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hind them. An expert horseman canspin five days forage into a very narrowcompass.

SPIRAL, (spirale y Fr.) in architec-ture, a curve that ascends windingabout a cone or spire, so that all thepoints thereof continually approach theaxis.

Spiral Line, (Ugne spirale , Fr.) acurve line, which makes a circular move-ment like a screw, perpetually divergingorgoidg off from its center.

SPIRAL, ? a line drawn progressivelySPIRE, J round the same axis, witha distance between each circle; as thethread of a screw. See Screw .

SPIROLE, Fr. a small culverin,whichwas so called from the spiral or crookeddirection that was taken, and the his-sing noise which was made by the ball'shot from it. Hence it was also calledterpentine and basilisk.

SPOKES, the bars of a wheel thatpass from the nave to the fellv.

SPOLIA , from Spolium , among theancient Romans, spoils; booty takenfrom an enemy.

Spolia Opima , among the ancientRomans, those spoils which a subalternofficer took from any officer of distinc-tion belonging to the enemy.

SPONTOX, Fr. Sec Spomoon,Spontoon, is a weapon much like ahalberd, formerly used instead of a half-pike, by the officers of foot. When thespontoon was planted, the regiment halt-e d; when pointed forwards, the regimentmarched; and when pointed backwardsthe regiment retreated.

, To SPRAWL, to widen out in anirregular and unsoldier-like manner.—raal term ' S applicable to the

SPRAWLING, loose, unconnected,"ide of each other.

^1 Sprawlixg charge, a loose and ir-regular movement of cavalry, instead of5C 7 ? se > c «™pact, forward attack.

u SPRING, to give vent to anyCombustible matter upon which gun-poKiier principally acts by the power ofX P osion. Hence to spring globes ofcompression, &c. The latter arc fro.fontly use<lf or t [ ie sunie purposes thatJ ro< v iets > &c. are, viz. to serve as sig-made " any sudden attack is to be

When the impression, which finally

led to the surrender of Valenciennes tohis Itoyal Highness the Duke of York,was made, the springing of three globesof compression was the signal fin theat :ack. The late General Sir RalphAbercrombie commanded the columnthat rushed into the sap on this memo-rable occasion; and we need scarcelyadd, that every thing which British va-lour and intrepidity could do was in-stantly effected. The result is a suffi-cient illustration.

Spring, in a general acceptation, anelastic body; a body which when bent,or distorted, has the power of restoringitself to its former state. It is in gene-ral a piece of tempered metal, which bymeans of its elastic force, is useful in se-veral machines to give them motion. Ina gun lock the springs are distinguishedby various appellations according totheir several uses, viz.

Gear and Gear Spring. The cear is apiece of hardened iron or steel in a gunlock, which moves on a pivot, and thepoint of which is received in a notchcut in the tumbler, and the other end isacted upon by the trigger.

The cear spring is a small spring,which throws the cear into the notchcut in the tumbler of a gun cock, whenthe piece is at half cock, or full cock.

Feather Spring, the spring of a gunlock beneath the foot of the hammer;called likewise hammer-spring.

Main Spring. The spring of a gunlock which operates on the tumbler,and gives force to the cock.

To Spring, in a military sense, tostep forward with a certain degree ofelasticity.

Spring up, A word of command,which has been occasionally used whensections double up. It signifies, in-deed, the same as double up, and issometimes used singly, as Spring ! par-ticularly to light infantry men.

To Spring the firelock. To bring itbriskly up to any ordered position; tothe recover, for instance,

SPUNGE, ( ccouvillon , griffon , Fr.)A long staff with a roll at one end,covered with a sheep’s skin, of thebigness of the bore of a gun, to scourit after firing; and to prevent anysparks from remaining. It is some-times called Merkin, from its artificialtexture of hair at the end of the staff.

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