Part 381

POUCH flap, the outside covering of the pouch. It is made of the stoutest blackened leather and ought always to be substantial enough to turn the severest weather.

POUCE, Fr. An inch.

POUDRE, Fr. See GUNPOWDER.

POUDRE muette, poudre sourde, Fr. A species of gunpowder which is free from noise or detonation.

POUDRE fulminante, Fr. A species of gunpowder which makes a greater noise than the common sort.

POUDRE à gros grains, Fr. Gunpowder which is used for artillery pieces. It is likewise called Poudre à Canon.

POUDRE à musquet, Fr. Gunpowder used for musquets, and other firearms.

POUDRIER, Fr. a gunpowder maker. It also signifies an hour glass.

POVERTY, a goddess adored by the Pagans, and familiar to Christians. She was reverenced, as a deity, by the heathens, because they feared her, and was very justly considered as the mother of industry and the fine arts. Among military men, poverty is seldom felt whilst the active duties of the profession are executed with zeal and good sense, and the individuals entrusted with them, are not only paid with punctuality, but are secured in their honest hopes of promotion. Economy is the basis on which every soldier should build his views of personal comfort and security; and if he attend to the perpetual calls of service, he will not fail to realise them. For a life of real service affords no scope for extravagance; and when a good soldier becomes unequal to the hardships it imposes, the nation should provide for him.

POUF, Ind. a word used among the blacks to describe the explosion of firearms.

POULEVRIN, Fr. Pounded gunpowder.

POULIE, Fr. A pulley.

A POUND sterling, a money in account, value 20s. in England, marked £.

POUNDAGE, a rate which is allowed for collecting money. Army agents, &c. are entitled to poundage, which consists in a certain deduction from the pay of officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers. Agents are not allowed any poundage on the pay of the privates in the militia.

POUNDER, a great gun or piece of ordnance, denominated according to the weight of the ball it carries, as a 6, 12, 24 pounder.

POWDER Horn, a horn flask, in which powder is kept for priming guns. Light infantry and riflemen have frequently a powder horn for carrying spare powder.

POURIE, Ind. a wooden sandal which is used in India during the wet season.

POURSUITE, Fr. Pursuit.

Poursuivans d’armes, Fr. See PURSUIVANTS AT ARMS.

POURSUIVRE, Fr. to pursue.

POURSUIVRE l’épée dans les reins, Fr. To pursue with unrelenting activity.

POURTOUR, Fr. in architecture, the circumference of any place.

POURVOIR, Fr. to provide, to lay in store, &c.

POURVEYEURS des vivres, Fr. Purveyors.

POUSSER, Fr. to push, to press upon, to drive before you, viz. Pousser aux ennemis; to advance rapidly against the enemy. This expression is used in a neutral sense, and relates chiefly to the operations of cavalry.

POUSSER un cheval, Fr. To make a horse go full speed.

POUSSIER, Fr. the dust which remains after the formation of gunpowder into grains.

POUTRE, Fr. a beam.