Part 106

++--------------++-------------- 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 Brass, see the _Iron Mortars_.

_Ranges with a 5¹⁄₂ Inch Brass Mortar, at 15 Degrees._

+-------+------+------ | | First|Rolled Charge.|Flight.|Graze.| to. -------+-------+------+------ oz. dr.| Sec. |Yards.|Yards. 2 8 | 3 | 209 | 303 3 -- | 3¹⁄₂ | 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. -------+-------+------+-------++-------+-------+------+------- | | First|Extreme|| | | First|Extreme Flight.|Charge.|Graze.| Range.||Flight.|Charge.|Graze.| Range. --------+-------+-----+-------++-------+-------+------+------- Sec. |lb. oz.| Yds.| Yds. || Sec. |lb. oz.| Yds. | Yds. 3 |-- 12 | 198 | 415 || 3 |-- 8 | 202 | 403 3¹⁄₂ | 1 -- | 278 | 458 || 3 |-- 10 | 266 | 461 4 | 1 4 | 366 | 564 || 3¹⁄₄ |-- 12 | 351 | 614 4¹⁄₂ | 1 8 | 451 | 685 || 4 |-- 14 | 413 | 630 4 | 1 12 | 432 | 686 || 4³⁄₄ | 1 -- | 468 | 754 4³⁄₄ | 2 -- | 559 | 938 || 5 | 1 2 | 562 | 811 5 | 2 4 | 602 | 798 || 6 | 1 4 | 664 | 950 4³⁄₄ | 2 8 | 597 | 976 || 6¹⁄₂ | 1 6 | 700 | 1028 5 | 2 12 | 664 | 1121 || 6 | 1 8 | 768 | 1064 5¹⁄₄ | 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 | 4¹⁄₂ | 427 1 6 | 5¹⁄₂ | 543 ||-- 12 | 4- | 485 1 8 | 6 | 590 ||-- 13 | 5 | 513 1 12 | 6³⁄₄ | 685 ||-- 14 | 5- | 559 1 14 | 7 | 765 || 1 -- | 6- | 690 2 -- | 7 | 805 || 1 2 | 7 | 822 2 4 | 7¹⁄₂ | 884 || 1 4 | 7 | 827 2 8 | 7³⁄₄ | 960 || 1 6 | 7³⁄₄ | 1004 2 12 | 8 | 1070 || 1 8 | 8¹⁄₂ | 1012 3 -- | 8¹⁄₂ | 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 possible, 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 possible, 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 Guelderland, in 1588, by the earl of Mansfield. 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-vessels, 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.

MORTAR, in _military architecture_, a composition of lime, sand, &c. mixed up with water, that serves as a cement to bind the stones, &c. of any building. Mine sand makes weak mortar, and the rounder the sand, the stronger the mortar; and if the sand is washed before it is mixed, so much the better.

The proportion of lime and sand for making mortar is extremely variable. Some use three parts of pit-sand, and two of river-sand, to one of lime; others, a proportion of sand to quick-lime as 36 to 35. It should be well mixed, and beat every 24 hours for a week together, letting it then lie for a week more; and when it is used, must be beat and mixed again. By this means it will make good mortar, though the lime is but indifferent.

MORTAR _for water-courses, cisterns_, &c. is made of lime and hog’s lard; sometimes mixed with the juice of figs, and sometimes with liquid pitch, which is first slaked with wine; and, after application, it is washed over with linseed oil.

MORTAR _furnaces_, &c. is made with red clay wrought in water wherein horse dung and chimney-soot have been steeped; by which a salt is communicated to the water, that binds the clay, and makes it fit to endure the fire. The clay must not be too fat, lest it should be subject to chinks: nor too lean or sandy, lest it should not bind enough.

MORTAR, made of terras, puzolana, tile-dust, or cinders, is mixed and prepared in the same manner as common mortar; only these ingredients are mixed with lime instead of sand in a due proportion, which is to be in equal quantities. As this mortar is to be used in aquatic buildings, the lime should be the very best.

In fortifications, docks, or piers of harbors, lay all the works under water with terras-mortar, and the rest of the facings, both within and without, with cinder or tile-dust mortar, for about two feet deep.

