Part 4

Plate 13 represents all the different natures of Rocket Ammunition which have hitherto been made, from the eight-inch carcass or explosion Rocket, weighing nearly three hundred weight, to the six-pounder shell Rocket, and shews the comparative dimensions of the whole.

This Ammunition may be divided into three parts--the heavy, medium, and light natures. The _heavy natures_ are those denominated by the number of inches in their diameter; the _medium_ from the 42-pounder to the 24-pounder inclusive; and the _light natures_ from the 18-pounder to the 6-pounder inclusive.

The ranges of the eight-inch, seven-inch, and six-inch Rockets, are from 2,000 to 2,500 yards; and the quantities of combustible matter, or bursting powder, from 25lbs. and upwards to 50lbs. Their sticks are divided into four parts, secured with ferules, and carried in the angles of the packing case, containing the Rocket, one Rocket in each case, so that notwithstanding the length of the stick, the whole of this heavy part of the system possesses, in proportion, the same facility as the medium and light parts. These Rockets are fired from bombarding frames, similar to those of the 42 and 32-pounder carcasses; or they may be fired from a slope of earth in the same way. They may also be fired along the ground, as explained in Plate 9, for the purposes of explosion.

These large Rockets have from their weight, combined with less diameter, even more penetration than the heaviest shells, and are therefore equally efficient for the destruction of bomb proofs, or the demolition of strong buildings; and their construction having now been realized, it is proved that the facilities of the Rocket system are not its only excellence, but that it actually will propel heavier masses than can be done by any other means; that is to say, masses, to project which, it would be scarcely possible to cast, much less to transport, mortars of sufficient magnitude. Various modifications of the powers of these large Rockets may be made, which it is not necessary here to specify.

The 42 and 32-pounders are those which have hitherto been principally used in bombardment, and which, for the general purposes of bombardment, will be found sufficient, while their portability renders them in that respect more easily applied. I have therefore classed them as medium Rockets. These Rockets will convey from ten to seven pounds of combustible matter each; have a range of upwards of 3,000 yards; and may, where the fall of greater mass in any particular spot is required, either for penetration or increased fire, be discharged in combinations of three, four, or six Rockets, well lashed together, with the sticks in the centre also strongly bound together. The great art of firing these _fasces of Rockets_ is to arrange them, so that they may be sure to take fire contemporaneously, which must be done either by priming the bottoms of all thoroughly, or by firing them by a flash of powder, which is sure to ignite the whole combination at once. The 42 and 32-pounder Rockets may also be used as explosion Rockets, and the 32-pounder armed with shot or shells: thus, a 32-pounder will range at least 1,000 yards, laid on the ground, and armed with a 5½-inch howitzer shell, or an 18 and even a 24-pounder solid shot.

The 32-pounder is, as it were, the mean point of the system: it is the least Rocket used as a carcass in bombardment, and the largest armed either with shot or shell, for field service. The 24-pounder Rocket is very nearly equal to it in all its applications in the field; from the saving of weight, therefore, I consider it preferable. It is perfectly equal to propel the cohorn shell or 12-pounder shot.

The 18-pounder, which is the first of the _light_ natures of Rockets, is armed with a 9-pounder shot or shell; the 12-pounder with a 6-pounder ditto; the 9-pounder with a grenade; and the 6-pounder with a 3-pounder shot or shell. These shells, however, are now cast expressly for the Rocket service, and are elliptical instead of spherical, thereby increasing the power of the shell, and decreasing the resistance of the air.

From the 24-pounder to the 9-pounder Rocket, inclusive, a description of case shot Rocket is formed of each nature, armed with a quantity of musket or carbine balls, put into the top of the cylinder of the Rocket, and from thence discharged by a quantity of powder contained in a chamber, by which the velocity of these balls, when in flight, is increased beyond that of the Rocket’s motion, an effect which cannot be given in the spherical case, where the bursting powder only liberates the balls.

All Rockets intended for explosion, whether the powder be contained in a wrought iron head or cone, as used in bombardment: or whether in the shell above mentioned, for field service, or in the case shot, are fitted with an external fuse of paper, which is ignited from the vent at the moment when the Rocket is fired. These fuses may be instantaneously cut to any desired length, from 25 seconds downwards, by a pair of common scissars or nippers, and communicate to the bursting charge, by a quickmatch, in a small tube on the outside of the Rocket; in the shell Rocket the paper fuse communicates with a wooden fuse in the shell, which, being cut to the shortest length that can be necessary, is never required to be taken out of the shell, but is regulated either by taking away the paper fuse altogether, or leaving any part of it, which, in addition to the fixed and permanent wooden fuse in the shell, may make up the whole time of flight required. By this system, the arrangement of the fuse in action is attended with a facility, security, and an expedition, not known in any other similar operations.

