326 Mifitlhnea Curiofa. 



A Propofition of general Vfe in the Art of Gun- 

 nery, /hewing the Rjile of laying a Mortar to 

 fafs 9 in order to ftrif{e an ObjeH above or bc~ 



tow the Horizon. 



It was formerly the Opinion of thofe concerned 

 In Artillery, that there was a certain requifite 

 of Powder for each Gun, and that in Mortars, 

 where the diftance was to be varied, it muft be 

 done by giving a greater or leffer Elevation to 

 the Piece. But now our later Experience has 

 taught us that the lame thing may be more cer- 

 tainly and readily performed by increafing and 

 diminifhing the quantity of Powder, whef her re- 

 gard be had to the Execution to be done, or to 

 the Charge of doing it. For when Bombs are 

 difcharged with great Elevations of the Mortar, 

 they fall too Perpendicular, and bury themleives 

 too deep in the Ground, to do all that damage 

 they might, if they came more Oblique, and 

 broke upon or near the Surface of the Earth \ 

 which is a thing acknowledg'd by the Befieged 

 in all Towns, who unpave their Streets, to let 

 the Bombs bury themlelves, and thereby ftiflle 

 the force of their Splinters. A Second Conveni- 

 ence is, that at the extream Elevation, the Gun- 

 wci is not obliged to be fb curious in the dire&i* 

 on of his Piece, but it wilt fuffice to be within 

 a Degree or two of the Truth ; whereas in the 

 ©ther Method of Shooting he ought to be very 

 curious. But a Third, and no Tefc confiderable 

 Advantage is, in the faving the Prince's Powder, 

 which in fo great and fo numerous Diicharges, 

 as wefliave lately feen, muft needs amount to a 

 son&ierable, Value. And for Sea-Mortars, it is 



fcarcc 



