Mortars

are a kind of short cannon, of a large bore, with chambers: they are made of stone, bra , or iron. Their use is to throw hollow shells, filled with powder; which, falling on any building, or into the works of a fortification, burst, and their fragments destroy every thing within reach. Carca es are also thrown out of them. These are a sort of shells, with 5 holes, filled with pitch and other combustibles, in order to set buildings on fire; and sometimes baskets full of stones, the size of a man’s fist, are thrown out of them upon an enemy, placed in the covert-way during a siege. The very ingenious general Desaguliers contrived to throw bags, filled with grape-shot, containing in each bag, from 400 to 600 shot of different dimensions, out of mortars; the effect of which is extremely awful and tremendous to troops forming the line of battle, pa ing a defile, or landing, . pouring down shot, not unlike a shower of hail, on a circumference of above 300 feet. They are distinguished chiefly by the diameter of the bore. For example, a 13-inch mortar is that, the diameter of whose bore is 13 inches. There are some of 10 and 8-inch diameters; and some of a smaller sort, as cohorns of 4.6 inches, and royals of 5.8 inches. Weight and Dimensions of English Mortars. | Kind. | Weight. | Length. | [13] Powder contained in Chamber. | Range at 45°. | | Ct. | qr. | lbs. | Ft. | In. | lbs. | oz. | Yds. | | 13 | - | | Bra | | - | Sea S. | - | | | 82 | — | 8 | 5 | 3 | | 32 | — | 4100 | | Iron | 82 | 1 | — | | 20 | — | | | Bra | | - | Land. | - | | | 25 | — | 10 | 3 | 7 | ¹⁄₂ | 9 | 12 | | 2100 | | Iron | 36 | 2 | 12 | | 9 | 8 | | | | 10 | - | | Bra | | - | Sea S. | - | | | 33 | — | — | 4 | 8 | | 12 | 8 | | 3800 | | Iron | 41 | — | — | | 10 | — | | | Bra | | - | Land. | - | | | 10 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 9 | | 4 | 10 | | 1900 | | Iron | 16 | — | 6 | | 4 | 8 | | | | 8 | - | | Bra | | - | Land. | - | | | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1 | ³⁄₄ | 2 | — | 1600 | | Iron | 8 | — | 11 | | 2 | 4 | | | | 5 | ¹⁄₂ | Bra | — | Land. | - | | | 1 | — | 20 | 1 | 4 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 9 | | 1200 | | 4 | ²⁄₅ | Bra | — | Land. | — | 3 | 11 | 1 | 1 | ¹⁄₂ | — | 4 | ¹⁄₂ | 1040 | [13] See the word Chambers , for experiments on the best form. Ranges with French Mortars, at 45 Degrees, in French Weights and Measures. | 12 Inch. | 10 Inch, long Ranges. | 10 Inch, short Ranges. | 8 Inch. | | Charge. | Range. | Charge. | Range. | Charge. | Range. | Charge. | Range. | | lbs. | oz. | Yards. | lbs. | oz. | Yards. | lbs. | oz. | Yards. | lbs. | oz. | Yards. | | 1 | — | 388 | 1 | — | 450 | 1 | — | 618 | — | 5 | 316 | | 1 | 8 | 632 | 2 | — | 1080 | 1 | 8 | | 964 | — | 10 | 794 | | 2 | — | 862 | 3 | — | 1536 | 2 | — | 1280 | — | 15 | 1112 | | 2 | 8 | 954 | 4 | — | 2070 | 2 | 8 | | 1428 | 1 | 4 | 1280 | | 3 | — | 1292 | 5 | — | 2206 | 3 | — | 1432 | | | | 3 | 8 | 1390 | 6 | 2 | ¹⁄₂ | 2304 | 3 | 10 | ¹⁄₄ | 1920 | | | Ranges with a 10 Inch Sea Mortar, at 21 Degrees, on a Horizontal Plane. | Weight of Mortar. | Weight of Shell. | Charge. | Eleva- tion. | Flight. | Range. | | ct. | qrs. | lbs. | | lbs. | oz. | | lbs. | oz. | Deg. | | Sec. | Yards. | | 34 | 2 | 14 | - | | | 86 | — | | | - | 5 | 8 | 21 | - | | | 14 | ³⁄₄ | 2335 | | 87 | — | 16 | | 2510 | Ranges with Sea Service, Iron Mortars, at 45 Degrees, upon a Horizontal Plane. 