The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-05-29

NORTARS.

Mortars are as ancient IA cannon, and were
employed to throw red-hot iron and stones before
the invention of shells. The first shells used
were in l435, when Naples was besieged by
Charles VIII, at which siege they were said to
have made terrible havoc among the enemy
/ They are manufactured of iron and brass The
iron are 8, 10, and l3 inch in calibre, and the
brass IL and As inches in bore. The l3
inch iron require 3 pounds to charge, the 10 inch
pounds, and the 8 inch two pounds The lar
/ gest mortar in the world vas cast bv NJ. Malet,
/ tor the British Government, to carry shell
weighing Il pounds, but it proved failure. Ii
was SO inch bore.
Howitzers are pieces OF ordnance OF medium
length between the cannon and mortars, used
for throwing shells or large balls at point blank
range, or at a small elevation+ They are usual
| " made of brass. The first howitzer was said TO
have been invented by Belidor, III Germany, and
was used at the siege of Ath in 1897. HOwit-
zers range as 80, "a, l2, and 6pOunders, the
LATER size being used for light batteries in field
service There are also | and ! pounders
which are very effective in mountainous or hi
/ " country, ard are called mounted howi,zers.-
/ They can BE transported By drag ropes or packed
on the backs OF mules, co light is their construc-
I ton Grape and small shot are used in them TO
Q
tive in the last war with Mexico, and Lieut.. Re
10 Of the Ordnance Department, used them
! with grea, success A go pound howitzer re-
qures 3 IL pounds of powder for charge; a
! "a pound hOwitzer2 . l-2 pounds II pound
howitzer, p,unds !; and a 6pounder or
) 10 ounces ~ charge. llowitzers are used
more for firing shell than the mortar, and the
United States army are provided with lare num-
Der Of siege howitzers-a very heavy gun.
PRoJECrILEs OF WAR.
Prjectiles Z. are round shot, spherical
case shot, shells, schrapnell, grape, canister, and
chain shot. she'll is hollow sphere OF IRON
filed with gUuI.o"der, iron, balls, &c, fired from
a how;tz,r, o,iar, or cOlumbiad The charge
is introduced into hole about an inch in diam
e,er, and fired by means OF fuse-there is a
tube Of wood or composition filled with nealed
powder, salphcr and saltpe;re, and is cut at just
I the length the shell is calculated 10 explode
Great precision andaccuracy have been attained
ia the measuring and calculation OF distances by
scientific art:llcrists Schrapnell shells shells
filed with a quantity Of musket balls, which,
when the shell expOdes, are projected about one
hundred and fifty yards further. They are fired
from guns, mortars and hOwitzers, and are terri
DIV effective. A six FOUNDER spherical case shot
contains twenty seven musket balls. Grape shot
is a quantity of small shot put into canvas bag
and corded together in a cylindrical form, adap
ted to the calibre of the piece from which it ID
fired. Canister shot is a number OF metallic shot
enclosed in ii metallic case. adapted to the calibre
OF the gun. hich, when it bursts, scatters the
shot in every direction. Chain shot consists OF
number of balls connected together by small
chain, which, when fired from cannon, is ejec
ted 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
more particularly in siege batteries, and are the
most common of war projectes. There are also
hand grenades used being shell filed with smal
shot and scraps Of iron and glass, which are
very destructive in close conflict. - Cineinndt
Gazette.
sIhe charge of the tennch fOrme ly IS lbs but y
has been reduced 10 los, and in the manner ha
the inch reduced. The eNt.Sma "f the 10
inch > = mi e. the angle If 35 de-. soov
the b tizoB. (Se- Ordinance Manual!
tpont blank nge the distance 7" VIII ch shot i
he'd If carrei in hc' izontal direction.