The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-03
Batteries ~Seventy-Fiv
Years Ago.

The particular functions Of tho three lead
ing classes of ships Of war-the sloop, the
frigate and the ship of the line-have now
been stated. 1t remains to give an account
of the chief features of the armament car
ried on their broadsides, as described.
When the century began the batteries OF
ships were composed Of two principal
classes Of guns-the long gun and the short
gun, or carronade. The difference between
these lay in the way the weight of metal
allowed for each was utilized. The long
gun, as its name implies, was comparative
ly long and thick, and threw a small ball
with a heavy charge of powder. The ball.
therefore, flew swiftly and had a long range.
A carronade of the same weight was short
and comparatively thin, could use only a
small charge of powder lest it burst, and
threw q large ball. Its shot,. therefore.
moved slowly and had a short range. Fired
at a target-a ships side-within range of
both guns, the shot from the long gun pen
etrated quickly. the wood had not time to
splinter badly, and a clean hole was the
| result. The carronade's shot. on the con-
trary, being both larger and slower. pene-
trated with difficulty. all the surrounding
wood felt the strain and broke into splin-
tiers, leaving a large Jagged hole il the shot
got through.
The smashing OF the carronades. when
fully. realized, was worse than penetration.
ard Vas greatly dreaded; but, on the other
hand, a ship which feared them In an OPP
ponent might keep out of their range. This
expedient' was so effective that carronades.
which did great damage until their tactics
were understood. gradually fell in disfavor.
Nevertheless. they remained in use till after
the peace of 1915. In 1914 the battery OF the
U. S. S. Essex was chiefly carronades. and
their inadequate range was q large factor
in her defeat.
" IT. -z,g-d H.. z,foo -,,r, 80 Ill
sorts fired only n~on-eXplosiye projecties.
solid or hollow shot. The destructive shell
of the present day was used only by pieces
called mortars in vertical firing.
The real fighting was done by the long
guns and carronades disposed in the broad
sides. Besides rapidity and precision OF
fire, always invaluable. the two opponents
sought advantage of position by manoeuvr-
ing. They closed or they kept apart, &C
cording to their understanding of. the
others weight and kind of battery. Each
tried. when possible. to lie across the bow
or the stern of the enemy. for then his
guns ranged from end to end. of the hostile
ships. while the latter's broadside could not
reply.
Besides these recognized advantages Of
position. there was also a question upon
what part of the enemy the fire should be
directed. In this there were two principal
schools of tactics. one of which aimed at
the hull, to break down the fire of the
hostile ship and destroy her fighting men.
while the other sought, by pointing higher.
to cut away the sails, rigging and masts,
rendering the foe helpless. The latter. in
general, was the. policy of the French; the
former. and. it may be affirmed, the more
surely successful. was the practice OF the
British. The two schools find their ceun-
terpart in the tactical considerations which
now affect the question of rapid-fire and Of
heavy guns. each of which has its ap-
propriate target. covering in the latter case
the motive power. in the former the per-
sonnet.