CARCASS

Carcass, a shell filled with inflammable composition, the flame of
which issues through 3 or 4 holes, and is so violent that it can
scarcely be extinguished. They are thrown from mortars, howitzers, and guns, in the same way as common shells, and burn from
8 to 10 minutes. The composition is either melted over a fire, and
poured hot into the shell, or it is worked into a compact mass by
the aid of liquid grease, and then crammed into the shell. The
fuse holes are stopped with corks or wooden stoppers, through
which a tube, filled with fuse-composition, passes into the shell.
Formerly these carcasses were cast with a partition or diaphragm,
like the present shrapnell shells, the bottom part being destined to
receive a bursting charge of gunpowder; but this complication is
now done away with. Another kind of carcasses was formerly in
use, constructed like a light ball, on two circular iron hoops,
crossing each other at right angles, over which canvas was spread,
thus forming an imperfectly spheroidal body, which was filled with
These carcasses, however, have been abandoned, because their
great lightness made it almost impossible to throw them to any
distance, or with any precision. The compositions for filling our
modern carcasses vary considerably, but they each and all consist
chiefly of saltpetre and sulphur, mixed with a resinous or fatty
substance. Thus the Prussian service uses 75 parts saltpetre, 25
parts sulphur, 7 parts mealed powder, and 33 parts colophony.
The British use saltpetre 100 parts, sulphur 40 parts, rosin 30
parts, antimony 10 parts, tallow 10 parts, turpentine 10 parts.
Carcasses are chiefly used in bombardments, and sometimes

against shipping, though in this latter use they have been almost
entirely superseded by red-hot shot, which is easier prepared, of
greater precision and of far more incendiary effect.