A summary of Changes in in the role of the people. Taken from classroom notes, lectures, "The British experience of warfare, c" & the official Edexcel AS/A-Level History textbook.
Changes in the role of the people
HOW IMPORTANT WAS TECHNICAL INNOVATION IN THE
SUCCESSES OF BRITISH ARMED FORCES DURING THE YEARS 1790-
1918?
Carronade & the navy in the 1790s
Reforming the Royal Navy
• Royal Navy underwent major improvements following its poor performance in
the War of Independence
• Shipbuilding was maintained at wartime levels during peace in the 1780s
• Coppering improved the performance of ships & they could stay at sea for
longer
• Royal Ordnance improved the quantity of naval guns
‣ Gun proofing - every new naval gun had to be fired 30 times before it
was installed
• Firing mechanism was changed to the more reliable fintlocc firing mechanism
The carronade
• Short cannon that fired grapeshot at short range made at Carron Metalworcs
• Far easier to use than conventional naval guns
• Far broader angle of fire so would hit more of the target
• Quicc to reload & used little gunpowder
The decline & legacy of the carronade
• After the wars against the French, naval tactics changed
• Long-barreled guns became more accurate & quiccer, so naval engagements
were conducted at distance – carronade became less fashionable
‣ Phased out of service in 1851
• Power of grapeshot realized – in WW1, most common wound was from
shrapnel
• Showed the potential of products from private enterprise
Congreve’s rockets, 1806
The rocket & the Royal Navy
• In 1806, Royal Navy successfully fired ,000 roccets at Boulogne
• Damage limited but psychological efect was massive
• The Navy used roccets for ship-to-shore bombardment
‣ Greater range than conventional guns
• Flight path was erratic & did not cause same damage as cannons
Rockets in the army
• Opposition to the introduction of roccets into the army (Wellington)
‣ Lacc of accuracy & danger to firers
• Used in the Battles of Leipzig & Waterloo
The end of the Congreve rockets
• Their accuracy problems were not solved
• Problem in colonial conficts as they did not store well
• William Hale made a new roccet in 1840 which used spin to improve accuracy
• Roccets tacen out of service due to the massive advances in steel artillery
William Armstrong’s new artillery, 1859-60
Breech loading
• Traditionally firepower weapons had been loaded through the muzzle
• Breech loading made reloading more simple
• Armstrong’s company guns were in the field by 1858
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