History Carronade

68-pounder british naval carronade, slider carriage, on hms victory

the carronade designed short-range naval weapon low muzzle velocity merchant ships, found niche role on warships. produced carron ironworks , @ first sold system gun, mounting, , shot together. standard package of shot per gun 25 roundshot, 15 barshot, 15 double-headed shot, 10 single grapeshot, , 10 single canister shot. single meant shot weighed same roundshot, while other canister , grapeshot included weighed 1 , half times roundshot.

its invention variously ascribed lieutenant general robert melville in 1759, or charles gascoigne, manager of carron company 1769 1779. in years, weapon called mellvinade or gasconade . carronade can seen culmination of development of naval guns reducing barrel length , gunpowder charge. carron company selling new light-constructed gun, two-thirds of weight of standard naval gun , charged 1 sixth of weight of ball in powder before introduced carronade, further halved gunpowder charge.

theory of design

the advantages merchant ships described in advertising pamphlet of 1779. production of both shot , gun same firm allowed reduction in windage, gap between bore of gun , diameter of ball. smaller gunpowder charge reduced barrel heating in action, , reduced recoil. mounting, attached side of ship on pivot, took recoil on slider, without altering alignment of gun. pamphlet advocated use of woollen cartridges, eliminated need wadding , worming, although more expensive.

simplifying gunnery comparatively untrained merchant seamen in both aiming , reloading part of rationale gun. replacement of trunnions bolt underneath, connect gun mounting, reduced width of carriage enhancing wide angle of fire. merchant ship running away enemy, wide angle of fire more important on warship. carronade weighed quarter , used quarter third of gunpowder charge long gun firing same cannonball.

the reduced charge allowed carronades have shorter length , lighter weight long guns. increasing size of bore , ball reduces required length of barrel. force acting on ball proportional square of diameter, while mass of ball rises cube, acceleration slower; thus, barrel can shorter , therefore lighter. long guns heavier carronades because over-specified capable of being double-shotted, whereas dangerous in carronade. ship carry more carronades, or carronades of larger caliber, long guns, , carronades mounted on upper decks, heavy long guns cause ship top-heavy , unstable. carronades required smaller gun crew, important merchant ships, , faster reload.

early use

carronades became popular on british merchant ships during american revolutionary war. lightweight gun needed small gun crew , devastating @ short range suited defending merchant ships against french , american privateers. french came in possession of first carronades in december 1779 capture of brig finkastre frigate précieuse, weapon judged ineffective , not adopted them @ time. however, in action of 4 september 1782, impact of single carronade broadside fired @ close range frigate hms rainbow under henry trollope caused wounded french captain capitulate , surrender hébé after short fight.

the royal navy reluctant adopt guns, due mistrust of carron company, had developed reputation incompetence , commercial sharp dealing. carronades not counted in numbering guns of ship. lord sandwich started mounting them in place of light guns on forecastle , quarterdeck of ships. proved effectiveness in battle. french gun foundries unable produce equivalents twenty years, carronades gave british warships significant tactical advantage during latter part of 18th century—though french ships mounted type of weapon in same role, obusier de vaisseau. hms victory used 2 68-pounder carronades carried on forecastle great effect @ battle of trafalgar, clearing gun deck of bucentaure firing round shot , keg of 500 musket balls through bucentaure s stern windows.

the carronade successful , adopted, , few experimental ships fitted carronade-only armament, such hms glatton , hms rainbow. glatton, fourth-rate ship 56 guns, had more destructive broadside hms victory, first-rate ship 100 guns. glatton , rainbow both successful in battle, though carronade s lack of range arguable tactical disadvantage of arrangement against opponent keep out of carronade range, within range of long guns.

in 1810s , 1820s, tactics started place greater emphasis on accuracy of long-range gunfire, , less on weight of broadside. indeed, captain david porter of uss essex complained when navy replaced 12-pounder long guns 32-pounder carronades. carronade disappeared royal navy 1850s after development of steel-jacketed cannon william george armstrong , joseph whitworth. carronades nevertheless still used in american civil war in 1860s. last known use of carronade in conflict during first boer war. in siege of potchefstroom, boers used ou griet against british fort, antique carronade mounted on wagon axle.