Where was gunpowder stored on a ship?

Every pirate with a gun would carry a tin or flask of gunpowder. Cannons needed lots of gunpowder and this was kept in a special room on the ship called the powder store or ‘magazine’. Young boys would run up and down the ship delivering gunpowder, they were called ‘powder monkeys’.

How was gunpowder stored?

Safety in handling gunpowder was achieved by storing it in enclosed rooms without naked flames; light would be provided by lanterns placed behind internal glass windows. Those working with gunpowder did not carry or wear any metal objects and wore felt slippers, in case the nails in their boots should strike a spark.

How many cannon balls did a ship carry?

A ship of the line’s armament was arranged along three decks: the bottom-deck battery might consist of 30 cannons firing balls of 32 to 48 pounds; the middle-deck battery had as many guns firing balls of about 24 pounds; and the upper battery carried 30 or more 12-pounders.

Why didn’t pirate ships have cannons in the front?

Originally Answered: why did ships have cannons on the side and not the front? In the age of sail, ships could only turn slowly so it was beneficial to place as many guns as possible in a position where they could all fire at once. Since the side of a ship has a greater surface area than the front, guns were put here.

Where is ammunition stored on a ship?

magazines
Naval magazines The ammunition storage area aboard a warship is referred to as a magazine or the “ship’s magazine” by sailors.

How was gunpowder kept dry?

Once it had been dried and ground, it had to be kept dry. Usually it was kept in metal kegs which might hold from five to fifty pounds. Fire was a common hazard in homes and barns, and storing five to fifty pounds of gunpowder around fire wasn’t a really good idea.

Does gun powder get old?

Does gunpowder have an expiration date? – Quora. No. Modern smokeless powder is stable indefinitely when stored at ambient temperatures. Smokeless powder made before WWI would become unstable and several ships were blown up when the powder in their magazines caught fire and exploded.

Did cannon balls bounce off Old Ironsides?

20. On August 19, 1812, the USS Constitution earned her nickname “Old Ironsides” when HMS Guerriere opened fire on the American vessel. During the 35-minute battle, enemy cannonballs bounced off the Constitution’s triple-layered hull, which was made of live oak and copper forged by Paul Revere.

Did ships have bow cannons?

A chase gun (or chaser), usually distinguished as bow chaser and stern chaser was a cannon mounted in the bow (aiming forward) or stern (aiming backward) of a sailing ship. Stern chasers could also be improvised, or left permanently in the cabins at the stern, covered up and used as part of the furniture.

Where are weapons stored on a ship?

The ammunition storage area aboard a warship is referred to as a magazine or the “ship’s magazine” by sailors.

How did gunpowder get to the guns on ships?

In the magazines, the gunner and his mates would have the required amount of gunpowder ready in flannel cartridges which were carried to the guns by ships boys colloquially called ‘Powder Monkeys’.

Where was the powder magazine located on a ship?

The powder magazine was the lowest and most interior part of the ship. Being below the waterline and that far in made it extremely safe from enemy fire. Still a ship could blow up by being hit in the magazine.

How big of a cannon did a ship carry?

The size of cannon carried varied dependent on the size of the ship and the larger the cannon the larger the crew needed to haul it’s weight up to the port. A cannon firing 24 pound shot would weigh about two and a half tons.

How did the gunner light the magazine on the Titanic?

The only light he would have to work with came from a lantern hung outside the magazine. Between the magazine and the rest of the ship hung curtains which would be kept wet and through which the gunner would pass the measured powder charges to the powder monkeys.