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, cast in 1720 in Jaigarh Fort in India, is the largest wheel-mounted cannon in the world. Note the figure at extreme right for scale.]] A cannon is any large tubular Firearm designed to fire a heavy Projectile over a long distance. They were First Used in China , and were the archetypal form of Artillery . The First Cannon In Europe probably appeared in Islamic and Christian Spain . English Cannon s were first used during the Hundred Years War , when primitive cannons were used at the Battle Of Crécy in 1346. The end of the Middle Ages saw the construction of larger and more powerful cannon, and their spread in warfare throughout the world. Asia saw the construction of some of the world's largest cannon, such as the India n Jaivana Cannon . The "giant gun" trend was by then disappearing in Europe, in favor of lighter, more manoeuvrable pieces in larger numbers, and the early use of true field artillery. While the medieval Dardanelles Gun had required 200 men to Operate it, 18th century English cannon required only a dozen men, including two gunners, while during the Napoleonic Wars five gunners were used. Cannon are also sometimes used in certain pieces of music, such as Tchaikovsky 's '' 1812 Overture '' and AC/DC 's '' For Those About To Rock, We Salute You ''. ETYMOLOGY AND TERMINOLOGY The term ''cannon'' comes through Machine Gun with a Calibre of 20 mm or more (see Autocannon ). Any large, smooth-bored, Muzzle-loading Gun used before the advent of Breech-loading , Rifled guns firing explosive Shells may sometimes be referred to as a cannon, though the term specifically refers to a gun designed to fire a 42 lb shot as opposed to a " Demi-cannon " (32 lb), Culverin (18 lb) or Demi-culverin (9 lb). When on board a warship a cannon is called a ''gun'', while a cannonball is a ''roundshot''. HISTORY See Also: History of cannon Early history Ctesibius Of Alexandria invented a primitive form of a cannon, operated by compressed air, before 200 BC. Ctesibius of Alexandria Like firearms, cannon are a descendant of the Fire-lance , a gunpowder-filled tube attached to the end of a spear and used as a flamethrower; shrapnel was sometimes placed in the barrel so that it would fly out together with the flames. Eventually, the paper and bamboo of which fire-lance barrels were originally made came to be replaced by metal. The earliest depiction of a gun is a sculpture from a cave in Sichuan dating to the 1100s of a figure carrying a vase-shaped Bombard with flames and a cannonball coming out of it. The oldest surviving gun, dated to 1288, has a muzzle bore diameter of 2.5 cm; the second oldest, dated to 1332, has a muzzle bore diameter of 10.5 cm. The first documented battlefield use of artillery with gunpowder propellant took place on January 28, 1132 when Song General Han Shizhong used Escalade and Huochong to capture a city in Fujian . The first illustration of a cannon is dated to 1326 .''"Weapons: An International Encyclopedia from 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D."'', by the Diagram Group, 1990 ed., p. 111 In his 1341 poem ''The Iron Cannon Affair'', one of the first accounts of the use of gunpowder artillery in China, Zhang Xian wrote that a cannonball fired from an eruptor could "pierce the heart or belly when it strikes a man or horse, and can even transfix several persons at once". Needham suggests that the proto- Shell s described in the '' Huolongjing '' may be among the first of their kind. The Chinese mounted more than 3,000 bronze and iron casted cannons on the Great Wall Of China in defence against the Mongols. The weapon was taken up by the Mongol conquerors later, and was also Used In Korea . Medieval Europe and the Middle East See Also: Cannon in the Middle Ages Bacon described firecrackers, "used in certain parts of the world". Bacon's mixture resembles the assumed composition of Chinese slow-burning powder as used in fire arrows and rockets, but will probably not function well as cannon gunpowder - the saltpeter content is too low. Gunpowder was first used in Spain by Moorish cannon at the siege of , and Italian ''scopettieri'' ("gun bearers") were mentioned in conjunction with crossbowmen in 1281. The Spanish Kings enlisted "the first artillery-masters on the Peninsula" in the mid-14th century.Hoffmeyer, p. 217. Cannon saw its first real use on the European battlefield during the Hundred Years War , being only used in small numbers by a few states during the 1340s. "Ribaldis", shot large arrows and simplistic grapeshot, were first mentioned in the English Privy Wardrobe accounts during preparations for the Battle Of Crécy between 1345 and 1346.Nicolle, p 21 The Florentine Giovanni Villani recounts their destructiveness on the field, indicating that by the end of the battle, "the whole plain was covered by men struck down by arrows and cannon balls."Nicolle, p 65 used at Constantinople.]] Similar cannon appeared also at the obsolete, and with the final fall of what had once been the strongest walls in Europe on May 29 , "it was the End Of An Era in more ways than one".Turnbull, p 43 Post-Medieval Use See Also: Trace italienne Star fort , the largest Howitzer ever made, by Andrey Chokhov .]] The end of the Middle Ages saw the construction of larger and more powerful cannon, and their spread in warfare throughout the world. The Tsar Cannon , Founded by Russian founding master Andrey Chokhov in 1586, was the largest Howitzer ever made. The