointing-rings, large and small, which receive the hand-spike;
trail-handles, on each side of the stock for the purpose of raising it;
prolonge-hooks, on which the prolonge is coiled; wheel-guard plates,
lock-chain, used to keep the wheel from turning; it is on the side of
the carriage, and has an eye-plate and bolt; sponge and rammer stop,
sponge-chain and hasp, ear-plate for sponge-chain and hasp; ear-plate to
support worm; key-chain and key; elevating-screw; the latter has a
handle with four prongs; elevating-screw box, elevating-screw bed,
rondelles, which connect cheeks and stock; cheeks, two pieces of wood
between which the gun rests; washer-hooks for handspike, washer-hook for
lock-chain, under-strap, right sponge-hook, sponge and worm-hook,
handspike-rings, trunnion-plates, into the beds or depressions of which
the trunnions fit; cap-squares, cap-square chain, key-chain and key.
Axle, including axle-body, of wood; axle-tree, of iron, axle-arm, the
rounded extremities of the axle-tree on which the wheels revolve;
linch-pin, linch-pin washer and hook. Wheels; each includes nave,
nave-bands, nave-box, spokes, felloes, tire. In the new model for field
service, cannoneers’ seats are on the axle between the cheeks and
wheels; each consists of an iron chair supported on a rectangular bar
inserted in a vertical iron socket, and resting on a strong steel
spring; the socket is supported by two brass braces fastened to the axle
by axle-straps; to an iron cross-piece at the top of the socket are
attached two iron braces, which help to support the iron foot-rest
attached to the brass braces. The chair has arms and faces to the trail.
This refers to the carriage proper, considered only in relation to the
fire of the piece, or as a two-wheeled carriage. To suit it to the easy
and rapid transportation of its load it must be converted into a
four-wheeled carriage, which is done by attaching it to another
two-wheeled carriage called a limber.
The _limber_ consists of a similar axle-body, axle, and two wheels, and
on these rests a frame-work, to receive the tongue. On top of the whole
is an ammunition-box, the top of which forms a seat for three
cannoneers. In rear of the axle-tree is a pintle-hook to receive the
lunette of the trail. Connected with the frame-work in front is a fixed
splinter-bar with four hooks, to which are attached the traces of the
wheel horses. At the extremity of the tongue are placed two pole-chains,
by which the tongue or pole is held up, and a pole-yoke with two movable
branches, to prevent, as much as possible, the pole from oscillating and
striking the horses. The principal parts of a field-limber are: pole,
including pole-pad; pole-straps, by which the pole is guided when the
team is hitched; pole-strap iron, pole-yoke, muff and collar, pole-yoke
branches, to which are attached sliding-rings; splinter-bar, to which
the horses are hitched by four trace-hooks; end-bands, middle-bands,
pole-prop, including socket, ferrule, and chain; hounds, pieces of wood
upon which the chests rest, connecting the axle-body with the
splinter-bar; forks, pieces of wood between the hounds, forming an
opening in which the pole is placed; fork-strap, foot-boards,
foot-board brackets, chest, chest-handles, cover, of wood; cover-plate,
of copper; turnbuckle, hasp, back-stay, front-stay, stay-pins, stay-pin
keys, under strap, pintle-hook, on rear part of axle-tree, which
attaches the limber to the carriage; pintle-hook key, axle, wheels. The
field-carriages employed in the U. S. service are three, one for the
3-inch rifle carriage (which, with slight modifications, is adapted to
the 1-inch mitrailleur), one for the 12-pounder, and one for the
¹⁄₂-inch and .45-inch mitrailleur. The corresponding parts of these
carriages differ only in their dimensions. All limbers are similar.
_Mountain-Carriage._--The mountain-carriage differs in construction from
the field-carriage inasmuch as the stocks and cheeks are formed of the
same piece by hollowing out the head of the stock, the wheels are
smaller and the axle-tree is made of wood, the arms being protected from
wear by skeans. It is arranged for draught by attaching a pair of shafts
to the trail. The pack-saddle and its harness are constructed to carry
severally the howitzer and shafts, the carriage, or two
ammunition-chests; or it enables an animal to draw the carriage with the
howitzer mounted upon it.
_Prairie-Carriage._--The prairie-carriage is designed to carry the
mountain howitzer, and is similar to the mountain-carriage in form; but
being exclusively for draught, the axle-tree is of iron, and the wheels
are made higher and the distance between them greater than in the
mountain-carriage. It has a limber and is drawn by two horses abreast,
as in field-carriages. The ammunition is packed in mountain
ammunition-chests, two of which are carried on the limber.