Part 141

To FLANKER, in French flanquer. To fortify the walls of a city with bulwarks or countermines.

FLANKING, is the same in fortification as defending.

FLANKING party--Any body of men detached from the main army to get upon the flanks of an enemy. See FLANKERS.

FLANKING angle, in fortification, that composed of the two lines of defence, and pointing towards the curtain. See TENAILLE.

FLANKING line of defence. See line of defence.

FLANKING-POINT. See POINT.

FLASH.--The flame which issues from any piece of ordnance on its being fired.

FLASH in the pan, an explosion of gunpowder without any communication beyond the touch hole. When a piece is loaded, and upon the trigger being drawn, nothing but the priming takes fire, that piece is said to flash in the pan.

FLASK, a measure made of horn, used to carry powder in, with the measure of the charge of the piece on the top of it.

FLASQUES, Fr. in the artillery, are the two cheeks of the carriage of a great gun. See AFFUT.

FLASQUE likewise means a gun-powder flask.

FLAT-bottomed boats, in military affairs, are made to swim in shallow water, and to carry a great number of troops, artillery, ammunition, &c. They are constructed in the following manner: a 12-pounder, bow chase, an 18 ditto, stern chase; 90 to 100 feet keel; 12 to 24 ditto beam; 1 mast, a large square main-sail; a jib-sail: they are rowed by 18 or 20 oars, and can each carry 400 men. The gun takes up one bow, and a bridge the other, over which the troops are to march. Those that carry horses have therefore parts of the boats made to open.

FLAW, any crack or small opening in a gun or its carriage is so called.

FLEAU, Fr. the beam, or balance of a pair of scales.

There are some fleaux or scales among the French, which hold 6000 lb. weight in one scale, and 6000 lb. weight of ammunition in the other, making together 12000 weight.

FLEAU de fer, an iron instrument or weapon, that resembles in shape the flails with which corn is thrashed.

FLECHE, in field fortification, a work of two faces, usually raised in the field, to cover the quarter guards of a camp or advanced post.

FLETCHER. See BOWYER.

FLIGHT, is used figuratively for the swift retreat of an army or any party from a victorious enemy.

To put to FLIGHT, to force your enemy to quit the field of battle.

FLIGHT, is likewise applicable to missile weapons or shot, as a flight of arrows, a flight of bombs, &c.

FLINT, a well known stone, used at present with every sort of fire arms. Every soldier ought to have one or two spare flints when on service.

FLINTS--are usually packed in half barrels.

Weight. qrs. lbs. }Musquet, 2000 -- 2 14 One half barrel contains}Rifle, 3000 -- 2 10 }Pistol, 4000 -- 2 15

The most transparent and free from veins are esteemed the best flints.

28 kegs of musquet flints take 18 cwt. in tonnage.

10 kegs of pistol flints take 3 cwt. 2 qrs. in tonnage.

To FLOAT, a column is said to float when it loses its perpendicular line in march, and becomes unsteady in its movements.