All the Rocket sticks for land service are made in parts of convenient length for carriage, and jointed by iron ferules. For sea service they are made in the whole length.

The 24-pounder shell and case shot Rockets are those which I propose issuing in future for the heavy field carriages; the 18-pounder shell and case shot for the light field carriages; the 12-pounder for the mounted ammunition of cavalry; the 9 and 6-pounders for infantry, according to the different cases already explained.

Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, represent the different implements used for jointing the sticks, or fixing them to the Rocket, being of different sizes, in proportion to the different natures to which they belong. They consist of hammers, pincers, vices, and wrenches, all to accomplish the same object, namely, that of compressing the ferule into the stick, by means of strong steel points in the tool, so as to fix it immoveably. The varieties are here all shewn, because I have not hitherto decided which is the preferable instrument.

Fig. 10, 11, 12, and 13, represent another mode of arranging the different natures of ammunition, which is hitherto merely a matter of speculation, but which may in certain parts of the system be hereafter found a considerable improvement. It is the carrying the Rocket, or projectile force, distinct from the ammunition itself, instead of combining them in their first construction, as hitherto supposed.

Thus, Fig. 10 is the Rocket, and Fig. 11, 12, and 13, are respectively a shell, case shot, or carcass, which may be immediately fixed to the Rocket by a screw, according as either the one or the other nature is required at the time. A greater variety of ammunition might thus be carried for particular services, with a less burthen altogether.

Fig. 14 and 15 represent the light ball or floating carcass Rocket. This is supposed to be a 42-pounder Rocket, containing in its head, as in Fig. 12, a parachute with a light ball or carcass attached to it by a slight chain. This Rocket being fired nearly perpendicularly into the air, the head is burst off at its greatest altitude, by a very small explosion, which, though it ignites the light ball, does not injure the parachute; but by liberating it from the Rocket, leaves it suspended in the air, as Fig. 13, in which situation, as a light ball, it will continue to give a very brilliant light, illuminating the atmosphere for nearly ten minutes; or as a carcass, in a tolerable breeze, will float in the air, and convey the fire for several miles, unperceived and unconsumed, if only the match of the carcass be ignited at the disengagement of the parachute.

It should be observed that, with due care, the Rocket ammunition is not only the most secure, but the most durable that can be: every Rocket is, in fact, a charge of powder hermetically sealed in a metal case, impervious either to the ordinary accidents by fire, or damage from humidity. I have used Rockets that had been three years on board of ship, without any apparent loss of power; and when after a certain period, which, from my present experience, I cannot estimate at less than eight or ten years, their force shall have so far suffered as to render them unserviceable, they may again be regenerated, at the mere expense of boring out the composition and re-driving it: the stick, case, &c. that is to say, all the principal parts, being as serviceable as ever.

_The Ranges of these different Natures of Rocket Ammunition are as follow:_

+-------+----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | ELEVATIONS (in Degrees), RANGES (in Yards) | +-------+--------+-----+-----+-------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Nature |Point | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 60 | |of |Blank, | to | to | to | to | to | to | to | to | to | |Rocket |or | 25° | 30° | 35° | 40° | 45° | 50° | 55° | 60° | 65° | | |Ground | | | | | | | | | | | |Practice| | | | | | | | | | +-------+--------+-----+-----+-------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |6, 7, | | | | | | | | | |2,100| |and 8 | | | | | | | | | | to | |inch | | | | | | | | | |2,500| | | | | | | | | | | | | |42- | | | | | | | |2,000|2,500| | |Pounder| | | | | | | | to | to | | | | | | | | | | |2,500|3,000| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |32- |1,000 | | |1,000 |1,500|2,000|2,500|3,000| | | |Pounder| to | | | to | to | to | to | to | | | | |1,200 | | |1,500 |2,000|2,500|3,000|3,200| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |24- |nearly | | | | | | | | | | |Pounder|the same| | | | | | | | | | | |ranges | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |18- |1,000 | |1,000|1,500 | |2,000| | | | | |Pounder| | | to | to|2,000| to|2,500| | | | | | | |1,500| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |12- |nearly | | | | | | | | | | |Pounder|the same| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |9- | 800 |1,000|1,500| |2,000| | | | | | |Pounder| to | to | and|upwards| to|2,200| | | | | | |1,000 |1,500| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |6- |nearly | | | | | | | | | | |Pounder|the same| | | | | | | | | | +-------+--------+-----+-----+-------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

CONCLUSION.

