Land MORTARS, are those used in sieges, and of late in battles, mounted on beds made of solid timber, consisting generally of four pieces, those of the royal and cohorn excepted, which are but one single block; and both mortar and bed are transported on block-carriages. There is likewise a kind of land mortars, mounted on travelling carriages, invented by Count Buckeburg, which may be elevated to any degree; whereas ours are fixed to an angle of 45 degrees, and firmly lashed with ropes. The following table shows the weight of land mortars and shells; together with the quantity of powder the chambers hold when full; the weight of the shells, and powder for loading them.
| Diameter of mortars. | 13-inch. | 10-inch. | 8-inch. | 5.8-inch. royal. |
4.6-inch cohorn. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortar's weight. | C. qr. lb. 25 0 0 |
C. qr. lb. 10 2 18 |
C. qr. lb. 4 0 20 |
C. qr. lb. 1 1 0 |
C. qr. lb. 0 3 0 |
| Shell's weight. | 1 2 15 | 0 2 25 | 0 1 15 | 0 0 12 | 0 0 7 |
| Shell's cont. of powder. | lb. oz. gr. 9 4 8 |
lb. oz. gr. 4 14 12 |
lb. oz. gr. 2 3 8 |
lb. oz. gr. 1 1 8 |
lb. oz. gr. 0 8 0 |
| Chamber's cont. of powder. | 9 1 8 | 4 0 0 | 2 0 10 | 1 0 0 | 0 8 0 |