CANNON (continued)

Plate VII

a. The cap-squares, commonly called clamps in the sea-service.

b. Eye-bolts, by which one end of the clamp is fixed to the carriage.

c. Joint-bolts, upon which the other end of the clamp is fixed over the trunnions; alter which it is fore-locked, to prevent the cannon from starting out of it's carriage when fired.

b g. The cheeks or sides of the carriage.

d. The transom-bolt.

e. The bed-bolt, upon which the bed rests to support the breech of the cannon. The bed is expressed by fig 4.

f. Hind axle-tree bolts.

g. Breeching-bolts, with rings, through which the breechings pass.

h. Loops, or eye-bolts, to which the gun-tackles are hooked.

i. The fore axle-tree, with it's trucks, k.

j. The hind axle-tree, with it's trucks, k.

The wheels are firmly retained upon their axle-trees by means of iron bolts passing through the latter without the wheels: these bolts are called linch-pins.

The breadth of the wheels is always equal to that of the cheeks; but the heighth of the cheeks and diameter of the trucks must conform to the heighth of the gun-ports above the deck. The carriages of the lower tiers should therefore be so formed, that when the breech of the cannon lies upon the hind axle-tree, the muzzle of the piece should touch above the port, as expressed in fig. 19. which represents a cannon secured by it's tackles and breechings, to prevent it from straining the ship as she rolls in a stormy sea.

Cannon are charged by putting down into the bottom first a quantity of powder, one-third or one-half the weight of the ball. This is done with an instrument, fig. 7. termed a ladle, which is a kind of cylindrical spoon, generally made of copper, and fixed to the end of a staff, called it's handle. Upon the powder is put in a wad of rope-yarn, formed like a ball, which is pressed down upon the powder with the instrument expressed by fig. 10. called a rammer. Upon this wad is put the ball or shot; and to secure it in it's place another wad is firmly pressed down upon it, which operation is called ramming-home the wad and shot. The touch-hole of the piece is then filled with powder, from the upper-part of which a little train is laid that communicates with it. The use of this train is to prevent the explosion of the powder from operating directly upon the instrument employed to fire the piece, which in that case might be forced out of the hand of the gunner.

Reference Works