Plate 11 represents two men of war’s launches throwing Rockets. The
frame is the same as that used for bombardment on shore, divested of
the legs or prypoles, on which it is supported in land service; for
which, afloat, the foremast of the boat is substituted. To render,
therefore, the application of the common bombarding frame universal,
each of them is constructed with a loop or traveller, to connect it
with the mast, and guide it in lowering and raising, which is done by
the haulyards.
The leading boat in the plate represents the act of firing; where the
frame being elevated to any desired angle, the crew have retired into
the stern sheets, and a marine artillery-man is discharging a Rocket by
a trigger-line, leading aft. In the second boat, these artillery-men
are in the act of loading; for which purpose, the frame is lowered to
a convenient height; the mainmast is also standing, and the mainsail
set, but partly brailed up. This sail being kept wet, most effectually
prevents, without the least danger to the sail, any inconvenience to
the men from the smoke or small sparks of the Rocket when going off;
it should, therefore, be used where no objection exists on account of
wind. It is not, however, by any means indispensable, as I have myself
discharged some hundred Rockets from these boats, nay, even from a
six-oared cutter, without it. From this application of the sail, it is
evident, that Rockets may be thrown from these boats under sail, as
well as at anchor, or in rowing. In the launch, the ammunition may be
very securely stowed in the stern sheets, covered with tarpaulins, or
tanned hides. In the six-oared cutter, there is not room for this, and
an attending boat is therefore necessary: on which account, as well as
from its greater steadiness, the launch is preferable, where there is
no obstacle as to currents or shoal water.
Here it may be observed, with reference to its application in the
marine, that as the power of discharging this ammunition without the
burthen of ordnance, gives it _exclusive_ facilities for land service,
so also, its property of being projected without reaction upon the
point of discharge, gives it _exclusive_ facilities for sea service:
insomuch, that Rockets conveying the same quantity of combustible
matter, as by the ordinary system would be thrown from the largest
mortars, and from ships of very heavy tonnage, may be used out of the
smallest boats of the navy; and the 12-pounder and 18-pounder have been
frequently fired even from four-oared gigs.
It should here also be remarked, that the 12 and 18-pounder shell
Rockets recochét in the water remarkably well at low angles. There is
another use for Rockets in boat service also, which ought not to be
passed over--namely, their application in facilitating the capture of a
ship by boarding.
In this service 32-pounder shell Rockets are prepared with a short
stick, having a leader and short fuze fixed to the stick for firing the
Rocket. Thus prepared, every boat intended to board is provided with
10 or 12 of these Rockets; the moment of coming alongside, the fuzes
are lighted, and the whole number of Rockets immediately launched by
hand through the ports into the ship; where, being left to their own
impulse, they will scour round and round the deck until they explode,
so as very shortly to clear the way for the boarders, both by actual
destruction, and by the equally powerful operation of terror amongst
the crew; the boat lying quietly alongside for a few seconds, until, by
the explosion of the Rockets, the boarders know that the desired effect
has been produced, and that no mischief can happen to themselves when
they enter the vessel.
[Illustration: _Plate 11_]
THE USE OF ROCKETS IN FIRE SHIPS, AND THE MODE OF FITTING ANY OTHER
SHIP FOR THE DISCHARGE OF ROCKETS.
Plate 12, Fig. 1, represents the application of Rockets in fire-ships;
by which, a great power of _distant_ conflagration is given to these
ships, in addition to the limited powers they now possess, as depending
entirely on _contact_ with the vessels they may be intended to destroy.
The application is made as follows:--Frames or racks are to be provided
in the tops of all fire-ships, to contain as many hundred carcass and
shell Rockets, as can be stowed in them, tier above tier, and nearly
close together. These racks may also be applied in the topmast and
top-gallant shrouds, to increase the number: and when the time arrives
for sending her against the enemy, the Rockets are placed in these
racks, at different angles, and in all directions, having the vents
uncovered, but requiring no leaders, or any nicety of operation, which
can be frustrated either by wind or rain; as the Rockets are discharged
merely by the progress of the flame ascending the rigging, at a
considerable lapse of time after the ship is set on fire, and abandoned.
It is evident, therefore, in the first place that no injury can happen
to the persons charged with carrying in the vessel, as they will
have returned into safety before any discharge takes place. It is
evident, also, that the most extensive destruction to the enemy may be
calculated on, as the discharge will commence about the time that the
fire-ship has drifted in amongst the enemies’ ships: when issuing in
the most tremendous vollies, the smallest ship being supposed not to
have less than 1,000 Rockets, distributed in different directions, it
is impossible but that every ship of the enemy must, with fire-ships
enough, and no stint of Rockets, be covered sooner or later with
clouds of this destructive fire; whereas, without this _distant power
of destruction_, it is ten to one if every fire-ship does not pass
harmlessly through the fleet, by the exertions of the enemies’ boats
in towing them clear--_exertions_, it must be remarked, _entirely
precluded_ in this system of fire-ships, as it is impossible that any
boat could venture to approach a vessel so equipped, and pouring forth
shell and carcass Rockets, in all directions, and at all angles. I had
an opportunity of trying this experiment in the attack of the French
Fleet in Basque Roads, and though on a very small scale indeed, it was
ascertained, that the greatest confusion and terror was created by it
in the enemy.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4, represent the mode of fitting any ship to fire
Rockets, from scuttles in her broadside; giving, thereby, to every
vessel having a between-deck, a Rocket battery, in addition to the
gun batteries on her spar deck, without the one interfering in the
smallest degree with the other, or without the least risk to the ship;
the sparks of the Rocket in going off being completely excluded, either
by iron shutters closing the scuttle from within, as practised in the
Galgo defence ship, fitted with 21 Rocket scuttles in her broadside,
as shewn in Fig. 3; or by a particular construction of scuttle and
frame which I have since devised, and applied to the Erebus sloop of
war: so that the whole of the scuttle is completely filled, in all
positions of traverse, and at all angles, by the frame; and thereby any
possibility of the entrance of fire completely prevented. In both these
ships, the Rockets may be either discharged at the highest angles, for
bombardment, or used at low angles, as an additional means of offence
or defence against other shipping in action; as the Rockets, thus used,
are capable of projecting 18-pounder shot, or 4½-inch shells, or even
24-pounder solid shot. This arrangement literally gives the description
of small vessels here mentioned, a second and most powerful deck, for
general service as well as for bombardment.
Smaller vessels, such as gun brigs, schooners, and cutters, may be
fitted to fire Rockets by frames, similar to the boat frames, described
in Plate 11, from their spar deck, and either over the broadside or
the stern; their frames being arranged to travel up and down, on a
small upright spar or boat’s mast, fixed perpendicularly to the outside
of the bulwark of the vessel. As a temporary expedient, or in small
vessels, this mode answers very well; but it has the objection of not
carrying the sparks so far from the rigging, as when fired from below:
it interferes also with the fighting the guns at the same time, and
can therefore only be applied exclusively in the case of bombardment.
All the gun brigs, however, on the Boulogne station, during Commodore
OWEN’s command there, were fitted in this manner, some with two and
some with three frames on a broadside.
[Illustration: _Plate 12_ Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4]