Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-07-20
Sflistellanp.
What is a Conkreve Rocket?

cannon when fired, wll have noticed the re-
coil or backward moveAent of the piece on its
wheels. More feelingg the force of the re-
coil will manifest itseH to the rookshooter,
who often gets punishM for his wanton de-
struction Of corvine life, by bruised shoulder,
or occasionally even 9Aroken collar bone.
A rocket, in point offact, may be described
as gun charged with.a slow burning combus-
tible, so that when discharged, or rather ig-
nited, it recoils, frsG a little, then a little
more and so more and more, until the force of
the recoil imparts to Tie mass power pro-
portionate to its weighpmultiplied by its We
locitv. H
Most persons are c9gnlzant, we presume, of
the fact, that each rosket is furnished with
stick, serving the Purpose of rudder, or a
tail. Now the skyfocket is propelled in con-
sequence of its owhtecoi. AS for the stick
tail, or rudder-ts.R .Rse is to keep the mouth
or aperture of the rocket from which the flame
escapes, continually downwards 1t is tied
laterally to the rocket. If admitted Of being
| affixed centrally, Men the flight of the rocket
would be more direct, instead of having a
general tendency p lateral flight. Consider
t~ing the rocket asAn ornamental frework its
directness of 1igFs would be rather prejudicial
than otherwise, iM curvilinear path being ex-
ceedingly beautifM. Were it desirous how
ever, TO metamorPhose the sky rocket into a
warlike projectila then in proportion to its
directHess of flight, would be its advantages.
The construction of Congreve, or war
rocket chiefly differs from sky rocket in hav-
ing a sheet irond instead Of a paper cone, and
in being supplied with central instead of
lateral stick. Ehe first Congreve rockets did
not possess the latter advantage, but had sticks
laterally attached like those OF ordinary sky
rockets
Sir William EOngreve, by over Jealous adj
vOcates is assumed to be their Inventor, al
though he himself dlsclaims the honor, and in
his book on the rocket practice, states that
rockets, cOnsideted as projectile weapons,
were of great antiquity in India and China,
and claims only tb be the improver of the
weapon. Indeed, there is undoubted testimo-
ny, that the projectile force of the rocket used
as military weapon was known in Europe
before the latter paftOf the sixteenth century.
The war rocketS is very terrible instru-
ment Of destruction1 possessing certain advan-
tages which other projectiles do not. Thus,
for example, the discharge Of rockets, as a
consequence of their very nature, is attended
with no recoil against a solid body. That
what corresponds with recoll in an ordinary
gun, is, as we have seen, the propusive force
of the rocket, and the, counterpart of this pro-
pulsive force is exerted against the air. Ow-
ing to this absence Of practical recoil, rockets
may be fired from boats just large enough TO
carry them; whereas shells of equal weight,
if employed in naval warfare, can be fired on
ly from very strong ships. Rockets carrying
within themselves their own propulsive pow
er, require neither guns nor mortars to pro-
ject them consequently they may be fired
from places altogethefinaccessbleto to artillery,
and they may be constructed Of much larger
dimensions than anWavailable shot or shell.
''rhe rocket to use the words OF Congreve,
'brings into operatiofsthe power Of artillery
everywhere, and is nowhere embarrassed by
the circumstances limiting the use of artillery
1t imparts to infantry and cavalry the force Of
artillery, in addition % the power of their own
respective arms. Thus, foot soldier might
on particular occasions, carry several IL
pound rockets, each having the propulsiye and
penetrating effect of D IL pound cannon shot,
without the embarrassment of the IL FOUNDER
gun.
The employment Of the war-rocket is not
however attended with those universal advan-
tages, over shot and shell, claimed for it by
Congreve. Amidst is good qualities, there
turks the very bad ons OF irregularity Of flight,
its accuracy of trajectory curve not being COM
parable with that of acannon-ball or SHE'LL
The long wooden stick affords a powerful lev
er for the wind to act upon, the iron rocket
itself being at the same time unequally af
fected; hence ultimate DETECTION takes place.
The striking Of casual object in the course
Of rockets flight is5another ordinary course
Of DETECTION, and froW this rockets have some
times come back, likeboomerangs, to the spot
whence they were irTd.
Some of the newly 3nvented projectiles hav-
Hing been forwarded to the Peninsula, the Duke
took an early opportunity of trying their range
and effects. The British outposts were on
one side of marsh ;Rthe enemy's outposts on
the others. The distance was convenient, the
rockets were pointedklighted and discharged.
The result was anYthing but satisfactory,
Either because the wind was unfavorable, or
because the rockets had not been long enough
in the field to know sfriend from foe, or for
some other reason, they with common consent
turned tail to the enemy, and came back to
their friends. The Duke entertained preju-
dice against them from that day forward new
ertheless, they are aclA Aowledged to have saved
a brigade of Guards during the passage of the
Adour; and subsequently, at Waterloo, they
made sad havoc amonsst the enemy.
Congreve suggestedsthree methods of firing
his rockets: L. From tube and single; 2.
In volley from nyiubes, mounted on one