cannon, which still survives today, was intended to fire Grapeshot and to defend The Kremlin , but was never used. In fact, with such a large cannon, it may have been intended as a showpiece of military might and engineering from the beginning. Conventional siege artillery, such as Siege Tower s and trebuchets, became vulnerable and obsolete with the development of large cannon and changes in fortification. However, wooden "battery-towers" took on a similar role as siege towers in the Gunpowder age, such as that used at Siege Of Kazan in 1552, which could hold ten large-calibre cannon and 50 lighter cannon.Nossov, p 53-55 As wheeled gun carriages became more common by the end of the 15th century, field artillery began to emerge.Sadler, p 22-23 In '' The Art Of War '', Niccolò Machiavelli observed that "small pieces of cannon… do more damage than heavy artillery. The best remedy against the latter is making a resolute attack upon it as soon as possible…" Niccolò Machiavelli , '' The Art Of War '', p.97; Quoted by Sadler, p. 61 As was the case at Flodden in 1513, the English Field Gun s outpaced the Scottish siege artillery firing twice or even thrice as many rounds.Sadler, p. 60 Most notable in this period, however, is the effect of cannon on conventional fortifications. Machiavelli wrote, "There is no wall, whatever its thickness that artillery will not destroy in only a few days". Niccolò Machiavelli , '' The Art Of War '' Although Castle s were not immediatedly made obsolete by cannon, their importance declined.Wilkinson, p 81 Instead of majestic Tower s and Merlon s, the walls of new fortresses were thicker and angulated, while towers became lower and stouter. Forts featuring Cannon Batteries were built during the Renaissance , such as the '' Trace Italienne '' of Italy and the Tudor s' Device Forts in England. To guard against artillery and gunfire, increasing use was made of earthen, brick and stone Breastworks and Redoubt s, such as the geometric " Star Fort s" of the 17th century French Marquis De Vauban . These soon replaced castles in Europe, and eventually castles in the Americas were superseded by bastions and forts.Chartrand, ''Spanish Main 1492-1800'' 18th and 19th century See Also: Naval artillery in the Age of Sail Field artillery in the American Civil War The lower tier of 17th century English Ships Of The Line were usually equipped with demi-cannon — a Naval Gun which fired a 32-pound solid shot. A full cannon at this time fired a 42-pound shot, but these were discontinued by the 18th century as they were seen as too unwieldy. By the end of the century, principles long adopted in Europe specified the characteristics of cannon of the British ship design and the types and sizes of acceptable defects. The U.S. Navy tested guns by measurement, proof by powder (two or three firings), and using compressed water for leak detection.Knox, ''Naval Documents related to the United Stats Wars with the Barbary Powers'', Volume I The s, but they were not counted in a Ship Of The Line 's rated number of guns. As a result, the classification of Royal Navy vessels in this period can mislead, since they would often be carrying more pieces of ordnance than were listed. The Turkish cannons of the siege of Constantinople, after being on permanent display for four centuries, were used to battle a British fleet in 1807. The artillery hit a British ship with two 700 pound cannonballs, killing 60 sailors. In 1867, Sultan Abdul Aziz gifted Queen Victoria the 17 ton "Dardanelles Gun" - one of the cannons used at the siege of Constantinople. , Philippine-American War .]] But in contrast to these antiquated weapons, later western guns during the 19th century became massive, destructive, more accurate, and covered a very long range - such as the American 3 inch wrought-iron muzzle-loading Howitzer used during the American Civil War with an effective range of over 1.1 miles (1.83Km). In the 1810s and 1820s, greater emphasis was placed on the accuracy of long-range gunfire, and less on the weight of a broadside. The carronade, although initially very successful and widely adopted, disappeared from the Royal Navy from the 1850s after the development of steel, jacketed cannon by William George Armstrong and Joseph Whitworth . Nevertheless, carronades were used in the American Civil War in the 1860s. The practice of — full text in the French Wikisource . although the concept of regarding soldiers as nothing more than "food for powder" dates back at least to Shakespeare 's time. William Shakespeare , '' Henry IV, Part 1 '' The superior cannon technology of Westerners in later years would bring them tremendous advantages in warfare. For example, in the Opium War in China during the 19th century, the British battleships bombarded the coastal areas and fortifications safe from the reach of the Chinese cannon. Similarly, the shortest war on the record, the Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896, was brought to a swift conclusion by shelling from British battleships.Guinness Book of World Records, 2002 edition, p 112 Modern cannon Howitzer s at the Somme .]] A modern cannon is a dual-purpose weapon. It can operate as a direct fire, low trajectory gun, high velocity weapon, firing directly at its target like a modern main battle Tank . It can also operate as a lower velocity, high trajectory, Indirect Fire weapon or howitzer. Since World War I , the term has been used to refer to a gun of around 20 mm to 125 mm calibre, sometimes