Constitution should have a faster reload? Odd info I'm trying to follow

[SueMyChin]

Here is the full American correspondence between Captain Jones, The American Philosophical Society and the War Department for anyone wanting to read it...

 

No. V.



Memoir on Leaden Cartridges. By WiUiam Jones. — Read

March 15, 181 i.

THE awful catalogue of disasters, produced, by the acci-
dental explosion of gun powder, particularly on board ships
of war, has been the subject of serious contemplation, and
of earnest solicitude, for the discovery of an adequate re-
medy.

Naval and military history is replete with instances of the
destruction of ships of war, and of military magazines, by
accidents arising from the exposed and defective manner in
which gun powder is kept ; and particularly from the loose
and combustible nature of the common paper cartridge: also
of men killed and maimed in the act of reloading cannon, in
consequence of the burning remnant of the paper cartridge,
remaining in the chamber of the gun after the discharge.

Naval expeditions of the utmost importance are said to
have failed, from the defective quality of the powder ; dama-
ged either by accident, or impaired by long exposure to the
saline atmosphere, in the confined apartments on shipboard ;
and it is equally susceptible of injury from the humidity of a
military magazine ; as, in both cases, it is kept in casks, acces-
sible to the action of the air.

The magazine of a ship of war, is a place that can be ap-
proached but with the.greatest caution j and even under the



138 MEMOIR ON LEADEN CARTRIDGES.

highest state of discipline and vigilance, frequent and fatal
accidents occur.

Impressed with the importance of the subject, I conceived
the idea of substituting lead for paper ; and in the year 1805,
when at Canton in China, I caused to be made one hundred
cartridges of thin sheet lead, with a portion of tin, to give it
more tenacity. — One half were of six, and the other of four,
pounder calibre ; I have yet remaining between 80 and 90. —
The whole cost five dollars ; but if the order had been for
a considerable quantity, the price would doubtless have been
much reduced.

On my passage that year in the ship Ploughboy, from Can-
ton to Philadelphia, I took an opportunity to make a fair ex-
periment, and fired six rounds from a four pounder in quick
succession, by instantly inserting the charge without spunging;
and then upon cleaning out the gun, I found only a small
portion of lead, nearly of the size and form of mustard seed
shot, and in quantity only sufficient to cover a surface of an
inch square.

The lead cartridge may be perforated with as much ease
as paper; and as it is not necessary to ram home the charge,
or prime the gun, until intended to be used, it may remain
at all times in the gun, ready for service, without injury from
wet or damp.

When ships of war take fire by any casualty, unless it can
be instantly subdued, it becomes absolutely necessary to de-
luge the magazine ; for which purpose there is usually a stop-
cock through the bottom of the ship : thus the whole of the
powder on board may be rendered totally unfit for service,
and of course the ship utterly defenceless. Whereas, if en-
closed in lead, the powder would not sustain the least injury
from the inundation.

The whole of the powder for a ship of war, may be filled
in a perfect state, in the laboratory on shore; and the aper-
ture in the end of the cartridge, being closed with a cap of
lead, secured by a cement of white lead, or other proper
substance, will be impervious to moisture ; and thus the pow-



MEMOIR ON LEADEN CARTRIDGES. 139

der may be preserved unimpaired in the state in which it
was filled, for any length of time — an advantage of the utmost
importance to the success of an enterprise.

The cartridges should be packed in cases, with cylindrical
compartments fitted to the size of the several calibres; or
with some soft substance to preserve them from injury or
deformity ; hence the necessity and the danger of filling the
cartridges on board, in time of action, will be superseded.

If it shall be deemed necessary to have some larger pack-
ages of powder for ordinary or casual uses, the casks con-
taining it, should be lined with thin lead, in the manner of a
tea chest, and closed, like the cartridges, until required for
use.

I think cases preferable to casks: their cubical form will
occupy less space in proportion to their contents than casks ;
and about 50 pounds weight in each case, can be handled by
one man with convenience.

As leaden cartridges will preserve their form better when
full than empty, and will occupy only the same space, the
whole of the ammunition should be filled in the laboratory,
and the contents of each case distinctly marked with the
number, calibre, and nature of the charges, whether full or
reduced.