The _East India_ MORTAR for building and plaistering, is made with shell lime, brick dust pulverized, (called _soorkee_) washed sand, and the raw juice of the sugar cane, (called _jaggeree_.) The proportions of different kinds of work are different; but well made and mixed, surpasses all others; the roofs of houses, as well as the floors of their chambers, and the walls are covered with this composition, which, skilfully executed, bears a polish and smoothness like marble.

MORTES-_Payes_, _Fr._ Soldiers that were paid for the constant duty of a town or fortified place, both in the time of peace and war. Infantry regiments, which were occasionally stationed in citadels and garrisoned towns, took the right of the _mortes-payes_, and had the precedence in chusing lodgings.

MORTISE, a hole cut in wood, so that another piece may be fitted into it.

MORTS, _Fr._ The dead on a field of battle are so called.

MOT, _Fr._ Parole, watchword.--This word bears the same import in French that it does in English. See PAROLE.

_Donner le_ MOT, _Fr._ To give the parole, or watch-word.

_Aller prendre le_ MOT, _Fr._ To go for the parole or watch-word.

_On l’envoya porter le_ MOT, _Fr._ he was sent with the parole or watch-word.

In the French service _parole_ and _countersign_ are frequently comprehended under the word _mot_, viz. _Le mot qu’on avoit donné le jour du combat, étoit Saint Louis et Paris_; which according to the English method of giving out orders would have stood thus:--Parole St. Louis, countersign Paris.

MOT _de ralliement_, _Fr._ Rallying word.

MOTHIR _al moolk_. In Indian fortification, barricadoes, intrenchments, or breastworks, are so called.

MOTION, is defined to be the continued and successive change of place.--There are three general laws of motion: 1. That a body always perseveres in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a right line, till by some external force it be made to change its place: for as a body is passive in receiving its motion, and the direction of its motion, so it retains them without any change, till it be acted on by something external. 2. The second general law of motion is, that the change of motion is proportional to the force impressed, and is produced in the right line in which that force acts. 3. The third general law of motion is, that action and re-action are equal, with opposite directions, and are to be estimated always in the same right line.

MOTION. A word bearing the same signification as _tems_ does in the French. It is peculiarly applicable to the manual and platoon exercise; as, _draw ramrod_, which is done in two motions:--_Tirez la baguette en deux tems_. Motion, in a military sense, is distinguished from movement, inasmuch as the former applies specifically to something done by an individual, with an instrument of war, as handling the firelock; whereas the latter is generally understood to mean the different changes, &c. which are made in evolutions, &c. Motion is the particular adjunct of the manual, and movement that of evolution. The French make the same distinction with respect to _maniement_.

MOTION, _mouvement_, _Fr._ generally so called, a continual and successive change of place.

MOTION, _equal or uniform_, (_mouvement égal, ou uniforme_) that by which a body moves over _equal_ spaces in equal times; such are the motions of celestial bodies.

MOTION _absolute_, (_mouvement absolu_, _Fr._) is a mutation or change of absolute space, and its celerity is measured according to absolute space.

MOTION _relative_, (_mouvement relatif_, _Fr._) is a change or mutation of relative place, and its celerity is measured according to relative space.

MOTION _equally accelerated_, (_mouvement uniformément accéléré_, _Fr._) is such whose velocity equally increases in equal times.

MOTION, _equally retarded_, (_mouvement uniformément retardé_) is such whose velocity equally decreases, in equal times, till the body comes to rest.

MOTIONS _of an army_, (_mouvemens d’une armée_, _Fr._) are the various changes which it undergoes in marching from one place to another; these are more generally understood by the word movement.

MOTIONS _of the firelock during the manual and platoon exercise_. Motion in this sense is expressed by _tems_ among the French. These consist of those prescribed methods which have been explained under _manual_.

The new mode of carrying, (which is with nearly extended arm) is certainly less fatiguing than supporting arms; since the former leaves the circulation of the blood free, and the latter binds the soldier’s arm at the elbow. The French allow great latitude in the carrying of the firelock, especially in marching and manœuvring. The men are frequently permitted to slope arms.

MOTION _compound_, (_mouvement composé_, _Fr._) is the motion of one body impelled by two different powers.

MOTION _of projection_, (_mouvement de projection_, _Fr._) that by which bodies are impelled through the air, or through any other fluid. A shell which is forced out of a mortar by means of inflammable gunpowder has a _motion of projection_.