1798. | 13 Inch. | 10 Inch. | | Charge. | Flight. | Range. | Charge. | Flight. | Range. | | lbs. | oz. | Sec. | Yards. | lbs. | oz. | Sec. | Yards. | | 2 | — | 13 | | 690 | 1 | — | 13 | | 680 | | 4 | — | 18 | | 1400 | 2 | — | 18 | | 1340 | | 6 | — | 21 | | 1900 | 3 | — | 21 | | 1900 | | 8 | — | 24 | ¹⁄₂ | 2575 | 4 | — | 24 | ¹⁄₂ | 2500 | | 10 | — | 26 | - | 2975 | 5 | — | 26 | | 2800 | | 12 | — | 29 | | 3500 | 6 | — | 27 | | 3200 | | 14 | — | 29 | - | 3660 | 7 | — | 29 | | 3500 | | 16 | — | 30 | | 3900 | 8 | — | 30 | | 3800 | | 18 | — | 30 | - | 4200 | 9 | — | 30 | ¹⁄₄ | 3900 | | 20 | — | 31 | | 4400 | 9 | 8 | 30 | ¹⁄₂ | 4000 | French Mortars, in their own Weights and Measures. | lbs. | | | | | 12 | Inches | 2060 | | 3 | 7 | | 2400 | | 10 | for long Ranges | 2000 | | 7 | 4 | | 2800 | | 10 | for short do. | 1560 | | 4 | — | 2200 | | 8 | for short do. | 595 | | 1 | 4 | ³⁄₄ | 1160 | | Stone Mortars. [14] | 1100 | | 2 | 8 | | | | 12 | Inch | | - | Gomers | 2750 | | 12 | — | 2700 | | 10 | Inch | 2000 | | 6 | 8 | | 2800 | | 8 | Inch | 600 | | 2 | — | 1400 | [14] Stone Mortars should not be fired at a greater distance than 250 yards. Medium Ranges with Land Service Iron Mortars, at 45 Degrees, 1798. | 13 Inch. | 10 Inch. | 8 Inch. | 5¹⁄₂ Inch, Bra . | | Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | | lbs. | oz. | Sec. | Yds. | lb. | oz. | Sec. | Yds. | lbs. | oz. | Sec. | Yds. | oz. | dr. | Sec. | Yds. | | — | 14 | 6 | ¹⁄₂ | 245 | — | 8 | 6 | ¹⁄₂ | 235 | — | 5 | 6 | | 225 | 1 | 8 | 5 | ¹⁄₂ | 155 | | 1 | — | 7 | - | 318 | — | 10 | 8 | | 358 | — | 6 | 7 | ¹⁄₂ | 328 | 1 | 12 | 6 | | 198 | | 1 | 4 | 8 | - | 412 | — | 12 | 9 | | 464 | — | 7 | 8 | | 428 | 2 | — | 6 | - | 255 | | 1 | 8 | 9 | - | 523 | — | 14 | 10 | | 534 | — | 8 | 9 | - | 474 | 2 | 4 | 7 | - | 316 | | 1 | 12 | 10 | - | 613 | 1 | — | 10 | - | 638 | — | 9 | 10 | | 560 | 2 | 8 | 8 | | 380 | | 2 | — | 11 | | 697 | 1 | 2 | 11 | - | 749 | — | 10 | 11 | | 664 | 2 | 12 | 8 | - | 426 | | 2 | 4 | 12 | - | 840 | 1 | 4 | 13 | | 873 | — | 11 | 12 | | 762 | 3 | — | 9 | - | 470 | | 2 | 8 | 13 | | 906 | 1 | 6 | 13 | - | 956 | — | 12 | 12 | - | 801 | 3 | 4 | 10 | | 540 | | 2 | 12 | 14 | | 1054 | 1 | 8 | 14 | | 1028 | — | 13 | 13 | - | 859 | 3 | 8 | 10 | - | 590 | | 3 | — | 15 | | 1132 | 1 | 10 | 15 | | 1123 | — | 14 | 14 | | 960 | 3 | 12 | 11 | | 630 | | 3 | 4 | 16 | | 1244 | 1 | 12 | 15 | | 1226 | — | 15 | 14 | - | 1011 | 4 | — | 11 | - | 725 | | 3 | 8 | 16 | - | 1317 | 1 | 14 | 16 | | 1325 | 1 | 0 | 14 | - | 1119 | 4 | 4 | 12 | | 746 | | 3 | 12 | 17 | | 1424 | 2 | — | 16 | - | 1357 | 1 | 1 | 15 | | 1156 | 4 | 8 | 12 | - | 800 | | 4 | — | 17 | | 1490 | 2 | 2 | 17 | | 1480 | 1 | 2 | 16 | | 1262 | 4 | 12 | 13 | - | 910 | | 4 | 4 | 17 | - | 1580 | 2 | 4 | 17 | - | 1532 | 1 | 3 | 16 | - | 1320 | 5 | — | 13 | - | 935 | | 4 | 8 | 18 | - | 1656 | 2 | 6 | 17 | - | 1571 | 1 | 4 | 17 | | 1380 | 5 | 4 | 14 | | 1016 | | 4 | 12 | 19 | | 1744 | 2 | 8 | 18 | - | 1700 | 1 | 5 | 17 | - | 1446 | 5 | 8 | — | — | | 5 | — | 19 | - | 1824 | 2 | 10 | 19 | | 1780 | 1 | 6 | 18 | | 1530 | 5 | 12 | — | — | | 5 | 4 | 19 | - | 1900 | 2 | 12 | 19 | - | 1825 | 1 | 7 | 18 | - | 1600 | 6 | — | 15 | | 1175 | | 5 | 8 | 20 | | 1950 | 2 | 14 | 20 | | 1880 | 1 | 8 | 19 | | 1660 | | | | | 5 | 12 | 20 | - | 2062 | 3 | — | 20 | | 1916 | 1 | 9 | 19 | - | 1720 | | | | | 6 | — | 21 | | 2095 | 4 | — | 25 | | 2485 | | | | | | | | 7 | — | 24 | | 2510 | 4 | 8 | 26 | | 2536 | | | | | | | | 8 | — | 25 | | 2706 | | | | | | | | | | Medium Ranges with Bra Mortars, at 45 Degrees. 