Ever heard of a cannononball .. ovoid?

fernando · 24th August 2010, 04:39 PM

Translating an extract of the " History of the first seizure happened in the Rio de Janeiro, in 21st of September of 1711", by Ricardo Bonalume Neto; in which a daring French privateer, René Duguay-Trouin, practiced the first seizure of the Rio de Janeiro, in great style. He captured the whole city and demanded a high ransom.

... Forts are made from stone and they do not set fire if atacked with spherical bullets of iron, shot from cannons with a 2 kilometres reach. However wooden ships, with canvas sails and carrying gunpowder, are highly flammable; and the defender can get hold of a mighty weapon: bullets that can be heated in furnaces and shot still red-hot. The greatest enemy of the attacker is the fire, therefore the fleet must avoid to be exchanging shots with the forts ...
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24th August 2010, 04:39 PM	#40
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Translating an extract of the " History of the first seizure happened in the Rio de Janeiro, in 21st of September of 1711", by Ricardo Bonalume Neto; in which a daring French privateer, René Duguay-Trouin, practiced the first seizure of the Rio de Janeiro, in great style. He captured the whole city and demanded a high ransom. ... Forts are made from stone and they do not set fire if atacked with spherical bullets of iron, shot from cannons with a 2 kilometres reach. However wooden ships, with canvas sails and carrying gunpowder, are highly flammable; and the defender can get hold of a mighty weapon: bullets that can be heated in furnaces and shot still red-hot. The greatest enemy of the attacker is the fire, therefore the fleet must avoid to be exchanging shots with the forts ... .