Calculations proving the comparative Economy of the Rocket Ammunition, both as to its Application in Bombardment and in the Field.

So much misapprehension having been entertained with regard to the expense of the Rocket system, it is very important, for the true understanding of the weapon, to prove, that it is by far the cheapest mode of applying artillery ammunition, both in bombardment and in the field.

To begin with the expense of making the 32-pounder Rocket Carcass, which has hitherto been principally used in bombardments, compared with the 10-inch Carcass, which conveys even less combustible matter.

£. _s._ _d._ {Case 0 5 0 Cost of a 32-pounder {Cone 0 2 11 Rocket Carcass, complete {Stick 0 2 6 for firing in the present {Rocket composition 0 3 9 mode of manufacture. {Carcass ditto 0 2 3 {Labour, paint, &c. 0 5 6 ------------ £1 1 11 ------------

If the construction were more systematic, and elementary force used instead of manual labour, the expense of driving the Rocket might be reduced four-fifths, which would lower the amount to about 18_s._ each Rocket, complete; and if bamboo were substituted, which I am endeavouring to accomplish, for the stick, the whole expense of each 32-pounder Carcass Rocket would be about 16_s._ each.

Now as the calculation of the expense of the Rocket includes that of the projectile force, which conveys it 3,000 yards; to equalize the comparison, to the cost of the spherical carcass must be added that of the charge of powder required to convey it the same distance.

£. _s._ _d._ Cost of a 10-inch { Value of a 10-inch spherical Spherical Carcass, { carcass 0 15 7 with a proportionate { Ditto of charge of powder, 0 6 0 charge of powder, &c. { to range it 3,000 yards { Cartridge tube, &c. 0 1 0 ------------ £l 2 7 ------------

So that even with the present disadvantages of manufacture, there is an actual saving in the 32-pounder Rocket carcass itself, which contains more composition than the 10-inch spherical carcass, _without allowing any thing for the difference of expense of the Rocket apparatus, and that of the mortar, mortar beds, platforms, &c._ which, together with the difficulty of transport, constitute the greatest expense of throwing the common carcass; whereas, the cost of apparatus for the use of the Rocket carcass does not originally exceed £5; and indeed, on most occasions, the Rocket may, as has been shewn, be thrown even without any apparatus at all: besides which, it may be stated, that a transport of 250 tons will convey 5,000 Rocket carcasses, with every thing required for using them, on a very extensive scale; while on shore, a common ammunition waggon will carry 60 rounds, with the requisites for action. The difference in all these respects, as to the 10-inch spherical carcass, its mortars, &c. is too striking to need specifying.

But the comparison as to expense is still more in favour of the Rocket, when compared with the larger natures of carcasses. The 13-inch spherical carcass costs £1. 17_s._ 11½_d._ to throw it 2,500 yards; the 32-pounder Rocket carcass, conveying the same quantity of combustible matter, does not cost more than £1. 5_s._ 0_d._--so that in this case there is a saving on the first cost of 12_s._ 11½_d._ Now the large Rocket carcass requires no more apparatus than the small one, and the difference of weight, as to carriage, is little more than that of the different quantities of combustible matter contained in each, while the difference of weight of the 13-inch and 10-inch carcasses is at least double, as is also that of the mortars; and, consequently, all the other comparative charges are enhanced in the same proportion.

In like manner, the 42-pounder Carcass Rocket, which contains from 15 to 18 lbs. of combustible matter, will be found considerably cheaper in the first cost than the 13-inch spherical carcass: and a proportionate economy, including the ratio of increased effect, will attach also to the still larger natures of Rockets which I have now made. Thus the first cost of the 6-inch Rocket, weighing 150 lbs. and containing 40 lbs. of combustible matter, is not more than £3. 10_s._ that is to say, less than double the first cost of the 13-inch spherical carcass, though its conflagrating powers, or the quantity of combustible matter conveyed by it, are three times as great, and its mass and penetration are half as much again as that of the 10-inch shell or carcass. It is evident, therefore, that however extended the magnitude of Rockets may be, and I am now endeavouring to construct some, the falling mass of which will be considerably more than that of the 13-inch shell or carcass, and whose powers, therefore, either of explosion or conflagration, will rise even in a higher ratio, still, although the first cost may exceed that of any projectile at present thrown, on a comparison of effects, there will be a great saving in favour of the Rocket System.

