Part 63

In ancient times, when the Romans attacked any place, they raised boulevarts near the circumference of the walls. These boulevarts were 80 feet high, 300 feet broad, upon which wooden towers commanding the ramparts were erected covered on all sides with iron-work, and from which the besiegers threw upon the besieged stones, darts, fire-works, &c. to facilitate the approaches of the archers and battering rams.

BOULINER, Fr. a French military phrase. Bouliner dans un camp, means to steal or pilfer in a camp. Un soldat boulineur, signifies a thief.

BOURGUIGNOTE, Fr. Is a helmet or morion which is usually worn with a breast-plate. It is proof against pikes and swords.

BOURRELET, Fr. the extremity of a piece of ordnance towards its mouth. It is usually cast in the shape of a tulip on account of its aptitude to fit the construction of embrasures. Bourrelet means likewise a pad or collar.

BOURRER, Fr. to ram the wad or any other materials into the barrel of a fire-arm.

BOURRIQUET, Fr. a basket made use of in mining, to draw up the earth, and to let down whatever may be necessary for the miner.

BOUSSOLE, Fr. a compass which every miner must be in possession of to direct him in his work.

BOUTE-SELLE, Fr. the signal or word which is given to the cavalry to saddle their horses.

BOUTON, Fr. the sight of a musquet.

BOW, an ancient weapon of offence, made of steel, wood, or other elastic matter; which, after being bent by means of a string fastened to its two ends, in returning to its natural state, throws out an arrow with prodigious force.

The use of the bow is, without all doubt, of the earliest antiquity. It has likewise been the most universal of all weapons, having obtained amongst the most barbarous and remote people, who had the least communication with the rest of mankind.

The bow is a weapon of offence amongst the inhabitants of Asia, Africa, and America, at this day; and in Europe, before the invention of fire-arms, a part of the infantry was armed with bows. Lewis XII. first abolished the use of them in France, introducing, in their stead, the halbert, pike, and broadsword. The long-bow was formerly in great use in England, and many laws were made to encourage the use of it. The parliament under Henry VII. complained of the disuse of long bows, theretofore the safeguard and defence of that kingdom, and the dread and terror of its enemies.

Cross-BOW, is likewise an ancient weapon of offence, of the eleventh century. Philip II. surnamed the Conqueror, introduced cross-bows into France. In this reign Richard I. of England, was killed by a cross-bow at the siege of Chalus.

BOWMAN. See ARCHER.

BOWYER. The man who made or repaired the military bows was so called.

BOXES, in military affairs, are of several sorts, and for various purposes.

Battery-BOXES. See BATTERY.

Cartouch-BOXES. See CARTOUCH.

Nave BOXES, are made of iron or brass, and fastened one at each end of the nave, to prevent the arms of the axle-tree, about which the boxes turn, from causing too much friction.

Tin-BOXES, such as are filled with small shot for grape, according to the size of the gun they are to be fired out of.

Wood-BOXES, with lids, for holding grape-shot, &c. each calibre has its own, distinguished by marks of the calibre on the lid.

BOXES for Ammunition. The dimensions of the common ammunition boxes vary according to the ammunition they are made to contain, in order that it may pack tight: this variation, however, is confined to a few inches, and does not exceed the following numbers.

Table of general dimensions of Ammunition Boxes.

----+------------------------+------ | Exterior. |Weight +-------+-------+--------+ when | Len. | Bre. | Depth. |empty. ----+-------+-------+--------+------ |ft. in.|ft. in.|ft. in. | lbs. From| 2 2 | 0 10 | 0 8¹⁄₂| 20 To | 2 9 | 1 6 | 1 6 | 30 ----+-------+-------+--------+------

Weight when filled, and number contained in each.

------------------------------------+--------------+--------- | | No. of | Weight of | Rounds | Boxes when |contained | filled with | in each Kinds of Ammunition. | Ammunition. | Box. ------------------------------------+--------------+--------- |cwt. qrs. lbs.| No. {12 Prs.{ Round | 1 1 10 | 8 Boxes for { { Case. | 0 3 15 | 6 shot fixed { 6 Prs. {Round | 1 2 7 | 12 with { {Case. | 1 0 15 | 12 powder. { 3 Prs.{ Round | 0 2 25 | 16 { { Case. | 0 2 23 | 14 {24 Prs.{ Round | 1 1 26 | 6 { { Case. | 2 0 0 | 6 {12 Prs. {Round | 1 2 20 | 12 Box. for shot{ {Case. | 1 2 22 | 8 fixed to wood{ 6 Prs.{ Round | 1 2 20 | 24 bottoms { { Case. | 1 1 12 | 18 without { 3 Prs. {Round | 1 1 0 | 30 powder. { {Case. | 1 1 0 | 30 {How’r {8 | 1 2 2 | 3 {Case. {5¹⁄₂ | 1 2 12 | 10 { {4¹⁄₂ | 1 2 22 | 20 Boxes {How’r {8 } | 1 2 2 | 3 for {Shells.{5¹⁄₂ }fixed. | 1 2 12 | 10 Shells. { {4¹⁄₂} | 1 2 22 | 20 ------------------------------------+--------------+---------

Shells called four and an half, are really four and two-fifths.

The common ammunition waggon will hold from 9 to 13 of these boxes in one tier.