1780. | 13 Inch. [15] | 10 Inch. | 8 Inch. | | Ch’ge. | Range. | Ch’ge. | Range. | Ch’ge. | Range. | | lb. | oz. | Y’ds. | lb. | oz. | Y’ds. | oz. | dr. | Y’ds. | | 2 | 12 | 862 | 1 | 10 | 823 | 10 | 8 | 580 | | 2 | 14 | 939 | 1 | 11 | 852 | 11 | — | 635 | | 3 | — | 998 | 1 | 12 | 783 | 11 | 8 | 711 | | 3 | 2 | 1003 | 1 | 13 | 758 | 12 | — | 708 | | 3 | 4 | 1090 | 1 | 14 | 823 | 12 | 8 | 701 | | 3 | 6 | 1139 | 1 | 15 | 888 | 13 | — | 777 | | 3 | 8 | 1165 | 2 | — | 892 | 13 | 8 | 825 | | 3 | 10 | 1209 | 2 | 1 | 940 | 14 | — | 870 | | 3 | 12 | 1270 | 2 | 2 | 941 | 14 | 8 | 853 | | 3 | 14 | 1322 | 2 | 3 | 1041 | 15 | — | 860 | | 4 | — | 1309 | 2 | 4 | 1128 | 15 | 8 | 899 | | 4 | 2 | 1331 | 2 | 5 | 1103 | 16 | — | 921 | | 4 | 4 | 1391 | 2 | 6 | 1221 | 16 | 8 | 987 | | 4 | 6 | 1363 | 2 | 7 | 1258 | 17 | — | 987 | | 4 | 8 | 1324 | 2 | 8 | 1215 | 17 | 8 | 1062 | [15] For the Ranges with the 5¹⁄₂ inch Bra , see the Iron Mortars . Ranges with a 5¹⁄₂ Inch Bra Mortar, at 15 Degrees. | Charge. | Flight. | First Graze. | Rolled to. | | oz. | dr. | Sec. | Yards. | Yards. | | 2 | 8 | 3 | | 209 | 303 | | 3 | — | 3 | ¹⁄₂ | 256 | 330 | | 3 | 8 | 4 | | 375 | 443 | | 4 | — | 4 | - | 457 | 501 | | 4 | 8 | 5 | | 530 | 600 | | 5 | — | 5 | - | 561 | 627 | | 5 | 8 | 6 | - | 667 | 715 | | 6 | — | 7 | | 709 | 780 | Medium Ranges with Land Service Iron Mortars, at 10 Degrees Elevation....Powder in Cartridges. | 10 Inch. | 8 Inch. | | Flight. | Charge. | First Graze. | Extreme Range. | Flight. | Charge. | First Graze. | Extreme Range. | | Sec. | lb. | oz. | Yds. | Yds. | Sec. | lb. | oz. | Yds. | Yds. | | 3 | | — | 12 | 198 | 415 | 3 | | — | 8 | 202 | 403 | | 3 | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | — | 278 | 458 | 3 | | — | 10 | 266 | 461 | | 4 | | 1 | 4 | 366 | 564 | 3 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 12 | 351 | 614 | | 4 | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | 8 | 451 | 685 | 4 | | — | 14 | 413 | 630 | | 4 | | 1 | 12 | 432 | 686 | 4 | ³⁄₄ | 1 | — | 468 | 754 | | 4 | ³⁄₄ | 2 | — | 559 | 938 | 5 | | 1 | 2 | 562 | 811 | | 5 | | 2 | 4 | 602 | 798 | 6 | | 1 | 4 | 664 | 950 | | 4 | ³⁄₄ | 2 | 8 | 597 | 976 | 6 | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | 6 | 700 | 1028 | | 5 | | 2 | 12 | 664 | 1121 | 6 | | 1 | 8 | 768 | 1064 | | 5 | ¹⁄₄ | 3 | — | 764 | 1169 | | | | | Medium Ranges with the above Mortars, at 15 Degrees. | 10 Inch. | 8 Inch. | | Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | Ch’ge. | Flig’t. | Range. | | lb. | oz. | Sec. | Yards. | lb. | oz. | Sec. | Y’ds. | | 1 | 4 | 5 | | 464 | — | 11 | 4 | ¹⁄₂ | 427 | | 1 | 6 | 5 | ¹⁄₂ | 543 | — | 12 | 4 | - | 485 | | 1 | 8 | 6 | | 590 | — | 13 | 5 | | 513 | | 1 | 12 | 6 | ³⁄₄ | 685 | — | 14 | 5 | - | 559 | | 1 | 14 | 7 | | 765 | 1 | — | 6 | - | 690 | | 2 | — | 7 | | 805 | 1 | 2 | 7 | | 822 | | 2 | 4 | 7 | ¹⁄₂ | 884 | 1 | 4 | 7 | | 827 | | 2 | 8 | 7 | ³⁄₄ | 960 | 1 | 6 | 7 | ³⁄₄ | 1004 | | 2 | 12 | 8 | | 1070 | 1 | 8 | 8 | ¹⁄₂ | 1012 | | 3 | — | 8 | ¹⁄₂ | 1154 | 1 | 10 | 8 | | 1196 | | 1 | 11 | 9 | | 1337 | All English mortars are erroneously fixed to an angle of 45 degrees, and custom has prevailed to lash them strongly with ropes to that elevation. In a siege, shells should never be thrown with an angle of 45 degrees, excepting in one case only; that is, when the battery is so far off that they cannot otherwise reach the works: for when shells are thrown out of the trenches into the works of a fortification, or from the town into the trenches, they should have as little elevation as po ible, in order to roll along and not bury themselves; whereby the injury they do, and the terror they cause to the troops, is much greater than if they sink into the ground. On the contrary, when shells are thrown upon