Ammunition

Cartridge: One of the jobs of a seaman sentenced to the punishment bar would be the sewing of cartridges for the guns. Cartridge dimensions of each bag size was given in case supplies of ready cut bags were unavailable. Some cartridge bags were supplied in a flat state. Each ship was supplied with cylindrical formers for each type of gun and for each weight of charge used. After the bag had been sewn into shape on the former it was filled with gun powder of the correct grain size. Strict instructions were in force to regulate the amount of powder used for each gun size and the type of charge to be made.

Quill tubes: These tubes were issued ready made from the Board of Ordnance. Notebooks dated 1840 from HMS EXCELLENT give the instructions for making the quills with illustrations. It is possible that the tubes could have been made on board ship but as a first rate carried 3,630 ready made tubes it would seem that this number would be enough without the gunner and his mates having to make more. The tubes were made of goose quills about 2.25 ins. to 2.5 ins. (5.7 to 6.35 cm) long. The tube was filled with a stiff paste made from mealed gunpowder and spirits of wine so that the central channel (a hollow tube of paste) passed down the inside of the tube. This channel enabled the tube when ignited to literally explode down its length instantaneously, giving a powerful six inch spurt of flame which could easily penetrate a cartridge bag. There was no contact of tube and cartridge, which was not possible as the tube was too short. The 'head' of the tube was impregnated with the same mixture well rubbed into the worsted finish. The complete head was protected from damp by a paper cap which was removed before the tube was used.

 

Round Shot	Bar Shot	Chain Shot	Grape Shot

The manufacture of gun powder: Gun powder is made of saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal, it's strength and quality depending on the Saltpetre being well refined and the mixture well mixed so that in any sample there is the correct proportion of the ingredients.

Powder was supplied to the navy in barrels containing 100 lbs. (45 kg). The usual proportions for 100 lbs. (45 kg) of gunpowder were 75 lbs. (33.75 kg) of refined saltpetre, 15 lbs. (6.75 kg) of sulphur, and 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) of charcoal. Saltpetre was refined and cleaned of impurities by boiling in a large copper vessel with as much water as would cover it. When it dissolved, the powder makers poured the liquid into large tubs called settlers and left it to deposit thesaltpetre, which settled to the bottom.

The makers considered it unnecessary to repeat this operation as most of the impurities had been skimmed off during the boiling. As soon as the solution was cool, it was pumped into the filtering trough and piped into filter bags, made from closely woven canvas. The liquid filtered through these bags into copper pans, where the liquid was left for 24 hours to form crystals. When the crystals had formed, the liquid was drained off and the crystals purified by adding more water, filtering again, and leaving them to dry. The purified saltpetre was melted in a copper pan to evaporate the water from the crystals. As soon as the saltpetre cooled and again had started to form crystals it was ladled into copper pans where it solidified.

At the Royal Laboratory,Woolwich, more care was taken with saltpetre refining, the original process being repeated a number of times and the liquid was filtered through flannel bags. The saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal were finally pulverised and then the correct proportions were put into a large chest, known as the mingling tub. The mixture was moistened and then blended ready for the powder mill.

Powder makers were, by law, not allowed to work more than 42 1bs. (18.9 kg) of mixture in the process of milling as accidents occured when the stones came into contact with the bed and made a spark which ignited the powder. This was liable to happen only when the process was nearly finished, as the dampness of the mixture during early stages would eliminate any risk.

The machinery of the powder mill, usually driven by water or horse power, consisted of large cylindrical stones revolving in a trough with sloping sides. When the composition was sufficiently ground it was sent to the corning house for the next process

At the corning house, the powder was granulated. This was done by using sieves with a base of either parchment or of bullock hide and perforated with holes about 0.1 inch ( 2 mm) in diameter. About 20 of these sieves were fixed in a frame, one above the other, and the mixture was placed in the top one. On top of the mixture was placed a circular runner of hard wood and the frame, fitted to an eccentric axis, was set in motion. The wood runners acted upon the powder and forced the mixture through in grains. The grains were then glazed by placing about 200 lbs. (90 kg) in a barrel and revolving it at about 40 revs, per minute. This operation gave the powder a high or dull gloss, depending on the requirements, less time giving a dull appearance. The main object of glazing was to round the grains (high gloss powder was used for export and was of a poorer quality). The powder was then laid out about 1.5 inches (3.81 cm) thick on canvas stretched on wooden frames and placed on racks in the drying room. When dry the powder was taken to the dusting house where the different size grains were separated with sieves fitted in a frame. This process removed the dust from the powder. In the packing room the powder was packed into barrels. The barrels were then sent to the Grand Magazine at the Purfleet where the powder was tested by officers of Ordnance.