with an automatic loading Action capable of firing explosive Ammunition , an '' Auto-cannon ''. Lower Muzzle Velocity modern artillery is used almost exclusively in the Indirect Fire mode, while higher-velocity cannons from 20 mm up to 125 mm calibre are used in a Direct Fire mode. Nevertheless, tanks can fire high trajectory missions and artillery cannons can fire direct fire missions if the battlefield situation calls for it. Both tank and artillery gunners are trained for these non-typical missions. The minimum calibre of a cannon, 20 mm, has been a '' De Facto '' standard since World War II, when heavy machine guns of 12.7 mm (0.5 inches) and 13.2 mm calibre were used side by side with 20 mm and larger guns, the latter using explosive ammunition (''eg.'' RAF fighters with 20 mm Hispano cannon and Luftwaffe with 20 mm and 30 Mm cannon). The Bofors 40 Mm Gun and Oerlikon 20 Mm Cannon are two examples largely used during World War II, and still in use today. Most nations use these modern cannons on their lighter vehicles; typical of the type is the USS ''Wisconsin'' and USS ''Missouri'' were capable of firing projectiles a distance of 39 km.Guinness Book of World Records, 2002 edition, p 184 Significant innovations have been made regarding the cannon's place in modern warfare. " Supergun s" have been developed since the early 20th century, and the 20 cm (200mm) calibre " Paris Gun " of World War I had the greatest range of a gun, achieving 122 km.Guinness Book of World Records, 2002 edition, p 113 Testing has also been carried out on Nuclear Cannon in the 1950s , as in the United States ' Operation Upshot-Knothole . Today, United States 152 mm artillery fires Shillelagh Missiles , which are guided to their targets by Infra-red beams, while the Super High Altitude Research Project artillery can fire shells 75.75 mi. above the earth's surface. Cannon have also found peaceful application outside warfare, such as Water Cannon , Snow Cannon , Hail Cannon and Cannon Netting . OPERATION See Also: Cannon operation Prior to loading, the cannon would be well cleaned with a wet sponge to extinguish any smoldering material from the last shot (because fresh powder was about to be poured in, and any lingering ignition sources would set it off prematurely). The powder was added, followed by a wad of paper or hay, and the ball was thrown in. After ramming the cannon would be aimed with the elevation set using a quadrant and a plummet. At 45 degrees, the ball had the utmost range—about ten times the gun's level range. Any angle above the horizontal line was called random-shot. The officer of artillery had to ensure the cannon was diligently served. Water was available to dip the sponges in and cool the pieces every ten or twelve rounds. : The large amounts of gunpowder often affected visibility significantly. Gunners hope for a strong wind that will allow them to continue to see their target.]] , which marked 1812 as a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars and inspired the '' 1812 Overture ''.]] It was said that a 24-pounder could fire 90 to 100 shots a day in summer, or 60 to 75 in winter. A 16- or 12-pounder would fire a little more, because they were easier served. The Britannica mentions "some occasions where 200 shots have been fired from these pieces in the space of nine hours, and 138 in the space of five." During the Napoleonic Wars , a British gun team consisted of 5 numbered gunners. The gun's "No. 1" was the gun commander, and a sergeant, who aimed the gun. The No. 2 was the "spongeman" who cleaned the bore with the sponge dampened with water between shots; the intention being to quench any remaining embers before a fresh charge was introduced. The No. 3, the loader, inserted the bag of powder and then the projectile. The No. 2 then used a rammer, or the sponge reversed, to drive it in. At the same time, the No. 4 ("ventsman") pressed his thumb on the vent hole to prevent a draught that might fan a flame. The charge loaded, the No. 4 pricked the bagged charge through the vent hole and filled the vent with powder. At the No. 1's command the No. 5 would fire the piece with his slowmatch.Holmes, Richard ''Redcoat: the British Soldier in the age of Horse and Musket'' IN MUSIC The cannon can be used as a kind of Percussion instrument in certain pieces of music. The best known example is the '' 1812 Overture '' by Tchaikovsky , which should properly be played using an artillery section together with the orchestra. It is supposed to simulate the Battle Of Borodino . The version using cannon fire was first laid down on a recording by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s. Subsequent similar recordings have been made by other groups, exploiting the advances in audio technology. Cannon fire is used annually on the Fourth Of July by the Boston Pops during their annual concert on the shores of the Charles River and by the National Symphony Orchestra during their annual concert on the steps of the US Capitol Building. The Hard Rock band AC/DC also use cannon in their song '' For Those About To Rock, We Salute You ''. The Album Of The Same Name also features a cannon on its cover. Due to their impracticalities, cannon are used for only grand, theatrical pieces, often with a military theme. In the case of the ''1812'', the cannon may be replaced with Bass Drum s or Timpani . Less frequently strongly accented snare drum diminuendos can be heard. PATENTS
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