CHARGES OF GREATEST EFFICACY FOR ARTILLERY AT SEA» gQ 



Scholium. 



This problem is not only of the utmost importance, and The problem 



Factvcally useful in naval eneajjemeats, but in several iu- ^i'P'"^^°'^ ^o 

 stiincei aho of military operations; as the bursting open asiwvaiopeiA- 

 gates of besieged cities with promptitude and eflect, and ^'O"^- 

 breaking up ^41 fortifications compobed of wooden materials, 

 especially those of a splintering nature, to which the fore- 

 going charges apply most correctly. In the case of a u^bval Advantage of 



action, where the object to be penetrated is of oak sub- ^ Proper 



111111- ii • 1 • • , ch.iree in a 



Stance, the ball, by having a small motion when it quits the seafight, 



ship's side, tears and splinters it excessively, breaking away 



large pieces before it, which are not so easily supplied in 



the reparation, whereas, on the otiier hand, if the shot had 



any considerable velocity when it quitted the side, the eifect and disadvan- 



it produced would be merely a hole, which would be stop- tageof toii= 



ped instantly by the mechanic employed for that pur[)Ose ; 



and indeed in a great measure by the springiness of the 



wood itself; for 1 have seen in his Majesty's dock-yaid 



at Woolwich, captured men of war having a number of 



shot holes in them ahnost wholly closed by the wood's 



own efforts; and that required nothing more than a small 



wooden peg or a piece of cork to stop them up per- , 



fectly. All the mischief therefore the balls can do under 



such circumstances of extreme celerity is, merely killing 



thope men who may chance to stand in the way of their 



motion. 



If any object to be destroyed be so thick, that it cannot Cases of 

 be completely pierced by any common engine; or if it be 'dicker sub-- 

 of a very brittle nature, such as stone or brick ; tlien that stone or bric^ 

 charge is to be used, which will give the greatest velocity to walls, 

 the shot, to produce the greatest effect. But in many cases 

 of bombardment this charge is by no means to be preferred ; 

 for though the effect produced each individual time be 

 greater, yet in any considerable time the whole effect would 

 be less than that from a smaller charge oftener tired, on 

 account of the extreme heat it would give to the engine 

 after a few discharges; and in consequence of which greater 

 time would be required for cooling the gun, and preparing 

 it for farther service. 



Example 



