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The Hymn of the Cannon-Ball
"Letmeobserve,however,"interruptedMajorElphinstone,"thiswillinvolveaweightsuchas——"
"Mydearmajor,"repliedBarbicane,"beforediscussingitsweightpermitmetoenumeratesomeofthemarvelswhichourancestorshaveachievedinthisrespect.Idon’tmeantopretendthatthescienceofgunneryhasnotadvanced,butitisaswelltobearinmindthatduringthemiddleagestheyobtainedresultsmoresurprising,Iwillventuretosay,thanours.Forinstance,duringthesiegeofConstantinoplebyMahometII.,in1453,stoneshotof1,900poundsweightwereemployed.AtMalta,inthetimeoftheknights,therewasagunofthefortressofSt.Elmowhichthrewaprojectileweighing2,500pounds.And,now,whatistheextentofwhatwehaveseenourselves?Armstronggunsdischargingshotof500pounds,andtheRodmangunsprojectilesofhalfaton!Itseems,then,thatifprojectileshavegainedinrange,theyhavelostfarmoreinweight.Now,ifweturnoureffortsinthatdirection,weoughttoarrive,withtheprogressonscience,attentimestheweightoftheshotofMahometII.andtheKnightsofMalta."
"Clearly,"repliedthemajor;"butwhatmetaldoyoucalculateuponemploying?"
"Simplycastiron,"saidGeneralMorgan.
"But,"interruptedthemajor,"sincetheweightofashotisproportionatetoitsvolume,anironballofninefeetindiameterwouldbeoftremendousweight."
"Yes,ifitweresolid,notifitwerehollow."