The increase of expense in substituting lead for paper car-
tridges, will be comparatively trifling, and will be amply re-
munerated, by the preservation of the quality, and saving in
quantity, of the powder. For I believe when ships of war
return from a cruize, their powder is generally sent to be
remanufactured.

The preceding remarks are applied principally to naval
service ; but I conceive them to be equally applicable to many
military purposes, particularly magazines, and even to field
service, when rapid firing is necessary ; for the charge may
be instantly inserted without danger, as there is no necessity
to spunge the gun, except when it may be necessary to
cleanse or cool it.



140 MEMOIR ON LEADEN CARTRIDGES.

We often hear of partizan detachments being frustrated in
the object of their enterprise, by long exposure to heavy
rains, or by fording deep streams, and thus damaging their
powder. Why may not the cartridges of the infantry as
well as the artillery, be formed of lead, for particular ob-
jects f*

The musket cartridge may be made as thin as paper, so
that neither weight nor expense, can form an objection; and,
when to be used, the end can be opened with the teeth,
with as much facility as a paper cartridge.

The two cartridges now exhibited, contain a charge for a
four pounder ; and although they are of the size of a cylin-
drical powder measure for one pound weight, they are each
made to contain nearly a pound and a quarter of powder, by
gently striking the bottom on a table when filling, which
serves the better to distend, and support the sides of the car-
tridge.

One of them had a small neck about one-fifth of an inch
high, and is closely corked and sealed with a cement of resin
gum-mastic, and red lead ; the other had merely a circular
aperture closed with a cork, and over that a cap of lead, ce-
mented with white lead — they have both been completely
immersed in water during the preceding forty-eight hours. It
is practicable to solder the cap ; but, on trying the experiment,
I found the degree of heat necessary to fuse solder, to ap-
proach so near to the ignition of gunpowder, that I think it
would be found too hazardous in common practice.

It was my intention to have made this communication long
since ; but it has been delayed by the pressure of other pur-
suits, and partly by neglect. In the interval, I have occasion-
ally conversed with several philosophical, naval, and military
gentlemen, on this subject, who have all corroborated my
views of the utility and importance of the object, and have

* Observe the difficulties that Pike and other travellers have experienced,
from the effect of humidity upon their powder.



MEMOIR ON LEADEN CARTRIDGES. 141

urged the communication which is now submitted with de-
ference and respect to the American Philosophical Society,
by

WM. JONES.
Philadelphia, March 1 5th, 1811.



This Memoir being referred to Messrs. Robert Patterson,
T. Matlack and Joseph Cloud, to report thereon to the society :
the author made a further communication on the subject to
the committee, which, together with their report, was directed
to be printed.



Philadelphia, March 22, 181 1.
Dear Sir,

As the only legitimate end of philosophical investigation
is the discovery of truth, and as the truth can only be ascer-
tained by a careful examination of facts, as they are deve-
loped in the progress of experiment, I deem it necessary to
state to you, that after the exhibition of my leaden cartridges,
(which had been immersed in water 48 hours) one of which
was opened, and a part of the gun powder poured out per-
fectly dry, in the presence of the society at its last meeting —
I emptied both the cartridges, and, contrary to my expectation,
a part of the powder appeared in lumps sligMly adhesive, but
apparently dry. My first impressions were that a small de-
gree of humidity must have penetrated through some imper-
ceptible crevice, or that the low temperature of the water in
which they had been immersed, had condensed the air within,
and produced a slight degree of deliquescence, and conse-
quent adhesion of the grains of powder: hut, upon a more
strict examination, I found the powder perfectly dry, and the
interior of the cartridge equally so ; not a grain of powder
adhering to the corners, or die appearance of the least humid-



14& MEMOIR ON LEADEN CARTRIDGES.

ity — then recollecting that I had packed the powder very hard,
in order to distend and support the sides of the cartridge, it
occurred to me that this must have been the cause of the ad-
hesion. . In order to satisfy myself on this head, I returned
the powder into the cartridge, and packed it hard as before.
Two days afterwards, I emptied it again, and found the pow-
der in lumps slightly adhesive, exactly in the state first de-
scribed; so that I am entirely satisfied that not the least
moisture had passed through the cartridge, but that the pow-
der and the interior of the cartridge were as perfectly dry after
the immersion as before.

