The basilisk is a name now applied to a genus of saurian reptiles (Basiliscus), belonging to the family Iguanidae, distinguished by an elevated crest or row of scales, erectible at pleasure, which, like the dorsal fins of some fishes, runs along the whole length of the back and tail. The mitred or hooded basilisk (Basiliscus mitrdtus} is especially remarkable for a membranous bag at the back of the head, of the size of a small hen's egg, which can be inflated with air at pleasure. The other species have such hoods also, but of a less size. To this organ they owe their name, which recalls the basilisk of fable, though in reality they are exceedingly harmless and lively creatures. The Basiliscus amboinensis is a native of the Indian Archipelago, where it is much used for food, It frequents trees overhanging water, into which it drops when alarmed. Research Basilisk
In mythology the Basilisk was a fabulous creature formerly believed to exist, and variously regarded as a kind of serpent, lizard, or dragon, and sometimes identified with the cockatrice. It inhabited the deserts of Africa, and its breath and even its look was fatal. Research Basilisk
In modern warfare, the term cannon is applied to a shell-firing gun of a heavier calibre than a machine gun. They have a lower rate of fire, but are more destructive than machine guns. Before the Great War, all big guns which we would now refer to as howitzers and anti-tank guns etc were called cannons, irrespective of whether they were muzzle or breech loaded.
In older warfare, the term cannon was applied to a big gun or piece of ordnance. The precise period at which engines for projecting missiles by mechanical force (catapults, etc) were supplanted by those utilizing explosive materials is a matter of controversy, the invention of cannon being attributed to the Chinese, from whom the Saracens may have acquired the knowledge. A doubtful authority asserts their use at the siege of Belgrade in 1073; but they were certainly brought into use in France as early as 1338. At first they were made of wood, well secured by iron hoops, the earliest shape being somewhat conical, with wide muzzles, and afterwards cylindrical. They were then made of iron bars firmly bound together with iron hoops like casks, Mons Meg at Edinburgh being a good example.
The first cannons used in Britain appeared around 1335. Edward III used cannons at the Battle of Cressy. In the reign of Elizabeth I, the British cannon was a muzzle-loading gun with an 8-inch bore that fired a 60 lb projectile. Bronze was used in the second half of the 14th century, towards the close of which and during the 15th century cast-iron ordnance came into use. A form of breech-loading cannon was introduced in the 16th century.
Cannon formerly received the following distinctive names: cannon royal, or carthoun, carrying 48 pounds; culverin, 18; demi-culverin, 9; falcon, 6; basilisk, 48; siren, 60; etc. They were afterwards named from the weight of the balls which they carried: 6-pounders, 12-pounders, etc; but by 1900 were often, especially the large ones, designated by their weight, as a 25-ton gun, a 67-ton gun, an 80-ton gun, etc. Their calibre or diameter of bore was also used in designating them: a 6-inch gun, a 12-inch gun, etc.
Around the 19th century the classification of cannons into muzzle-loading and breech-loading came into use though all the guns of the improved types of the 19th century were breech-loading. Quick-firing guns and machine-guns were classes of introduced late in the 19th century.
Great improvements and changes in the manufacture of cannon were introduced in the late 19th century. Not long before they were all made of iron, brass, or gun-metal (a variety of bronze) by casting. The introduction of rifled small-arms led the way to that of rifled cannon, and the adoption of heavy armour for ships of war rendered guns of enormous power and magnitude necessary in order to penetrate their sides. For round balls projectiles of considerable length were substituted in the rifled ordnance; and the increased weight and inertia of the projectiles and their rapid rotation in these rifled guns try the piece so severely that cast-iron and bronze were superseded, and the old methods of making guns given up. Guns built up in different ways are now in general use, and the construction and connected mechanism is now somewhat complicated, so that to turn out a large gun of modern type is a long and expensive process. In Englandsteel and wrought-iron guns came in for all heavy artillery by 1900, and they were manufactured for foreign powers on a large scale, especially by the Elswick Ordnance Company.
The former heavy guns of the British service, made on the 'Woolwich' system, had a steel tube to form the bore, over which were shrunk coils of wrought-iron, increasing in thickness about the breech, This method of manufacture was first introduced by Sir William Armstrong about 1858. Such guns present the hard steel to meet the wear and tear on the bore of the gun, while great support is given by shrinking on the wrought-iron hoops, which contract with a tight grip upon the steel. Hoops of steel were later preferred to those of wrought-iron; and later still the guns were strengthened by flat steel wire or a narrow ribbon of steel coiled round it.
Steel guns of very high quality were long made by Krupp of Essen, and Sir J. Whitworth's guns also gained a high name. The Whitworth guns were made of mild steel of a special quality, massive hoops being forced over a central tube, and over one another, by shrinkage or by hydraulic pressure. These guns had comparatively small hexagonal bores, with a very rapid twist, and fire long projectiles, made to fit mechanically, with remarkable accuracy to a great range.
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Basilisk