MOTION _of vibration, or vibrating motion_, (_mouvement de vibration_, _Fr._) is the circular motion of a body, which is generally round or spherical.

MOTION _of undulation, or undulating motion_, (_mouvement d’ondulation_, _Fr._) a circular motion which is perceptible in water, when any hard substance is thrown into it.

MOTIONS _of an enemy_, (_mouvemens d’un ennemi_, _Fr._) The different marches, positions, &c. which an enemy takes are so called.

_To watch the_ MOTIONS _of an enemy_, (_guétter un ennemi_, _Fr._) To keep a good look out by means of a regular communication between head-quarters, and the outposts of your army. On a large scale, the business of an army of observation is chiefly confined to this species of service. On a more limited one, the duty is frequently entrusted to partisans and light troops.

MOTION _of a bomb or ball_. The progress which a bomb or ball makes through the air may be said to consist of three sorts, after it has been delivered out of the mortar, or emitted from a gun or musquet. These are:--

_The violent_ MOTION, or first explosion, when the powder has worked its effect upon the ball, so far as the bomb or ball may be supposed to move in a right line.

_The mixed_ MOTION, or yielding impulse, when the natural weight of the bomb or ball begins to overcome the force which was given by the gunpowder.

_The natural_ MOTION, or exhaustion of the first impulse. This occurs when the bomb or ball is falling to the ground.

_To_ MOTION _a thing_, to propose it in a military or civil meeting.

MOTION, _Fr._ This word has been adopted by the French to convey the same meaning that it does in English, namely, a proposition; hence _appuyer la motion dans une assemblée_; to support a motion in a public assembly or meeting. _Déliberer sur la motion_, to deliberate upon the motion. _Retirer sa motion_, to withdraw one’s motion. _Rejeter la motion_, to throw out the motion.

MOTS _d’ordre et de ralliement_, _Fr._ In a recent publication, written by Paul Thiébault, adjutant-general, on the French staff, the following explanation is given of paroles and countersigns, which may be considered as the free translation of _mots_, with this exception, that the _mot de ralliement_ seems peculiarly used in the French service. The parole and countersign only are practised, and their distinct import seems so little understood, that we shall not hesitate to give the whole article from the French.

The MOTS _d’ordre et de ralliement_, consist of three distinct and separate words, which are chosen for the specific purpose of enabling the soldiers belonging to the same army, to be in perfect intelligence with one another, especially during the night.

These words are composed in the following manner, viz. _Le_ MOT _d’ordre_, or what we call the parole, must be taken from the name of some deceased person, to which must be added that of some town or country.

The _mot de ralliement_, must consist of a substantive, which does not relate either to the name of a man, the name of a town, or the name of a country.

These three words are given out every morning from head quarters, and are delivered sealed up, to the officers of the different guards, and to those persons who are entrusted with the command of an outpost, or have the charge of a patrole.

The MOT _d’ordre_, or parole, must never be confided beyond officers and non-commissioned officers; the _mot de ralliement_ may in some cases be given to centries that are stationed at some distance from the outposts; but these should invariably consist of old soldiers, whose fidelity and courage can be depended on.

The _mot d’ordre_, or parole, as well as the _mot de ralliement_, is always given out from head quarters; nor ought any general or commanding officer to take upon himself to alter either, except under circumstances so peculiarly urgent, that the good of the service would justify the change. Among these circumstances may be considered, the desertion of a centinel from the out post, and the strong presumption, that the enemy has been made acquainted with the words, &c. Whenever this necessity occurs, all the commanding officers who have any communication with that quarter from whence the parole was issued, should instantly be made acquainted with the alteration.

With respect to the manner in which these words are to be delivered out, and the frequency of their circulation, the whole must depend upon circumstances. When an army or body of troops lies at some distance from the enemy, they are usually forwarded to the different quarters, camps, or cantonments, for five, ten, or fifteen days together. When close to the enemy, they are given out, as we have already observed, every day. When there is no ground to apprehend a surprize or attack, one word will be sufficient for each day: but, in critical cases, the parole must be changed two or three times during the night. If several corps are cantoned together, the _mot d’ordre_, or parole, must be sent to the officer commanding in the cantonment. When the troops are encamped, it is generally sent to the commanding officer of each regiment, and seldom to the commandant of each brigade.