Gunnery in 1858: Being a Treatise on Rifles, Cannon, and Sporting Arms: Explaining the Principles of the Science of Gunnery, and Describing the Newest Improvements in Fire-ArmsGreener, William
History
Gunnery in 1858: Being a Treatise on Rifles, Cannon, and Sporting Arms: Explaining the Principles of the Science of Gunnery, and Describing the Newest Improvements in Fire-Arms
Greener, William
Firearms; Gunnery
“It is impossible to contemplate the results obtained with this gun
without being impressed with the important part it is calculated to
perform in warfare. Opposed to any ordinary field-piece, it would be
like the Greener rifle against the old musket; and no gun could be
worked at an embrasure if a fire of shells were directed against it by
one of these rifled pieces placed within the distance of a mile. In
naval operations, also, guns of this description, but of larger size,
might apparently be applied with great effect--more especially as a
system of breech loading, combined with a self-recovering recoil action,
would be peculiarly advantageous in firing from portholes. Even light
5-pounders, sending their shells from great distances through the sides
of a ship and sweeping the decks with fragments of lead and iron, would
produce very destructive effects; and a small swift steamer carrying a
few such guns might prove a very troublesome opponent to a large ship of
war. But if the dimensions of the gun were increased so as to adapt it
for shells of 20 lb. or 30 lb., still more terrible injury could be
inflicted at greater distances; and the ponderous artillery now used at
sea would be of little service when opposed to the accurate and
long-range firing of such rifled shell-guns.”
Since the publication of these remarks, rifled artillery of Mr.
Armstrong’s production has, we believe, been extensively tried. The
results of these trials have been most extraordinary; and the principle
is, we believe, identical with the expansive principle bearing my
cognomen: an extension of the principle of the Greener and Enfield
rifle, hereafter to be described. I have had the honour of being
consulted both by English and foreign authorities, and I have assisted
in constructing rifled artillery for several years; and the experience
thus obtained justifies me in making known to the world some of my
observations on this subject.
Rifled cannon with elongated projectiles, similar in shape and principle
to the Greenerian bullet, give, with charges inferior to those of the
old régime and calibre, more than double the range, with ten times
greater accuracy.
Now, either of these points, if gained, would be most important
improvements, and when combined would produce the most extraordinary
results. But this is not all: a great diminution in the weight of the
gun might also be effected; and these advantages may be still further
extended when we have had time to increase our knowledge of the valuable
materials with which we are only just now becoming acquainted.
The following table will show the advantages to be gained both in length
and accuracy of range.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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