ENGAGEMENT (continued)

"The barrel of the carabine is three feet long, including the stock. It has a much greater range than the rifle or musket, because the rifle of the barrel impedes the ball, which thereby makes the greater resistance at the first inflammation of the powder, and giving time for the whole charge to take fire before it goes out of the bore, it is at length thrown out with greater force than from the common musket." Le Blond's Elements of War.

The coehorn is a sort of small mortar, fixed on a swivel, and particularly used to discharge grenadoes, or cast bullets from close quarters in merchant vessels when boarded.

The fire arrow, dard à feu, is a small iron dart furnished with springs and bars, together with a match, impregnated with powder and sulphur, which is wound about it's shaft. It is intended to fire the sails of the enemy, and is for this purpose discharged from a musquetoon or swivel gun. The match being kindled by the explosion, communicates the flame to the sail against which it is directed, where the arrow is fastened by means of it's bars and springs. As this is peculiar to hot climates, particularly the West Indies, the sails, being extremely dry, are instantly inflamed, and of course convey the fire to the masts and rigging, and finally to the vessel itself.

The Powder-flask and stink-pot are described in the article BOARDING: and the organ is no other than a machine consisting of six or seven musket barrels fixed upon one stock, so as to be fired all at once.

Since a general engagement of fleets or squadrons of ships of war is nothing else than a variety of particular actions of single ships with each other, in a line of battle; it appears necessary, according to the plan of this work, to begin by describing the latter, and then proceed to represent the usual manner of conducting the former.

Reference Works