BASTARD, in respect of artillery, is applied to those pieces which are of an unusual or illegitimate make or
Bastard proportion. These are of two kinds, long and short, according as the defect is on the redundant or defective side. The long bastards again, are either common or uncommon. To the common kind belong the double culverin extraordinary, half culverin extraordinary, quarter culverin extraordinary, falcon extraordinary, &c. The ordinary bastard culverin carries a ball of eight pounds.