When the cartridges are filled and the caps cemented and
dry, I would recommend a good coat of paint, in order to
prevent oxidation, as well as to fill up any imperceptible cre-
vice or defect in the cartridge. It is easy, however, to prove
the soundness of the cartridge, by blowing in it to ascertain
whether or not it is air tight.

I am of opinion, that very thin tin plate cartridges may be
made to answer the same purpose, (in the absence of lead,
which I think much preferable) provided they were well pro-
tected by a coat or two of paint, as tin will oxidate much sooner
than lead.

Thin tin plate may readily be perforated by a slight stroke
with a steel-pointed pricker.

I am very respectfully,
Yours,

WM. JONES,
Messrs. Patterson, Cloud and Matlack,

Committee on Leaden Cartridges.



MEMOIR ON LEADEN CARTRIDGES. 143

The Committee to whom was referred the Memoir on
Cannon Cartridges,

REPORT,

That the Committee have attentively considered the Memoir
on Cannon Cartridges, presented to the society by Captain
William Jones of this city, and are of opinion, that the expe-
riments made by him fully demonstrate the utility of sheet-
lead cartridges.

The security they will afford, against the danger from latent
fire, so frequently retained by the cartridges now in use, and
the time saved in scooping and spunging the cannon, which
will be altogether unnecessary, are evidently of very great
importance in the land service ; and, in addition to those ad-
vantages, that of securing gun powder at sea, from the destruc-
tive effects of moisture, extending even to the case of inun-
dation of the powder-room, sometimes indispensibly necessary
for the preservation of the ship ; they consider as being in
the sea-service inestimable. Your Committee are therefore
of opinion, that the communication is well worthy of a place
in the transactions of the soeiety.

And as practical improvements of this kind belong to the
nation : your Committee therefore recommend, That the
secretary of the society be directed to transmit to the secre-
tary of the navy and the secretary at war of the United States,
a copy of Captain Jones's Memoir. This, they conceive,
ought not to be delayed, as sheet-lead of a size suitable for
cannon cartridges not being in common use, time will be
required for the necessary preparations for rolling it of that
size. For a supply of an article of such importance in na-
tional defence, we ought not to depend on foreign nations ;
and the readiness with which this can be manufactured within
ourselves, at an expense, it is believed, that will not exceed
the cost of flannel, or even paper cartridges, renders that
dependence altogether unnecessary. How far the use of sheet



14t4s MEMOIR ON LEADEN CARTRIDGES.

lead cartridges may, in some cases, be applied to musquetry,
will of course present itself for consideration to the board of
war of the United States; — and possibly that board may take
into consideration the utility of preserving the whole stock
of powder in their magazines in sheet-lead ; either in cases
or boxes lined with it.

R. PATTERSON,

T. MATLACK, ^Committee.

JOS. CLOUD,



Copies of the Memoir and of the Report were transmitted
as directed to the Secretary of War, from whom the following
letter was received.



War Department, April 27th, 1811.
John Vaughan, Esq.

Librarian Am. Phil. Society.

Your letter of the nth inst. inclosing a memoir on the
advantages of using sheet-lead for cartridges instead of paper
or flannel, has been received. The attention of the Ameri-
can Philosophical Society, to a subject so interesting as that
of the preservation of powder, is equally honourable fo them,
and promising of usefulness to the public ; and is observed
(with suitable acknowledgments) by this department, to which
it is peculiarly important.

Boxes or casks for keeping powder, lined with lead, are
unquestionably applicable to all magazines constructed within
or under walls of earth or masonry, or others, exposed to
dampness or moisture ; the introduction and use of leaden
cartridges, however, must depend on further experience.

On the suggestion of an officer, a common tea-chest made
of wood, and lined as usual with lead, was filled with powder.



MEMOIR ON LEADBN CARTRIDGES. 145

The top, or mouth of the chest, was covered with pieces of
board. It was buried in the earth in the month of November,
1809, where it remained until the month of May, 1810, when
it was taken up. The powder was perfectly dry, excepting
round the edges of the mouth, where it had been covered
with the boards.

Respectfully, Sir,

Your obdt. servant,

W. EUSTIS.