Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-03-31
FROM q'HE PUBLIC ADTERrYssR.
OF GUN BOATS.

! VI w " DNtft q y.
a gun boat, carving heavy metal. is a
movable fertilization and there is no mode
or system of defence the United States can
go into for coasts and liarbors or ports, that
will be so eftectual as by gun boats.
Ships of the line are bv no WAYS fitted COY.
the defence of a coast. They are too bulky
to act in narrow waters, and cannot act at
all IN shoal waters. Like whale thew
must be in deep water and at a distance
from land
Frigates require less room to act in tina II
ships of the line but frigate is o feeble
machine compared with 4 gun boat Were
a frigate to carry and discharge the same
weight of metal and ball that Gun boat
can do, 1t would shake her opieces. The
timbered strength OF everv ship of war ;s
In proportion to the weight of metal she is
to carry, and the weight of metal she is .o
be exposed to. The sides of sri~atc are
proof against the weight of oau that a
gun boat can discharge. The difference
between two ships of war is not so much IN
\ their number of guns, as in their weight of
| metal
remember the late commodore Johnson
saying in the British house of commons at
The commencement Of The American war,
| that "I single gun in retired situation,
'yontd drive shit OF RE line from, her
mornings. I mention this (said he J that
700 much may nor be erheeted. from tie ma
ny
| A gun boat can carry gun of the same
weight of metal and bah that a ship of an
| hundred guns can carry; and she carries it
TO the greatest possible advantage. The
shot from gun boat is horizontal shot
! The gun is fixed i'm frame that slips in a
| groove, and when the man at the helm
brings the head of the boat to point to the
ship, the gun is pointed with II. When a ship
fights with her starbolrd or larboard runs,
/ she presents the whole broad side of the
J ship to the object she fires at. A GUN boat
! fights only with her head. that is. with llle
/ gun at her head, and when she fires at an
object, she presents only the breadth of the
boat 10 that object Suppose then boat 10
be ten feet broad and two feet OUT of the
water, Il speak here of bHsts intended for
the defence of the coasts, and of towns 81
! tuated near the coast. and To carry a gun
OF the same weight of metal and ball I'll At
a ship OF the line carrIes.l such boat will
present space to be fired ate1ral to TWEEN
! ty square feet that is ten tees horizontal
| length (heing the breadth of the hra.l-and
two feet perpendicular hc@ht, being the
height Of the boat out III the water. Sup
*
hundred feet long and ten feet HIGH cut oI
| the water, she will present space to he
fired at equal to one thousafid square feet
/. that is, an hundred multiplied b, ten. I,
f is probable that ship in firing at "A gur
boat would FIRE one of her bow guns, be.
cause in so ing she apparently shortens
: about one half her length but she can fire
, out one gun at a time in this angular posi-
. ton.
, But the gun boat has other chances If
her favor besides what arise from the diff
, ferent dimensions of the two objects. IF z
D shot from the ship, though in straight
, line with the boat passes more than two
\ feet above the water at the place where
the boat is, it will pass over the boat with
r out striking it. But shot from the boa
that is too high to strike the ship, ma,
e strike the mast and carry it away. 1t i
= by this means that masts are carried away
= The shot that does it passes clear above tn,
n ship, and spends its whole force against til,
masts. Again, if shot from ship pass al
n inch or two wide Of the boat, it can do he
Il no injury. But shot from the boat tina
= passes five or six inches wide of the body q
S the ship at the stern, may unship or carr
r away her rudder This, and the carrying
v away a mast, are the two most fatal acci
Il them can happen to gun boat.
: Of .he number Of men killed or wounde
! in ship, the greater part of them is M
i by cannon balls, but by splinters from tn
: inside of the ship that Hy in all directions
r but the sides of a gun boat not being THO
r like the sides of a ship, ball would pas
through without splnters; and as an efFec
c tual way to prevent splnters, should an
i happen to be apprehended, the sides of Tn
y boat on the inside should be lined with
o strong netting made Of cord which the me
e can make themselves. The cabins {
d French ships are frequently lined in thi
l. manner.
/. Musketry can be used by ship agains
a ship in close action, but cannot be used a
e gainst gun boats, because gun boat draw
is ing but little water, not more than two an
J. an halt or three feet, and depending upo
It oars, can always keep out Of the reach {
d musketry. The proper distance for gu
e boat to fire at is point blank shots Tn
10 men should be frequently exercised at fl
E, ing point blank shot at banks Of earth O
2, shore, or against the high perpendiculs
d shores Of rivers, like the North River, {
\, against the hulk Of old ships that are to b
IN broken up, the men at the helm TO poll
l. the boat and give the order for firing.
j. gun boat should not carry a less weight
~ ball than twenty four pounds. A friga
y would not chuse to expose her sides TO SUE
tt shot.
The first gun boats built in the Unit,
Cfatpe we're for Tho dafepce &c fha DcI