magazines, or any other buildings, with an intention to destroy them, the mortars should be elevated as high as po ible, that the shells may acquire a greater force in their fall, and consequently do more execution. The British are the only nation that fix mortars to an elevation of 45 degrees, the proper range is from 32¹⁄₂ to 35 degrees. The use of mortars is thought to be older than that of cannon; for they were employed in the wars of Italy to throw balls of red-hot iron, and stones, long before the invention of shells. It is generally believed, that the Germans were the first inventors, and that they were actually used at the siege of Naples, in the reign of Charles the VIII., in 1435. History informs us, with more certainty, that shells were thrown out of mortars at the siege of Wachtendonk, in Guelder land, in 1588, by the earl of Mans field. Shells were first invented by a citizen of Venlo, who, on a festival, celebrated in honor of the duke of Cleves, threw a certain number, one of which fell on a house, and set fire to it; by which misfortune the greatest part of the city was reduced to ashes. Mr. Malter, an English engineer, first taught the French the art of throwing shells, which they practised at the siege of Motte, in 1634. The method of throwing red-hot balls out of mortars, was first put in practice, with certainty, at the siege of Stralsund, in 1675, by the elector of Brandenburg; though some say in 1653, at the siege of Bremen. Land - Mortars , are those used in sieges, and of late in battles, mounted on beds; and both mortar and bed are transported on block-carriages. There is also a kind of land-mortars, mounted on travelling carriages, invented by count Buckeburg, which may be elevated to any degree; whereas the British as we have already stated, are fixed to an angle of 45 degrees, and are firmly lashed with ropes. Partridge Mortar , is a common mortar, surrounded by 13 other little mortars, bored round its circumference in the body of its metal. The centre one is loaded with a shell, and the others with grenades. The vent of the large mortar being fired, communicates its fire to the small ones; so that both shell and grenades go off at once. The French used them in the war of 1701, and more especially at the siege of Lisle, in 1708, and at the defence of Bouchain in 1702. Hand - Mortars , were frequently used before the invention of cohorns. They were fixed at the end of a staff of 4¹⁄₂ feet long, the other end being shod with iron to stick in the ground: while the bombardier, with one hand, elevated it at pleasure, he with the other hand fired. Firelock - Mortars , Bombards , are small mortars, fixed at the end of a firelock they are loaded as all common firelocks are; and the grenade, placed in the mortar at the end of the barrel, is discharged by a flint-lock; and, to prevent the recoil hurting the bombardier, the bombard rests on a kind of halberd, made for that purpose. They were first invented by major-general Siebach, a German, about the year 1710. Names of the several parts of a Mortar . Grand divisions exterior, viz.