ARTILLERY. 



It was many years after the introduc- 

 tion of cannon in Europe, before they at- 

 tained that form and equipment which 

 fitted them for any extensive use. At the 

 siege of Constantinople, before mention- 

 ed, which was 107 years after the battle 

 of Cressy, their form was in the highest 

 degree rude and inconvenient ; the object 

 of their use then seemed to be, to imitate 

 the effect of the ancient balista in throw- 

 ing large masses of stone ; the large can- 

 non before mentioned, that threw a stone 

 of tiOQlbs. weight, was so unwieldy, that 

 60 oxen were employed nearly two 

 months in drawing it about 150 miles from 

 Adrianople; and it could be only charged 

 and discharged seven times each day. 



We find that, at no very remote period, 

 the chief reliance in war continued to be 

 placed in other implements of battle than 

 those for which gunpowder was necessary. 

 In the reign of Henry the Seventh it ap- 

 pears that cannon were in some degree 

 neglected, as there is said to be no order 

 on record relative to gunpowder or can- 

 non iyi his reign. In the reign of Eliza- 

 beth the effect of the bow and arrow still 

 seems to be preferred in war to that pro- 

 duced by gunpowder, as there were se- 

 veral acts passed by her relative to bows 

 and archery, which showed them then 

 to be considered as of the utmost impor- 

 tance ; and even as late as the reign of 

 Charles the First, two special commis- 

 sions were granted for enforcing the use 

 of the long bow. 



In fact, it is only a few years back since 

 the use of cannon in the field, or artillery 

 properly so called, obtained the predomi- 

 nance it at present holds. The sera of 

 the French revolution may be considered 

 that of its complete adoption ; which was 

 not a little aided by the invention of the 

 species called fly ing artillery, which took 

 place shortly afterwards. 



By artillery, is also understood the sci- 

 ence which the officers of artillery ought 

 to possess. This science teaches the know- 

 ledge of the materials and ingredients that 

 enter into the composition and structure 

 of whatever relates to the artillery : the 

 construction, proportion, &c. of the differ- 

 ent warlike machines : the arrangement, 

 movement and management of cannon, in 

 the field, or in sieges, in such a manner, 

 that each of them according to the length 

 of its tube, and the diameter of its bore, 

 may be situated in the best place for doing 

 execution : and that the whole train, tak- 

 en together, may assist and support each 

 other with the greatest ad vantage. 



Cannon are chiefly prepared by casting 



fused metal into moulds made of a fit 

 form, and afterwards boring out the bar- 

 rels and touch-holes from the solid mass. 

 They were formerly cast with the barrels 

 hollowed out in part, and were afterwards 

 finished by boring; but the method now 

 in use prepares a greater proportion of 

 perfect pieces out of a given number of 

 casts. 



Cannon for field service, or artillery, 

 are usually made of copper, alloyed with 

 about a tenth of tin; the tin adds hard- 

 ness and solidity to the composition.which 

 (on account of its lightness, its greater 

 durability, and being less liable to burst, 

 and, when that accident occurs, not being 

 apt to fly asunder in small pieces, but ra- 

 ther splitting asunder,) is preferred to 

 cast iron. It is possible to make them 

 even lighter of hammered iron than of the 

 above composition ; and a very neatly 

 finished piece of this kind is among the 

 stores at the Warren in Woolwich, sent 

 in some years ago by the maker, as a spe- 

 cimen of what might be done in this way. 

 It was judged that its recoil would be too 

 great, on account of its singular lightness, 

 and therefore this sort was not introduced 

 into actual service ; but it would be no 

 great difficulty to prepare carriages for 

 them, so as to admit of having a sufficient 

 load of sand or earth added, when want- 

 ed, which might be thrown away when 

 they were to be removed to any distance ; 

 and then their great lightness would fit 

 them admirably for service in mountain- 

 ous countries. Cannon have also been 

 made of staves of hammered iron, bound 

 together by hoops of the same metal, and 

 a large one of this sort may be seen at 

 the Tower ; but we have no account as to 

 their use, durability, or safety. 



The form preferred for cannon may be 

 defined that of a right cone, obtruncated 

 at the apex, and from which a small cy- 

 linder has been subtracted, to form the 

 barrel. The greatest force of the ignited 

 powder being exerted at the breech, a 

 cannon is of course made thickest at that 

 part : its thickness diminishes but little 

 for about a quarter of its length, when it 

 is suddenly reduced in the breadth of its 

 mouldings in that part ; it is again reduc- 

 ed abruptly at about half its length, and 

 then continues diminishing very gradually 

 to near the muzzle, where it is again en- 

 larged ; it having been found that the shot 

 in departing was apt to exert a greater 

 force against the gun in that place. The 

 two parts of the gun, where the thickness 

 is increased, are called the reinforces. 

 Some guns have been made in foreign 



