The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-05-01

gunpowder, iron balls &c. fired from howi,zer
mortar, or coumbiad. The charre is introduced
into mole about an inch ir diameter and fred b,
nieHus vi iuse-there Is tube of wood or campo
sltlon hiIed with mealed powder suIphur and sal n
petre, and is cut Just the lenGtb tho shaII :; col
| cuated to explode Great precision and accnrec,
have been attained in the measuring and coioniati
| of distances By scientific artillersts Schranr.I
she'll are shells hlled with quantity of muske
balls which when the shell eXplUdes are protected
| about one hundred and fifty yards further. The,
fired from guns, mortars, and howtZers, and arr
! terribly effective.
| A sx-pOunder spherical case shot contain
| twenty. seven musket balls. Grape shot is quan
tty of small shot put into canvass bag and corded
| together in cylindrical form, adapted to thu
caibre of the piece from which it is fired Canister
shot is number of metallic shot enclosed in
metallic case, adapted to the calibre of the gun
which, when it bursts, scatters the shot in every
direction. Chain shot consists of number of balls
connected together by a small chain, which, when
fired from cannon, is elected from it in a rotary
manner, and striking into a close column produces
terrible destruction. Chain shot are however, but
little used at the present day. Round and cOncal
shot are used particularly in siege batteries,
and are the most common of war proiectiles. There
are also hand grenades used, being shell filled with
small shots and scraps of iron and glass, which are
very destructive in close conflict. In conclusion of
the war pr0jectiles we shall notice
ROCKETS.
Rockets are composed Of hollow paper, wood, or
IRON cases, filed with a composition of explosive
material, used as signals and in some cases as i'm
pements of warfare, being filled with balls The
iron rocket was the invention of Sir William Con-
greve, of England and hollow iron case,
htled with explosive material and ball, and as
first used with success at the b0mbardment of Co
penhagen. The Hale rocket is an invention of
later date and is adopted in the United States
army. Experiments have been made with them
for siege purposes but up TO the present time with
but little success as they cannot be depended on to
Far oil thay-o inv ol,,o
BILE, and they have attained for this purpose great
state OF perfection.
There have also been many Improvements in
small arms within the last fifteen or twenty years
Look at the comparison between the old 1int-lock
musket, first manufactured in New Haven, COnnec-
tcut by Eli Whitney, in 1908, and the splendid
Minnie arm, turned out at the present day by our
Government manufacturers. The old musket
scarce attained range of so yards while the Minnie
musket ranges truly at over LOCO yards and has
been known to propel a ball one and a quarters
mile. We have breech-loading and revolving ri
lies OF every description and pattern; pistols
among which we may enumerate the celebrated
Colts revolver, which has such a worldwide repu-
tation; and last, thou gh not least, the Minnie
breech-loading rifle, with sword bayonet, terri
BILE weapon for skirmishing.
New models of light and heavy ordnance are
being turned out daily at the different manufac-
tories In the Union. In point of heavy ordnance,
the United States is far ahead of all nations of the
world, and her Board of Ordnance officers have a
reputation which cannot be excelled. Improve
ments are being made in gun-carriages, aud
number of gun-carriages have been manufactured
of wrought iron for the heavy sea-coast howitzers
and columbiads it having been proved in the Eng
lish service that they durable less like
y to reco, and cheaper in construction, according
to service.
FThe charge of the 1Onch formerly IS lbs,
has been reduced to lbs. and in the manner
the S-inch been reduced. The extreme range of the
lonch is from to TX miles at angle of 35 degrees