—The whole length, of the mortar, muzzle, chace, reinforce, breech, trunnions. Small divisions exterior. The vent, dolphins, vent astragal and fillets, breech ring and ogee, reinforce ring and ogee, reinforce astragal and fillets, muzzle astragal and fillets, muzzle ring and ogee, muzzle moulding, shoulders. Interior parts. Chamber, bore, mouth, vent. Chamber in Mortars , is the place where the powder is lodged. There are different sorts, and made variously by different nations. The Spaniards use chiefly the spheric; the French, Germans, and Dutch, the conic, cylindric, and the concave or bottled; the Portuguese at present, the parabolic; and the English make them in the form of a frustrum of a cone. Each nation has its reasons, good or bad, to prefer their make before that of others: among which the English say the concave and cylindric chambers are the best; the French say the frustrum of a cone. Sea - Mortars ; are those which are fixed in the bomb-ve els, for bombarding places by sea: they are made somewhat longer, and much heavier than the land-mortars. Land - Mortar-Beds , are made of very solid timber, and placed upon very strong timber frames, fixed in the bomb ketch; to which a pintle is attached in such a manner, that the bed may turn round. The fore part of these beds is an arc of a circle, described from the same centre as the pintle-hole. Land-mortar-beds are now made of cast iron. Stone - Mortars , serve to throw stones into the enemy’s works, when near at hand; such as from the town into the trenches in the covert-way, or upon the glacis; and from these trenches into the town. The bore is terminated by two quadrants of a circle, terminated by the reinforce and lines drawn from the ends of the cylinder, made to lodge the tompions parallel to the axis of the mortar. The bottom of the conic chamber is terminated by an arc of 60 degrees, and the round part of the outside is a semi-circle. Chambers in Mortars , are of different sorts and dimensions. Mr. Belidor mentions four; namely, the cylindric, the spheric, the conic, and the concave or bottled; to which a fifth may be added, the parabolic, invented by count de Lippe Buckeburg. Cylindric chambers. Experience demonstrates, that concave chambers will throw the shell farthest of any with the same charge, yet, in this case, where but little powder is required, in the entrance would become too narrow, and consequently inconvenient to clean; whereas, when they are cylindric, the difference between the advantages of the one and the other will be but little, and not attended with any inconveniences. Conic chambers , are generally made in a circular form at the bottom, so that the sides produced, meet the extremities of the diameter at the mouth. Spheric chambers , are much inferior to the cylindric or concave; for it is well known by the properties of geometry, that when a cylinder and a frustrum of a cone occupy equal spaces, the surface of the cone is always greater than that of the cylinder. Hence, if the entrance of these chambers be not made very narrow, contrary to practice, as demonstrated by Mr. Muller, in his second edition of Artillery, page 38, of the introduction, and the examples that follow, we conclude that these and the conic chambers are the worst. Concave chambers. The advantage of these kinds of chambers consist in this, that their entrance may be made narrower than that of any other form; and practice has sufficiently proved it. Yet, when the entrance is so small as not to admit a man’s hand, they are not easily cleaned: for which reason it is supposed that all 13 and 10-inch mortars should have concave chambers, and the others cylindric ones. Parabolic chambers. These chambers, being the widest of any, may therefore be included among the worst; as it is not the inward figure of the chamber, but its entrance, which produces the effect; because the smaller it is, the nearer it reduces the effect into the direction of the shell. It has however one advantage, namely that the shells will have no windage.