ROCKET AMMUNITION._The Details of the Rocket System

Plate 13 represents all the different natures of Rocket Ammunition

which have hitherto been made, from the eight-inch carcass or explosion

Rocket, weighing nearly three hundred weight, to the six-pounder shell

Rocket, and shews the comparative dimensions of the whole.

This Ammunition may be divided into three parts--the heavy, medium, and

light natures. The _heavy natures_ are those denominated by the number

of inches in their diameter; the _medium_ from the 42-pounder to the

24-pounder inclusive; and the _light natures_ from the 18-pounder to

the 6-pounder inclusive.

The ranges of the eight-inch, seven-inch, and six-inch Rockets, are

from 2,000 to 2,500 yards; and the quantities of combustible matter,

or bursting powder, from 25lbs. and upwards to 50lbs. Their sticks

are divided into four parts, secured with ferules, and carried in

the angles of the packing case, containing the Rocket, one Rocket in

each case, so that notwithstanding the length of the stick, the whole

of this heavy part of the system possesses, in proportion, the same

facility as the medium and light parts. These Rockets are fired from

bombarding frames, similar to those of the 42 and 32-pounder carcasses;

or they may be fired from a slope of earth in the same way. They may

also be fired along the ground, as explained in Plate 9, for the

purposes of explosion.

These large Rockets have from their weight, combined with less

diameter, even more penetration than the heaviest shells, and are

therefore equally efficient for the destruction of bomb proofs, or the

demolition of strong buildings; and their construction having now been

realized, it is proved that the facilities of the Rocket system are not

its only excellence, but that it actually will propel heavier masses

than can be done by any other means; that is to say, masses, to project

which, it would be scarcely possible to cast, much less to transport,

mortars of sufficient magnitude. Various modifications of the powers

of these large Rockets may be made, which it is not necessary here to

specify.

The 42 and 32-pounders are those which have hitherto been principally

used in bombardment, and which, for the general purposes of

bombardment, will be found sufficient, while their portability renders

them in that respect more easily applied. I have therefore classed them

as medium Rockets. These Rockets will convey from ten to seven pounds

of combustible matter each; have a range of upwards of 3,000 yards; and

may, where the fall of greater mass in any particular spot is required,

either for penetration or increased fire, be discharged in combinations

of three, four, or six Rockets, well lashed together, with the sticks

in the centre also strongly bound together. The great art of firing

these _fasces of Rockets_ is to arrange them, so that they may be

sure to take fire contemporaneously, which must be done either by

priming the bottoms of all thoroughly, or by firing them by a flash of

powder, which is sure to ignite the whole combination at once. The 42

and 32-pounder Rockets may also be used as explosion Rockets, and the

32-pounder armed with shot or shells: thus, a 32-pounder will range

at least 1,000 yards, laid on the ground, and armed with a 5½-inch

howitzer shell, or an 18 and even a 24-pounder solid shot.

The 32-pounder is, as it were, the mean point of the system: it is the

least Rocket used as a carcass in bombardment, and the largest armed

either with shot or shell, for field service. The 24-pounder Rocket is

very nearly equal to it in all its applications in the field; from the

saving of weight, therefore, I consider it preferable. It is perfectly

equal to propel the cohorn shell or 12-pounder shot.

The 18-pounder, which is the first of the _light_ natures of Rockets,

is armed with a 9-pounder shot or shell; the 12-pounder with a

6-pounder ditto; the 9-pounder with a grenade; and the 6-pounder

with a 3-pounder shot or shell. These shells, however, are now cast

expressly for the Rocket service, and are elliptical instead of

spherical, thereby increasing the power of the shell, and decreasing

the resistance of the air.

From the 24-pounder to the 9-pounder Rocket, inclusive, a description

of case shot Rocket is formed of each nature, armed with a quantity

of musket or carbine balls, put into the top of the cylinder of the

Rocket, and from thence discharged by a quantity of powder contained

in a chamber, by which the velocity of these balls, when in flight, is

increased beyond that of the Rocket’s motion, an effect which cannot be

given in the spherical case, where the bursting powder only liberates

the balls.

All Rockets intended for explosion, whether the powder be contained

in a wrought iron head or cone, as used in bombardment: or whether in

the shell above mentioned, for field service, or in the case shot,

are fitted with an external fuse of paper, which is ignited from

the vent at the moment when the Rocket is fired. These fuses may be

instantaneously cut to any desired length, from 25 seconds downwards,

by a pair of common scissars or nippers, and communicate to the

bursting charge, by a quickmatch, in a small tube on the outside of the

Rocket; in the shell Rocket the paper fuse communicates with a wooden

fuse in the shell, which, being cut to the shortest length that can

be necessary, is never required to be taken out of the shell, but is

regulated either by taking away the paper fuse altogether, or leaving

any part of it, which, in addition to the fixed and permanent wooden

fuse in the shell, may make up the whole time of flight required. By

this system, the arrangement of the fuse in action is attended with a

facility, security, and an expedition, not known in any other similar

operations.

