Frederick Engels

Case-Shot

Written about January 21, 1858.

From the English.

[“The New American Cyclopædia”, Vol. IV]

Case-shot, or canister, — consists of a number of wrought-iron balls packed in a tin case of cylindrical shape. The balls for field artillery are regularly arranged in layers, but for most kinds of siege and naval ordnance they are merely thrown into the case until it is filled, after which the lid is soldered on. Between one end of the case and the charge a wooden bottom is inserted. The weight of the balls varies according to the different kinds of ordnance and the regulations of each army. The English have for their heavy naval ordnance balls from 8 oz. up to 3 lbs.; for their 9-pounder field guns, 1 1/2 and 5 oz. balls, 126 and 41 of which respectively fill a case for a charge. The Prussians use 41 balls, each of which weighs 1/32 of the weight of the corresponding solid shot. The French had nearly the same method up to 1854; in what manner they may have changed it since the introduction of the new howitzer we cannot say. For siege and fortress artillery the balls are sometimes arranged in a bag around a spindle projecting from the wooden bottom, either in the form of a grape (whence the name grape-shot) or in regular layers with round wooden or iron plates between each layer, the whole being enclosed in a canvas bag,

The most recently introduced kind is the spherical case-shot, generally called Shrapnel shell, after its inventor, the British General Shrapnel. It consists of a thin-walled cast-iron sphere (from 1/3 to 3/4 inch thick iron) with a dividing or separating partition in the middle. The lower part is intended to receive an explosive charge, the upper contains leaden musket balls. A fuze is inserted, containing a carefully prepared composition, on whose accurately calculated burning one can rely. A composition is put between the lead balls to prevent them from rattling. When used in the field, the fuze is cut to the length required for the distance from the enemy, and inserted into the shell. At 50 to 70 yards from the enemy, the fuze has burnt through to the bottom and brings the shell to explosion, so that the balls are hurled against the foe exactly as if an ordinary case-shot had been fired at the spot where the shell explodes. The precision of the fuzes now attained in various armies is very great, and this new projectile thus enables the gunner to obtain the exact effect of grape-shot at ranges where formerly only solid shot could be used. The common shell is extremely destructive up to 200 yards, but it can be used up to 500 yards; its effect against advancing lines of infantry or cavalry in close formation is fearful; against skirmishers it is of little use; against columns solid shot will generally be more suitable. The spherical case-shot, on the other hand, is highly effective at distances from 600 to 1,400 yards, and with suitable elevation and a long fuze it can be fired at still greater ranges with a probability of effect. Owing to its explosion near the enemy, by which the shower of balls is kept close together, it can be successfully employed against troops in almost every formation, except skirmishers. After the introduction of spherical case-shot, it was adopted in almost all European armies, as soon as a suitable fuze composition had been invented in each; that formed the sole difficulty; and of the great European powers, France alone had not yet succeeded in this point. Further experiments, accidents, or briberies will, however, no doubt soon bring that power into possession of the secret.