GUNELLUS, in ichthyology. See BLENNIUS.
GUNNER, an officer appointed for the service of the cannon; or one skilled to fire the guns.
In the tower of London, and other garrisons, as well as in the field, this officer carries a field staff, and a large powder-horn in a string over his left shoulder: he marches by the guns; and when there is any apprehension of danger, his field-staff is armed with match: his business is to lay the gun to pass, and to help to load and traverse her.
Gunnery. Master Gunner, a patent-officer of the ordnance, who is appointed to teach all such as learn the art of gunnery, and to certify to the master-general the ability of any person recommended to be one of the king's gunners. To every scholar he administers an oath, not to serve, without leave, any other prince or state; or teach any one the art of gunnery, but such as have taken the said oath. Gunnery.
IS the art of charging, directing, and exploding fire arms, as cannons, mortars, muskets, &c. to the best advantage.—As this art depends greatly on having the guns and shot of a proper size and figure, and well adapted to each other, it hence follows that the proper dimensions, &c. of cannon and small arms come properly to be considered under the present article.
History. THE ancients, who knew not the use of gun-powder and fire-arms, had, notwithstanding, machines which were capable of discharging stones, darts, and arrows, with great force. These were actuated chiefly by the elastic force of ropes, or of strong springs, and required a great number of men to work them; for which reason, the explosion of gun-powder, as acting instantaneously, and seemingly with irresistible force, seemed to be a most proper succedaneum for all the powers by which the military engines in former times were actuated. It soon appeared, however, that this force was not very easily applied. Though the experiment of Bartholomew Schwartz, mentioned under the article GUN, had given a good hint towards this application in a successful manner, yet the violent reaction of the inflamed powder on the containing vessels rendered them very apt to burst, to the great danger of those who stood near them. The gun-powder in those days, therefore, was much weaker than it is now made; tho' this proved a very insufficient remedy for the inconvenience abovementioned. It was also soon discovered, that iron bullets of much less weight than stone ones would be more efficacious if impelled by greater quantities of stronger powder. This occasioned an alteration in the matter and form of the cannon, which were now cast of brass. These were lighter and more manageable than the former, at the same time that they were stronger in proportion to their bore. Thus they were capable of enduring greater charges of a better powder than what had been formerly used; and their iron bullets, (which were from 40 to 60 pounds weight, being impelled with greater velocities, were more effectual than the heaviest stones could ever prove. This change took place about the latter end of the 15th century.
By this means powder compounded in the manner now practised over all Europe came first in use. But the change of the proportion of materials was not the only improvement it received. The method of graining it is undoubtedly a considerable advantage. At first the powder was always in the form of fine meal, such as it was reduced to by grinding the materials together. It is doubtful whether the first graining of powder was intended to increase its strength, or only to render it more convenient for filling into small charges and the charging of small arms, to which alone it was applied for many years, whilst meal-pow-
der was still made use of for cannon. But at last the additional strength which the grained powder was found to acquire from the free passage of the air between the grains, occasioned the meal-powder to be entirely laid aside.
For the last two hundred years, the formation of cannon hath been very little improved; the best pieces of modern artillery differing little in their proportions from those used in the time of Charles V. Indeed lighter and shorter pieces have been often proposed and essayed; but though they have their advantages in particular cases, yet it seems now to be agreed that they are altogether insufficient for general service. But though the proportions of the pieces have not been much varied within that period, yet their use and application have undergone considerable alterations; the same ends being now accomplished by smaller pieces than what were formerly thought necessary. Thus the battering cannon now universally approved of are those formerly called semi-cannons, carrying a ball of 24 pounds weight; it being found by experience, that their stroke, though less violent than that of larger pieces, is yet sufficiently adapted to the strength of the usual profiles of fortification; and that the facility of their carriage and management, and the ammunition they spare, give them great advantages beyond the whole cannons formerly employed in making breaches. The method also of making a breach, by first cutting off the whole wall as low as possible before its upper part is attempted to be beat down, seems also to be a considerable modern improvement in the practical part of gunnery. But the most considerable improvement in the practice is the method of firing with small quantities of powder, and elevating the piece so that the bullet may just go clear of the parapet of the enemy, and drop into their works. By this means the bullet, coming to the ground at a small angle and with a small velocity, does not bury itself, but bounds or rolls along in the direction in which it was fired: and therefore, if the piece be placed in a line with the battery it is intended to silence, or the front it is to sweep, each shot rakes the whole length of that battery or front; and has thereby a much greater chance of disabling the defendants, and dismounting their cannon, than it would have if fired in the common manner. This method was invented by Vauban, and was by him styled Batterie a Ricochet. It was first put in practice in the year 1692 at the siege of Aeth.—Something similar to this was put in practice by the king of Prussia at the battle of Rosbach in 1757. He had several six-inch mortars, made with trunnions and mounted on travelling carriages, which fired obliquely on the enemy's lines and amongst their horse. They were charged with eight ounces of powder, and elevated at an angle of one degree fifteen minutes, and did great execution; for the shells rolling along the lines with burn-