All the Rocket sticks for land service are made in parts of convenient

length for carriage, and jointed by iron ferules. For sea service they

are made in the whole length.

The 24-pounder shell and case shot Rockets are those which I propose

issuing in future for the heavy field carriages; the 18-pounder shell

and case shot for the light field carriages; the 12-pounder for the

mounted ammunition of cavalry; the 9 and 6-pounders for infantry,

according to the different cases already explained.

Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, represent the different implements

used for jointing the sticks, or fixing them to the Rocket, being of

different sizes, in proportion to the different natures to which they

belong. They consist of hammers, pincers, vices, and wrenches, all to

accomplish the same object, namely, that of compressing the ferule into

the stick, by means of strong steel points in the tool, so as to fix

it immoveably. The varieties are here all shewn, because I have not

hitherto decided which is the preferable instrument.

Fig. 10, 11, 12, and 13, represent another mode of arranging the

different natures of ammunition, which is hitherto merely a matter of

speculation, but which may in certain parts of the system be hereafter

found a considerable improvement. It is the carrying the Rocket, or

projectile force, distinct from the ammunition itself, instead of

combining them in their first construction, as hitherto supposed.

Thus, Fig. 10 is the Rocket, and Fig. 11, 12, and 13, are respectively

a shell, case shot, or carcass, which may be immediately fixed to the

Rocket by a screw, according as either the one or the other nature is

required at the time. A greater variety of ammunition might thus be

carried for particular services, with a less burthen altogether.

Fig. 14 and 15 represent the light ball or floating carcass Rocket.

This is supposed to be a 42-pounder Rocket, containing in its head, as

in Fig. 12, a parachute with a light ball or carcass attached to it by

a slight chain. This Rocket being fired nearly perpendicularly into the

air, the head is burst off at its greatest altitude, by a very small

explosion, which, though it ignites the light ball, does not injure the

parachute; but by liberating it from the Rocket, leaves it suspended

in the air, as Fig. 13, in which situation, as a light ball, it will

continue to give a very brilliant light, illuminating the atmosphere

for nearly ten minutes; or as a carcass, in a tolerable breeze, will

float in the air, and convey the fire for several miles, unperceived

and unconsumed, if only the match of the carcass be ignited at the

disengagement of the parachute.

It should be observed that, with due care, the Rocket ammunition is

not only the most secure, but the most durable that can be: every

Rocket is, in fact, a charge of powder hermetically sealed in a metal

case, impervious either to the ordinary accidents by fire, or damage

from humidity. I have used Rockets that had been three years on board

of ship, without any apparent loss of power; and when after a certain

period, which, from my present experience, I cannot estimate at less

than eight or ten years, their force shall have so far suffered as to

render them unserviceable, they may again be regenerated, at the mere

expense of boring out the composition and re-driving it: the stick,

case, &c. that is to say, all the principal parts, being as serviceable

as ever.

[Illustration: _Plate 13_ Figs. 1–15]

_The Ranges of these different Natures of Rocket Ammunition are as

follow:_

+-------+----------------------------------------------------------------+

| | ELEVATIONS (in Degrees), RANGES (in Yards) |

+-------+--------+-----+-----+-------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

|Nature |Point | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 60 |

|of |Blank, | to | to | to | to | to | to | to | to | to |

|Rocket |or | 25° | 30° | 35° | 40° | 45° | 50° | 55° | 60° | 65° |

+-------+--------+-----+-----+-------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

|6, 7, | | | | | | | | | |2,100|

|and 8 | | | | | | | | | | to |

|inch | | | | | | | | | |2,500|

| | | | | | | | | | | |

|42- | | | | | | | |2,000|2,500| |

|Pounder| | | | | | | | to | to | |

| | | | | | | | |2,500|3,000| |

| | | | | | | | | | | |

|32- |1,000 | | |1,000 |1,500|2,000|2,500|3,000| | |

|Pounder| to | | | to | to | to | to | to | | |

| |1,200 | | |1,500 |2,000|2,500|3,000|3,200| | |

| | | | | | | | | | | |

|24- |nearly | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | |

|18- |1,000 | |1,000|1,500 | |2,000| | | | |

|Pounder| | | to | to|2,000| to|2,500| | | |

| | | |1,500| | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | |

|12- |nearly | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | |

|9- | 800 |1,000|1,500| |2,000| | | | | |

|Pounder| to | to | and|upwards| to|2,200| | | | |

| |1,000 |1,500| | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | |

|6- |nearly | | | | | | | | | |

+-------+--------+-----+-----+-------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+