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ARGOMENTO: STORIA NAVALE
PERIODO: XVIII SECOLO
AREA: DIDATTICA
parole chiave: Cannoni navali, carronate, Francia, Gran Bretagna.
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Abbiamo visto nella prima parte come sono nate le carronate ed il loro utilizzo nelle marine dell’epoca; parliamo ora più in dettaglio delle loro caratteristiche costruttive.
La carronata, nella sua versione canonica, non fu sviluppata in un solo atto: i primi pezzi sperimentali sono datati 1778, ed erano molti piccoli; appaiono molto decorati, soprattutto sulla culatta, per gli standard del periodo, e presentano i cosiddetti orecchioni, mutuati dai corrispettivi terresti.
Tutte le carronate con orecchioni possono essere datate prima del 1790, mentre quelle con anello nel periodo successivo. Le carronate da 18 libbre cominciarono ad apparire nel 1793, lo stesso anno nel quale fece la sua comparsa il nuovo tipo di design, in uso fino a dopo le guerre napoleoniche; la canna prende in questi anni la caratteristica forma e dimensione, montata sull’affusto non più tramite orecchioni ma con ugelli cavi. Vi è tuttavia la possibilità, riscontrata tramite disegni ma non testimonianze dirette, della presenza di un modello intermedio di carronata, priva di ugello alla volata e databile tra il 1791 e il 1793. Tale ugello ricopriva una duplice funzione: da una parte aiutava la fiamma del colpo a disperdersi il più lontano possibile dalla murata della nave, e dall’altro rinforzava la struttura dell’arma, deviando un pò del tormento dovuto allo sparo su se stesso.
Altre differenze fra i primi modelli e quelli definitivi consistevano nella presenza della culatta articolata; nei casi più antichi la culatta era forgiata ottenendo un solo blocco circolare, come nei cannoni lunghi, mentre in quelli più recenti era costituita da più anelli concentrici, e di una barra verticale posta oltre il bottone di culatta, che avrebbe dovuto facilitare il puntamento (di fatto tale barra era removibile e scarsamente utilizzata in combattimento, e per questo in seguito fu eliminata). La vite d’alzo, tipica della carronata, fece la sua comparsa tra il 1783 e il 1793, anni in cui l’arma veniva rivoluzionata, e rappresentava un enorme passo avanti che aiutava grandemente a puntare in elevazione ed a stabilizzare il pezzo. Altra cosa peculiare era rappresentata dal tipo di affusto, a slitta invece che a carretta, e che utilizzava soprattutto il sistema ad attrito, già analizzato, rispetto al numero esorbitante di paranchi richiesti. Inoltre, la parte superiore della carronata permetteva di attaccarci diversi tipi di mirini, al di là del semplice cuneo di mira. Di fatto l’arma, come la si conosce canonicamente, non fu completamente sviluppata prima del 1795.
Concludo l’analisi con la stesura integrale di due lettere del periodo in questione, che trattano dell’eventuale e massiccia introduzione delle carronate in servizio. Si tratta di una fondamentale e interessantissima fonte primaria per capire la situazione di quegli anni, che riporto in lingua originale:
| The Navy Board to Philip Stephens, Secretary of the Admiralty, 18 December 1780. We having received your letter of the 15 th instant, enclosing us the report of experiments made in the most exact and correct manner of the force and range of carronades of 24, 18 and 12 pounders against the guns now in use in ships of war of 6, 4 and 3 pounders, and signifying the directions of the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that we take the same into our most serious consideration and report to their Lordships whether we agree in opinion with the Board of Ordnance that the experiments lately made have proved that carronades are of little use in the Royal Navy; and in case we do whether it may not be advisable to retrench so heavy and unnecessary expense. In answer to which, we desire you will please to acquaint their Lordships that we have maturely considered the report made by Lieutenant-Colonel Tovey on the force and range of carronades compared with common guns of a certain calibre, and as we are apprehensive from the interferencemade by the Board of Ordnance that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have mistaken our reason for desiring a trial of this kind to be made, we must desire the permission to explain it. We have never entertained a doubt of the superiority of cannon over carronades, because common sense as well as the trials made at Woolwich had convinced us of the contrary, but as we knew from experience that a vessel capable of carrying the 4 pounder guns of the common construction was able to support carronades of 18 pounders, and that the latter were worked with fewer men than the former, the shot fired from them more formidable in action, and that several applications had been made to us from the commanders of small vessels for an exchange of all the guns in favour of carronades; we thought it our duty to propose such experiments to be made on the comparative force of carronades with guns of the same weight, in order to determine our judgement on the propriety of establishing them in brigs (brigantini) and cutters. It was a view to this object only and without any reference to the general use of carronades that we desire the assistance