in gunnery, the quantity of powder and ball wherewith a gun is loaded for execution.

The rules for charging large pieces in war are, That the piece be first cleaned or fouled withinside; that the proper quantity of powder be next driven in and rammed down; care, however, being taken, that the powder, in ramming, be not bruised, because that weakens its effect: that a little quantity of paper, hay, lint, or the like, be rammed over it; and that the ball or shot be intruded. If the ball be red-hot, a tompion, or trencher of green wood, is to be driven in before it. The common allowance for a charge of powder of a piece of ordnance, is half the weight of the ball. In the British Navy, the allowance for 32 pounders is but seven-sixteenths of the weight of the bullet. But a late author is of opinion, that if the powder in all ship-panal for iron cannon whatever was reduced to one-third weight of the ball, or even less, it would be of considerable advantage, not only by saving ammunition, but by keeping... Chargeing the guns cooler and quieter, and at the same time more effectually injuring the vessels of the enemy.

With the present allowance of powder the guns are heated, and their tackle and furniture strained; and this only to render the bullets less efficacious: for a bullet which can but just pass through a piece of timber, and loses almost all its motion thereby, has a much better chance of rending and fracturing it, than if it passes through with a much greater velocity.

**Charge**, in heraldry, is applied to the figures represented on the escutcheon, by which the bearers are distinguished from one another; and it is to be observed, that too many charges are not so honourable as fewer.

*Charge of Lead*, denotes a quantity of 36 pigs. See Fig.

*To Charge* in the military language, is to attack the enemy either with horse or foot.

**Charge**, in law, denotes the instructions given to the grand jury, with respect to the articles of their inquiry, by the judge who presides on the bench.

**Charge**, in law, also signifies a thing done that bindeth him who doth it; and discharge is the removal of that charge. Lands may be charged in various ways; as, by grant of rent out of it, by statutes, judgments, conditions, warranties, &c.

**Charge of horning**, in Scots law. See Horning.

**Charge to enter Heir**, in Scots law, a writing passing under the signet, obtained at the instance of a creditor, either against the heir of his debtor, for fixing upon him the debt as representing the debtor, which is called a general charge: or, against the debtor himself, or his heir, for the purpose of vesting him in the right of any heritable subject to which he has made up no title, in order the creditor may attach that subject for payment of his debt, in the same manner as if his debtor or his heir were legally vested in it by service or otherwise. This last kind is called a *special charge*.

**Charge**, or rather **Overcharge**, in painting, is an exaggerated representation of any person; wherein the likeness is preferred, but at the same time ridiculed.

Few painters have the genius necessary to succeed in these charges: the method is, to select and heighten something already amiss in the face, whether by way of defect, or redundancy: thus *v.g.* if Nature have given a man a nose a little larger than ordinary, the painter falls in with her, and makes the nose extravagantly long: or if the nose be naturally too short, in the painting it will be a mere stump; and thus of the other parts.

**Charged**, in heraldry, a shield carrying some impresa or figure, is said to be charged therewith; so also, when one bearing, or charge, has another figure added upon it, it is properly said to be charged.

**Charged**, in electrical experiments, is when a vial, pane of glass, or other electric substance, properly coated on both sides, has a quantity of electricity communicated to it; in which case the one side is always electrified positively, and the other negatively.

**Chariot**, a half coach, having only a seat behind, with a stool before. See Coach.

The chariots of the ancients, chiefly used in war, were called by the several names *bigae*, *trigae*, &c. according to the number of horses applied to draw them. Every chariot carried two men, who were probably the warrior and the charioteer; and we read of several men of note and valour employed in driving the chariot. When the warriors came to encounter in close fight, they alighted out of the chariot, and fought on foot; but when they were weary, which often happened by reason of their armour, they retired into their chariot, and thence annoyed their enemies with darts and missile weapons. These chariots were made so strong, that they lasted for several generations.

Besides this fort, we find frequent mention of the *currus fulcati*, or those chariots armed with hooks; or scythes, with which whole ranks of soldiers were cut off together, if they had not the art of avoiding the danger; these were not only used by the Persians, Syrians, Egyptians, &c., but we find them among the ancient Britons; and notwithstanding the imperfect state of some of the most necessary arts among that nation before the invasion of the Romans, it is certain that they had war-chariots in great abundance. By the Greek and Roman historians, these chariots are described by the six following names; viz. Benna, Petoritum, Currus or Carrus, Covinus, Effedum, and Rheda. The benna seems to have been a chariot designed rather for travelling than war. It contained two persons, who were called *combennones*, from their sitting together in the same machine. The petoritum seems to have been a larger kind of chariot than the benna; and is thought to have derived its name from the British word *pedwar*, signifying four; this kind of carriage having four wheels. The currus or currus was the common cart or waggon. This kind of chariot was used by the ancient Britons, in times of peace, for the purposes of agriculture and merchandise; and, in time of war, for carrying their baggage, wives and children, who commonly followed the armies of all the Celtic nations. The covinus was a war-chariot, and a very terrible instrument of destruction; being armed with sharp scythes and hooks for cutting and tearing all who were so unhappy as to come within its reach. This kind of chariot was made very slight, and had few or no men in it besides the charioteer; being designed to drive with great force and rapidity, and to do execution chiefly with its hooks and scythes. The effedum and rheda were also war-chariots, probably of a large size, and stronger made than the covinus, designed for containing a charioteer for driving it, and one or two warriors for fighting. The far greatest number of the British war-chariots seem to have been of this kind. These chariots, as already observed, were to be found in great numbers among the Britons; insomuch that Caesar relates that Cassibelanus, after dismissing all his other forces, retained no fewer than 4000 of these war-chariots about his person. The same author relates, that, by continual experience, they had at last arrived at such perfection in the management of their chariots, that "in the most steep and difficult places they could stop their horses upon full stretch, turn them which way they pleased, run along the pole, rest on the harness, and throw themselves back into their chariots, with incredible dexterity."

**Chariots**, in the heathen mythology, were sometimes consecrated to the sun; and the scripture observes, that Josiah burnt those which had been offered to the sun by the king's predecessors. This superstitious tious custom was an imitation of the heathens, and principally of the Persians, who had horses and chariots consecrated in honour of the sun. Herodotus, Xenophon, and Quintus Curtius, speak of white chariots crowned, which were consecrated to the sun, among the Persians, which in their ceremonies were drawn by white horses consecrated to the same luminary.

Triumphal Chariot, was one of the principal ornaments of the Roman celebration of a victory.

The Roman triumphal chariot was generally made of ivory, round like a tower, or rather of a cylindrical figure; it was sometimes gilt at the top, and ornamented with crowns; and to represent a victory more naturally, they used to slay it with blood. It was usually drawn by four white horses; but oftentimes by lions, elephants, tygers, bears, leopards, dogs, &c.