Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Gunshot injuries / by Sir Thomas Longmore. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.
670/764 page 624
![AlT. of a sixpence, with a depth of half an inch. Siihsequeutly ' pebble' powdw was introduced in 1869. In this powder the grains are more irregular iu form more compressed, and, therefore, of higher density. They resemble black pebbles of about half an inch in diameter, or of about the size of a common marble. The ])owder used in the experiments with the 81-ton gun has been angular iu out- line, and has varied in size fi'om 2-inch cubes to 1^-inch cubes. The powder used for rifled portable arms is of a size to be retained on a sieve having 20 meshes to the inch, and to pass through one ha\-ing 12 meshes. The glazing of the grains of fine powder is produced by their being rubbed against each other in machines made for this purpose; the glazing of some of the large grain pow- der is assisted by the addition of plumbago. Force exerted by exploded gimpoivder, note 4, iJage 7. Bunsen and Schischkoif, experimenting upon one gramme (15-43 grains) o sporting powder, determined the amount of heat due to the actual combustion o the powder to be 019-5° 0. (1115° R), and calculated the temperature of th flame produced by the combustion to be 2,093° 0. (5,419° F.). They also esti- mated _ the maximum pressure exerted by the gases at the first instant of evolution on the inner surface of the gun and on the projectile at 4,374 atmo- spheres—Quoted from Pogg. Ann., c. ii. 321; Wagner's Jahresb. 1857, p. 131; 1858, p. 158. Art. ' Gunpowder ' in Watts' ' Dictionary of Chemistry,' 1864. Fulminating poivder, note 5,2mge 7. The composition for the percussion caps used with English rifles contains fulminate of mercury, 4 parts; chlorate of potash, 6 parts; ground glass, i' parts ; the last being used to cause more friction among the particles. Sidphide of antimony is added iu some compositions of a .similar kind. Bombard, note 6, }iage 12. The word ' bombard ' is now no longer in use as a substantive, though it is still retained as a verb, and in the artilleryman's title of 'bombardier.' The sound resulting from the discharge of the gim led to the origin of the name: * bombus,' or ' Ijombardus,' being Latin for the blast of a trumpet. Early use of guns, note 7, page 12. ' It is afilrmed that in this memorable battle ' (battle of OriScy, or Oressy. fought on August the 26th, 1346) ' the English began for the first time to use cannon, a thing yet unheard of in France. Four pieces, planted on a little hill, did great execution among the French troops, and struck them with such terror, that the success of this day is partly ascribed to the surprise of the French at this novelty.'—Rapin, translated by N. Tindal, 2nd edition, vol. i. ]). 425. Size of early guns, note 8, ^Jf/ye 12. The size to which iron cannon, or bombards, were cast is shown by an acci- dent which is quoted by various wi-iters as having occurred in the year 1478. In this instance, the projectile used with the gun weighed 5 cwt.; and as the maker of the gun, and a number of other persons were engaged in lowering one for a second discharge, the gunpowder suddenly exjjloded, casting out the bafl, and, at the same time, bursting the piece. Sixteen persons are said to have been killed by the ball itself and sLx others by fragments of the gun. Round shots or cannon-halls, note 9, page 14. Balls, from fiaWa, to cast. Curiously, the terms in France for cannon balls and musket bullets were the reverse oif the corresponding terms in I'lnglisli. ' Boulets,' the diminutive of boule, or halle, was used for cannon-balls, or'guii- shot; ' balles,' for musket or pistol bullets.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21511421_0670.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