It is difficult to make a precise calculation as to the average expense of every common shell or carcass, actually thrown against the enemy; but it is generally supposed and admitted, that, on a moderate estimate, these missiles, one with another, cannot cost government less than £5 each; nor can this be doubted, when, in addition to the first cost of the ammunition, that of the _ordnance_, and _the charges incidental to its application_, are considered. But as to the Rocket and its apparatus, it has been seen, that the _principal expense_ is that of the first construction, an expense, which it must be fairly stated, that the charges of conveyance cannot more than double under any circumstances; so that where the mode of throwing carcasses by 32-pounder Rockets is adopted, there is, at least, an average saving of £3 on every carcass so thrown, and proportionally for the larger natures; especially as not only the conflagrating powers of the spherical carcass are equalled even by the 32-pounder Rocket, but greatly exceeded by the larger Rockets; and the more especially indeed, as the difference of accuracy, for the purposes of bombardment, is not worthy to be mentioned, since it is no uncommon thing for shells fired from a mortar at long ranges, to spread to the right and left of each other, upwards of 500 or even 600 yards, as was lately proved by a series of experiments, where the mortar bed was actually fixed in the ground; an aberration which the Rocket will never equal, unless some accident happens to the stick in firing; and this, I may venture to say, does not occur oftener than the failure of the fuze in the firing of shells. The fact is, that whatever aberration does exist in the Rocket, it is distinctly seen; whereas, in ordinary projectiles it is scarcely to be traced--and hence has arisen a very exaggerated notion of the inaccuracy of the former.

But to recur to the economy of the Rocket carcass; how much is not the saving of this system of bombardment enhanced, when considered with reference to naval bombardment, when the expensive construction of the large mortar vessel is viewed, together with the charge of their whole establishment, compared with the few occasions of their use, and their unfitness for general service? Whereas, by means of the Rocket, every vessel, nay, every boat, has the power of throwing carcasses without any alteration in her construction, or any impediment whatever to her general services.

So much for the comparison required as to the application of the Rocket in bombardment; I shall now proceed to the calculation of the expense of this ammunition for field service, compared with that of common artillery ammunition. In the first place, it should be stated that the Rocket will project every species of shot or shell which can be fired from field guns, and indeed, even heavier ammunition than is ordinarily used by artillery in the field. But it will be a fair criterion to make the calculation, with reference to the six and nine-pounder common ammunition; these two natures of shot or shell are projected by a small Rocket, which I have denominated the 12-pounder, and which will give horizontally, and _without apparatus_, the same range as that of the gun, and _with apparatus_, considerably more. The calculation may be stated as follows:--

£. _s._ _d._ {Case and stick 0 5 6 12-pounder Rocket {Rocket composition 0 1 10½ {Labour, &c. 0 2 0 -------------- £0 9 4½ --------------

But this sum is capable of the following reduction, by substituting elementary force for manual labour, and by employing bamboo in lieu of the stick.

£. _s._ _d._ {Case and stick 0 4 0 [B]Reduced Price {Composition 0 1 10½ {Driving 0 0 6 ------------- £0 6 4½ -------------

[B] And this is the sum that, ought to be taken in a general calculation of the advantages of which the system is _capable_, because to this it _may_ be brought.

Now the cost of the shot or spherical case is the same whether projected from a gun or thrown by the Rocket; and the fixing it to the Rocket costs about the same as strapping the shot to the wooden bottom.

This 6_s._ 4½_d._ therefore is to be set against the value of the gunpowder, cartridge, &c. required for the gun, which may be estimated as follows:--

£. _s._ _d._ 6-pounder Amm’n. {Charge of powder for the 6-pounder 0 2 0 {Cartridge, 3½_d._ wooden bottom, 0 0 7¼ { 2½_d._ and tube, 1¼_d._ ------------- £0 2 7¼ -------------

£. _s._ _d._ 9-pounder Amm’n. {For the 9-pounder charge of powder 0 3 0 {Cartridge, 4½_d._ wooden bottom, 0 0 8¼ { 2½_d._ and tube, 1¼_d._ ------------- £0 3 8¼ -------------

Taking the average, therefore, of the six and nine-pounder ammunition, the Rocket ammunition costs 3_s._ 2¾_d._ a round more than the common ammunition.