Paixhans gun

Explosive shells had long been in use in ground warfare (in howitzers and mortars) and on bomb vessels against stationary targets, but they were fired only at high angles and with relatively low velocities. The shells of that time were inherently dangerous to handle, and no method had been found to safely fire the explosive shells with the high power and flatter trajectory of a high-velocity gun. However, before the advent of radar and modern optical controlled firing, high trajectories were not practical for ship-to-ship combat. Such combat essentially required flat-trajectory guns in order to have a reasonable chance of hitting the target. Therefore, ship-to-ship combat had consisted for centuries of encounters between flat-trajectory cannons using inert cannonballs, which could inflict only local damage, even on wooden hulls. ==Mechanism==

Paixhans advocated using flat-trajectory shell guns against warships in 1822 in his Nouvelle force maritime et artillerie. Paixhans developed a delaying mechanism that, for the first time, allowed shells to be fired safely in high-powered flat-trajectory guns. The effect of explosive shells lodging into wooden hulls and then detonating was potentially devastating. Henri-Joseph Paixhans first demonstrated this in trials against the two-decker in 1824, in which he successfully broke up the ship. The effect of the guns in an operational context was first demonstrated during the actions at Veracruz in 1838, at Campeche in 1843, Eckernförde in 1849 during the Danish–Prussian War, and especially at the Battle of Sinop in 1853 during the Crimean War. The Naval Battle of Campeche made history because it was the first time both sides used explosive shells and the only time sailing ships defeated steamers. with sabot According to the Penny Cyclopædia (1858): ==Development==

While the idea was notable in the advance of artillery, metallurgy had not advanced to the level needed for safe operation. The naval guns of this type were known for catastrophic failures: the chambers would burst in use. The long shells and large blackpowder charges needed to propel the shells put a stress on cast-iron cannon that often could not be contained. Further work by John A. Dahlgren, and Thomas Jackson Rodman improved the weapon to use both solid shot and shell safely. ==Adoption==

France In 1827, the French navy ordered fifty large guns on the Paixhans model from the Ruelle Foundry and at Indret near Nantes. The gun chosen, the canon-obusier de 80, was so called because it was of the bore diameter which would have fired an 80-pound solid shot. The gun barrel weighed and the bore was of diameter and long, firing a shell weighing . The guns were produced slowly and were tested afloat through the 1830s. United States The United States Navy adopted the design, and equipped several ships with 8-inch guns of 63 and 55 cwt. in 1845, and later a 10-inch shell gun of 86 cwt. Paixhans guns were used on (four Paixhans guns) in 1842, under the command of Foxhall A. Parker, Sr., in 1854, and were also installed on the (10 Paixhans guns), and (six Paixhans guns) during Commodore Perry's mission to open Japan in 1853. The Dahlgren gun was developed by John A. Dahlgren in 1846, with advantages over Paixhans guns: was developed as an improvement of the Paixhans gun. View on deck of showing aft 11-inch Dahlgren shell gun. Russia The Russian Navy was the first to use the guns extensively in combat. At the Battle of Sinop in 1853, Russian ships attacked and annihilated a Turkish fleet with their Paixhans explosive shell guns. The shells penetrated deep inside the wooden planking of Turkish ships, exploding and igniting the hulls. The defeat was instrumental in convincing the naval powers of the shell's efficacy, and hastened the development of the ironclad to counter it. ==Notes==