MOR 
at present, when a place lying in the same 
horizontal plane with the mortar, is to be 
bombarded, tliey elevate the piece to 45°, 
and augment or diminish the charge of 
powder until they can hit the mark. The 
following advantages introduced this prac- 
tice : 1. The public powder is saved as 
much as possible ; because, at a direction 
of 45°, a less velocity, and consequently a 
less charge of powder is required to make 
any horizontal range, than is necessary to 
make the same horizontal range at any other 
elevation. 2. In elevating mortars to their 
proper directions, gunners seldom come 
within a degree or two of the proposed ele- 
vation, both on account of the imperfection 
of the instruments which they generally use 
for that purpose, and the hurry they are in 
at that time. And in bombarding towns 
from ships, it is scarce possible to come 
within two degrees of the designed eleva- 
tion, because of the agitation of the vessel, 
which continually changes the direction of 
the mortar. But by raising the mortar to 
45°, the bad consequences of this inaccu- 
racy of elevation are in a great measure pre- 
vented, because a small error above or be- 
low 45°, occasions’ a very inconsiderable 
error of amplitude. 
For the same reasons, also, places lying 
above or below the horizontal plane, passing 
through the piece, are bombarded by di- 
recting the mortar so as its axis may bisect 
the angle comprehended between a per- 
pendicular to the horizon, at the point of 
projection, and a line drawn from that point 
to the mark aimed at ; and then augmenting 
and diminishing the charge of powder until 
the object be hit. 
When the business, therefore, can be ef- 
fectually done by this middle elevation, it 
ought certainly to be preferred to any other. 
However, in the course of a siege it fre- 
quently happens, tliat several of the cases 
mentioned under the article Gunnery, are 
made use of either by the assailants or de- 
fendants. Whence we may infer, that 
though mortars are oftenest, and most fitly, 
used at 45° elevation, yet they ought not to 
be founded of one piece with their bed, be- 
cause such are not only very costly but un- 
wieldy, and therefore unfit to be raised to 
any desired elevation. See Gunnery. 
Mortars are most fit for service when 
hung by trunnions and propped with quoins, 
especially if their carriages be steady 
enough to prevent the effects of sudden 
recoiling. 
In shooting with mortars, the following 
MOR 
general rules should be always observed. 1. 
To measure the distance of the object 
aimed at. 2. That the bombs be of equal 
weight, otherwise the shots will vary. 3. 
That the carriage be on an exact level, to 
prevents its leaping. 4. That the powder 
with which the piece is charged, be always 
of the same strength and quantity. 5. That 
the charge be always equally rammed 
down. 6. That the wads be always of 
wood, tompions, or oakum. 7. That the 
fusees be fresh made the days on which tliey 
are to be used ; and that they be of a com- 
position proportionable to the range of the 
shot in the air, so that the bomb may break 
at the very moment of, or soon after its fall j 
which composition must be such as not to be 
extinguished though itfall in water, but conti- 
nue burning till the bomb breaks. See Bomb. 
MORTGAGE, signifies a pawn of lands 
or tenements, or any thing immoveable, 
laid or bound for money borrowed, to be the 
creditor’s for ever, if the money be not paid 
at the day agreed upon ; the creditor is 
then called tenant in mortgage, or mort- 
gagee ; and the pawner is called thq mort- 
gagor. It is called mortgage, because 
the estate becomes dead and forfeit as 
to the owner by non payment at the day, 
and because at strict law, the receipt 
of the rents and profits by the mortgagor 
does not go in discharge of the debt. Mort- 
gages are either in fee, or for term of years, 
and the mortgagor was formerly considered 
as tenant at will to tlie mortgagee, but he is 
now considered to have no legal estate 
whatever in the land. 
The last and best improvement of mort- 
gages is the mode now adopted, where the 
mortgage is made for a term of years, that 
the mortgagor if he has also tlie fee cove- 
nants to convey the fee to the mortgagor 
and his heirs, or any person whom he may 
appoint, in case of default in payment of 
the money. This mode unites the advantage 
of a mortgage in fee and for years. Al- 
though after breach of the condition, the es- 
tate is absolute at common law in the mort- 
gagee ; yet a right of redemption subsists in 
equity,which is called the equity of redemp- 
tion, from the benefit of which the heir of 
the mortgagor cannot be excluded by any 
covenant, provided the original intent is to 
mortgage the estate, and not to sell it at 
first. This right goes to those who would 
have had the estate if it had not been in- 
cumbered. The rule is once a mortgage, 
and always a mortgage, and even a person 
who comes in under a voluntary convey- 
