The compleat body of the art military in three books : I. The postures of the pike and musket ..., II. Twelve exercises ..., III. The drawing up and exercising of regiments after the manner of private companies ... : also, the duties of all souldiers and officers ... / by Richard Elton ... ; to which is added a supplement comprehending these particulars, I. the duties and qualifications of all officers belonging to an army .., formerly written by Capt. Tho. Rudd ...

The composition, making, and use of the two Prin∣cipal Fire-works belonging to WAR, viz. THE GRANADO and PETARD.

I. Of the Granado.

OF Granadoes there are several sorts; some to cast with mens hands, others to be shot out of great Guns, and others so large that they require a Mor∣ter-piece on purpose for the discharging of them.

[illustration] grenade

Granada.

The Shell is made of Copper cast in form of a Sphere or Globe, allowing half an inch, and sometimes more (according as the Shell is in bigness) for the thickness of the Metal, which ought to be cast very exactly, to be equally thick in all parts. They are to be filled with fine powder; they are to have a pipe screwed into them, which is to be filled with a slow composition to prime it, the composition of which I shall shew you anon.

These Granadoes are made proportionable to the weight of the bullet be∣longing to the piece out of which they are to be shot; and if they in bigness exceed the bore of a Cannon, then they are to be shot out of a Morter-piece.

II. Of the Petard.

THese Petards are made of Copper and brass mixed; and their dimensions are fitted according to the use for which they were prepared; there being

three chief uses of them, and so many sorts there are, viz. Some for blowing up and breaking of bridges. Others, for Gates that have Perculles belonging to them. And the third sort for ordinary Gates.

[illustration] petard

The Petard.

1. Those for Bridges are commonly eleven inches long, and at the breech se∣ven inches and an half about, and five inches wide within: the Metal at the breech must be one inch and a quarter thick, and at the neck half an inch thick, besides the muzzle-ring. The mouth must be ten inches wide, and to the Touch-hole must be added a pipe, as in the Figure.

2. The second sort for Gates with Perculles, must be nine inches long, almost half an inch thick at the neck, and an inch thick at the breech; the mouth must be about seven inches wide, and the outside of the breech must be six inches wide, and the inside four inches.

3. The third sort, which is for Gates and Palisadoes, must be seven inches long, one fifth part of an inch thick at the neck, and three quarters of an inch thick at the breech: the mouth must be four Inches wide; at the outside of the breech it must be three inches and an half, and at the inside thereof three inches.

The Charges for these Petards are to be of the finest powder that can be got, beaten hard into the Petard, yet not to break the Gun; then must it be stopped close in with a Wooden board of about an Inch thick; justly fitted thereunto, with wax melted to stop the crevise about to keep out water. You must not charge it up to the top, but leave the breadth of almost two inches empty, which must be filled up with tow close stopped in, and a linnen Cloath bound about the Petards neck to keep it close in.

The Touch-hole must be stopped with a Cork, and over that a Sear-Cloath to keep it from wet.

The charge for the greater sort of Petards, is five or six pound of powder. Those of the second, from three to four pounds. And for the smallest, from one pound and an half to one pound.

To prime your Petards and Granadoes, use this following Composition.

TAke of fine Powder three parts, of Sulphur six parts, and of Salt-Peter nine parts: beat all of them severally into fine powder, and mix them together, putting to them Oyl of Peter by little and little till it become a paste; dry this leasurely but throughly, and with it lade your pipe.

FINIS.