SHO (si
N. B. This rule is sufficiently exactfor practical uses.
To find the diameter of the Shot,when the weight is given. Rule. Mul-tiply the cube root of the weight inpounds by 1.923, and the product is thediameter in inches.
To find the diameter of a Shot, fromthe impression or cavity it makes, bystriking a brass gun, or other object.Rule. Divide the square of the radiusof the cavity by the depth of it, andadd the quotient to the depth; so willthe sum be the diameter of the shotrequired.
Langrel Shot, a sort of shot whichruns loose, with a shackle, or joint, inthe middle.
Spherical Case- Shot. Case-shot isso termed from the whole charge of thegun being contained in a tin case. Thetin case is cylindric, in diameter a littleless than the calibre of the gun or how-itzer. It is filled with iron balls, so asto make up the weight of the shot.These balls are seldom less than 1J oz.in weight. But little effect is to be ex-pected from firing case-shot beyond 300yards, from the very great divergencyof the balls.
Although we could enter very fullyinto this destructive, and hitherto un-paralleled, mode of annoying an enemy,we shall abstain from giving any ofthose particulars which might lead to adiscovery of the invention. ColonelShrapnel, of the Royal Artillery, hasthe exclusive merit of having added thisformidable weapon to those already inuse, with the acknowledged advantageof possessing the talent, as well as theinclination, to render it generally useful.
The following explanation of the ef-fects and advantages that might be de-rived by firing this species of shot, isextracted from a book lately published.We should not, otherwise, have thoughtourselves justified in saying as muchupon the subject.
1st. The whole charge takes effect onthe enemy at any distance. By the pre-sent mode of firing, the greatest part ofthe charge disperses as soon as it leavesthe muzzle- of the gun, and cannot bedirected.
2d. Grape, or case, shot may be fired,with an effect equally close and collect-ed, to any distance within the range ofthe piece; and the artillery need notadvance within musket shot of the ene-
3 ) SHO
my, to make use of this kind of fire withits full effect, and are not so subject tohave their guns charged either by ca-valry or infantry.
3d. It requires less precision and ex-actness to point a piece of ordnancecharged with spherical case shot thanwith round shot, because case shot is awide and dispersed fire, and the difficul-ty in elevation consequently less.
4th. Its comparative destruction withthat of round shot will be, generally,as the number of shot within the shellsto one; that is to say, a three pounder,twenty-two to one in its favour; a six-pounder, fifty to one, See. in which cal-culation is not enumerated any effectfrom the splinters cf the shell.
5th. Small balls cannot be projectedto very considerable distances, unlessinclosed in heavy spherical cases, which,from their form and weight, are notmuch influenced by the resistance of theair, or diverted from their direction.
6th. The explosion of the shell makesno change in the direction of the shotwithin it; theyconsequentlycompletetheshell’s track, or curve, which has some-times been observed to be 400 yards.
7th. From the unevenness of theground, such as hillocks, banks, fallow-fields, Sc c. all shot which graze mostcommonly lodge; whereas, by using thisshell, the whole charge will be carriedover these irregularities, and reach theobject with its full contents of balls.
N.B. Firing these kind of shells fromguns is managed with more facility thanthe ordinary howitzer practice, both asto the length of fuze, as well as the ele-vation required, and may be carried onin the field precisely the same as firinground shot.
Mode of Examining the different Na-tures of Lieut . Colonel Shrapnel V
Shells in the Royal Laboratory.
1st. The shells are to be well ex-amined with a pick hammer of a properweight to the diameter of each nature,to find they are not damaged by sandholes, or other flaws.
2d. They are to be well scraped in-side, with scrapers that will get underthe dip of the fuze-hole, so that all thebore, sand, or gravel, may be cleanedout, which is to be done by rolling andshaking the shell with the fuze-holedownwards. It may be taken out oflarge shells with a proper ladle, that willgo into the fuze-hole.