of the Board of Ordnance to make the trial. Unless therefore it can be proved that shot fired from carronades of 12 and 18 pounders are unequal to the cutting of rigging and sails, to the disabling masts and yards, to the killing men and occasioning of splinters at the common distances at which ships generally begin to engage; that common guns are as manageable as carronades when ships fall on board of each other in action; that they can be placed with safety on the extreme parts of a ship’s frame and added to the guns already allowed without being obliged to increase the numberof men; we cannot agree with the opinion of the Board of Ordnance that carronades are of little use to the Royal Navy. These circumstances are such striking advantages in favour of carronades, and have been so frequently confirmed by the reports of officers who have tried them in action, and are so strongly corroborated by the increased number of applications made in consequence of them that we continue firm in our first opinion; notwithstanding the inference drawn by the Board of Ordnance, that they are the best improvement hitherto proposed for increasing the strengths of frigates and sloops, and rendering them superior to those of the enemy without the necessity of adding to their complement of men. But as we have no prejudices for or against any invention offered to our judgment further than it tends to the benefit of the King’s service, we would submit to their Lordships’ consideration whether it might not be proper to direct every captain whose ship is furnished with carronades in close action. Such reports must soon decide the propriety of continuing or abolishing them. If of little use, as was reported by the Board of Ordnance, they must condemn themselves and ought to be discontinued; but if otherwise, or even doubtful, they ought not to be condemned on account of their inferiority to cannon, which cannot be added if these are taken away; and particularly at this juncture when the enemy are so strong and numerous at sea. Before we close this subject, we desire their Lordships will be pleased to direct Captain MacBride, in addition to the reports we have already received, to transmit his opinion of carronades in close action, as we are informed he had an opportunity of trying them in the Bienfaisant when engaged with the Artois. It has been said too that the boatwain of the Flora, assisted only by his boy, made a surprising number of discharges with a forecastle 18 pounder carronade when alongside the Nymphe in action, and which we could wish to have the particulars of through their Lordships’ means. Enquiries of this kind will better determine whether carronades are any addition to the present strength of our ships than inferences drawn from experiments of long ranges whichin no degree applies to the circumstances and manner in which we proposed the use of carronades; though decisive on the superiority of common cannon for general use. |
Segue una lettera del Capitano John MacBride al Consiglio Navale, sugli effetti delle carronate in combattimento:
| Captain John MacBride to the Navy Board, 21 January 1781 I am acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8 th instant, and in answer thereof, I beg to observe that I have had trial of carronades in more instances than one, particularly in the action with the Comte d’Artois, which lasted about an hour and ten minutes. I can assure the Board that the carronades were fitted upward of thirty times, and though by no means fitted to that advantage they may be, yet neither bed, carriage nor breeching gave way, nor was the ship in any way endangered by fire. The shot I used was either canister or quilted grape. The enemy’s greatest dependence was their small arms, they having upward of two hundred men quartered to them, but the superior fire of the carronades soon dispersed them, and I am clearly of opinion that no musketry on the poop, gangways or tops can withstand them in close action, and even out of musket shot. I think the carronades, with grape shot, may be used to good effect against the sails and rigging of the enemy. I have caused a model of a bed to be made, which I think is an improvement on the present. It is sent for to Plymouth. When it arrives, I will send it to the Board for their inspection. I beg to add that our carronades were 12 pounders, and that a pound of powder was the quantity used for a load. Upon any appearance of bad weather I dismounted the carronades, and put them in the hold to ease the poop. It is very soon done, and the four men quartered at them are sufficient for the purpose. I had a piece of hide fitted and laced in previous to coming to action, which effectually secured the hammocks on the outside of the carronades from fire. |
Davide Villa
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il dottor Villa, classe 1991, è nato a Padova ma è veneziano “d’adozione”. Si diploma in Marketing e Comunicazioni estere nel 2010, per poi proseguire gli studi in Storia dal Medioevo all’Età Contemporanea presso l’università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia. Ha conseguito la Laurea Magistrale nel 2015. Il suo campo di applicazione è la Storia Militare e della Repubblica di Venezia
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