Wadding

Oakum, hay or straw, or any other article generally carried along with the guns to be made into wads. Experiments relative to the effects of Wadding . The quantity of powder requisite to raise a shell weighing 218 lb. clear of the mortar and bed was found to be 4 oz. 2 dr. without any wadding; but with the help of a little wadding, rammed over the powder, 3 oz. 1 dr. were sufficient. The powder, requisite to raise a shell weighing 106 lb. clear of the mortar and bed, was found to be 2 oz. 6 dr. without any wadding; but with wadding, properly rammed over the powder, 2 oz. were found to be sufficient. To raise a shell of 16 lb. 4 dr. were sufficient without wadding, and only 3 dr. with wadding. And to raise a shell of 8 lb. 2 dr. were enough without wadding, and 1 dr. two-thirds with wadding. From the above experiments it may be observed, that the judicious ramming of a little wadding over the powder, adds about ¹⁄₄ part of the whole effect.