Carronades are a short description of ordnance without trunnions, but fastened by a loop under the reinforce. Their construction is materially different from that of guns. They have a chamber like a mortar, a part scooped out inside the muzzle, forming a cup, and they have also a patch on the reinforce. The name arises from the Carron Foundry in Scotland, the first of them having been cast there in 1779. The construction is considerably lighter than that of guns of similar calibre. Their principal use is on board ship; but they are sometimes used in casemates, or retired flanks of fortresses.
The proportions of all guns to shot, will be found below; and in looking at this table, it will scarce be conceivable how such light guns can project such heavy shot.
-------------------+-------+----------- |Weight |Comparative ---- | of | Weight. | Guns. | -------------------+-------+----------- | cwts. | 12-inch Gun | 90 | 1 to 112 10 do. | 84 | 1 „ 82 8 do. | 65 | 1 „ 107 8 do. | 60 | 1 „ 96 8 do. | 50 | 1 „ 82 32-pounder | 64 | 1 „ 224 Do. | 56 | 1 „ 196 Do. | 48 | 1 „ 168 Do. | 40 | 1 „ 140 Do. | 32 | 1 „ 112 Do. | 25 | 1 „ 84 24-pounder | 50 | 1 „ 233 Do. | 48 | 1 „ 219 Do. | 42 | 1 „ 186 18-pounder | 42 | 1 „ 261 Do. | 37-1/2| 1 „ 233 12-pounder | 34 | 1 „ 318 Do. | 29 | 1 „ 270 Do. | 21 | 1 „ 196 9-pounder | 31 | 1 „ 285 Do. | 26 | 1 „ 323 Do. | 17 | 1 „ 211 6-pounder | 23 | 1 „ 429 Do. | 17 | 1 „ 327 68-pound Carronades| 30 | 1 „ 59 42 do. | 22-1/4| 1 „ 58 32 do. | 17 | 1 „ 62 32 do. | 25 | 1 „ 96 24 do. | 13 | 1 „ 55 18 do. | 10 | 1 „ 56 12 do. | 6 | 1 „ 56 -------------------+-------+-----------
The recoil, which in all the before-mentioned guns is very great, arises from the blow communicated to the iron in immediate contact with the explosive fluid. The granulatory system of the metal transmits to those grains, or crystals, immediately behind them, the blow or concussion they are subjected to, and these again to others, and so on, until the vibration has passed through the metal, from the interior of the breech to the exterior of the gun.
I am satisfied that in all small guns, from their slight substance, recoil is communicated a great deal quicker than in larger ones; hence arises the well-known fact that in shooting you receive a knock nearly simultaneous with the explosion. The greater and heavier the gun (even carry it up to General Miller’s gun of 84 cwt.) if the proportion which the shot bears to it be not too great, the less will be the velocity of recoil. But in carronades, as will be seen, the proportions are as high as 1 to 55, while in long guns, it is 1 to 429; a very considerable degree of difference.