528:
177:
237:, as to better distribute the load of the guns and the weaknesses of the hull. They were not mere holes in the hull, but artillery positions that had to withstand the weight of the cannons and the recoil forces of shots; to this end, they featured strong beams and rings to which the complex rigging that held the guns in place were attached. In effect, naval guns mounted behind gunports were more comparable to the guns installed in latter turrets, than to mobile Army field guns.
214:
289:
280:
271:
484:
38:
159:, in line with the tactics of the time, which favoured attacks facing the bow the enemy. However, improvements in guns from the mid-14th century dictated an increase in weight, forcing ships to mount them low on the hull for stability; piercing gunports had therefore grown into a common practice by 1501.
43:
The lid is half open, and features an observation window and a ventilation opening, shown half-opened. It opens by pulling two chains that run from the top of the lid and through the hull, and closes by pulling chains running from below the lid and through the gun port. The lid itself has two layers:
193:
The gunport makes it possible to mount large artillery pieces on a ship, turning it into an efficient artillery platform. From the 15th century, the number and quality of the artillery, conditioned by the gunports, became one of the features that distinguished warships from merchantmen. It announced
502:
Around 1810, the French built several 74-gun ships in Venice harbour, which was deep enough to launch the ships, but too shallow to allow their departure. To reduce their draught, the ships were equipped with flotation tanks that supported them with beams inserted into their gunports. This system,
421:
guns, which effectively reduced her to the fighting qualities of a frigate; the
British frigates, with their higher freeboard, remained free to use their full potential, and eventually forced the 74-gun to beach herself, even though they would not have been a match for a ship of the line in normal
162:
Some historians claim the invention was probably simultaneous in
Portugal, Spain, England, France and Holland. It was made possible by the increased size of ship hulls, which allowed piercing ports high enough that they would not take in seawater; nevertheless, the ports had to close with lids in
44:
an inner layer made of vertical planks, providing structural integrity and watertightning, and an outer layer made of horizontal planks that integrates into the outer hull. A short roof above the gun port offers some protection from the elements, and prevents the lid from jamming against the hull.
378:
in 1778, the French squadron initially gained the initiative by sailing windwards from the
British; however, as the sea strengthened, the French, whose ships were listing in the direction of the enemy, had to close their lower gunports, thereby losing their heaviest artillery and a significant
81:
The origin of the gunport is difficult to specify. In France, it has often been attributed to François
Descharges (or Deschenges), a master carpenter in Brest in 1501; this is now known to be incorrect, since the ships of this era had long since adopted guns as their main armament. Examples of
461:
as if hopelessly overpowered. Conversely, in several instances, frigates attacked what they believed to be merchantmen, only to find themselves unexpectedly confronted with warships; for instance, this mistake caused the capture of the frigate
317:
in 1628 (these ships also suffered from poor stability due to excessive weight in their tops) which sank when sudden gusts of wind made them list and lowered their opened lower gunports under the level of the sea. During the
243:
describes that in 1643, gunports closed with a top-mounted lid mounted in France, England and
Holland, while they closed with side-mounted doors in Spain, and with removable panels in other countries. Some ships built with
425:
In the 18 and 19th centuries, merchantmen featured gunports, as they were useful to ventilate the ship and lighten the deck, and allowed to arm some merchantmen as warship in case of necessity; for instance, after the
154:
The power of a cannon depends on its calibre and its range, which in turn impact its weight. The first artillery pieces used in naval combat, traced back to 1304, were light enough to be mounted on the
147:
bore guns powerful enough to sink several
English ships. But these guns were mounted in the ship's castles or in swivels, much in the way they were still mounted in the castles of the galleys at the
434:, removing guns from some of the gunports to make room for storage and men. This could make it non-trivial to discriminate ships in naval service from those that sailed for commerce. In the
202:, which carried only a few guns on their forecastle. From the 16th century, the number and disposition of the artillery dictated the evolution of the silhouette of the ships, whose
344:
was also probably caused by seawater flooding from the lower battery, whose gunport lids had been ripped off and shattered in the collision and subsequent gunnery exchange with
261:
Gunports also provided aeration to the cluttered ships. To this end, it was possible to either open the lid, like when bearing the guns, or to open a smaller door in the lid.
453:; after sunset, she perfected the illusion by opening and illuminating all her gunports, whether armed or not; her appearance was so convincing that when she caught up with
430:
was bankrupt in 1770, all its possessions were transferred to the Crown, and its ships were commissioned in the French Royal Navy. Furthermore, some warships could be armed
135:
to report a large ship "armed with three guns that threw such large quarrels that wherever they fell, they pierced everything and caused great damage". In 1380, during the
225:
Gunports were pierced on the side of the hull at equal intervals of 2.4 to 2.7 metres, though some were also pierced at the bow and at the stern of ships, for
379:
fraction of their broadside; since the
British were on a parallel course, their list was opposed to their enemy, and they could bring all their guns to bear.
64:
to fire outside. The origin of this technology is not precisely known, but can be traced back to the late 15th century, with the appearance of artillery in
499:
Gunports could be used for a variety of purposes, beginning by loading or unloading supply, as emergency exit, or to board a ship.
400:
547:, where the gun was mounted on a rotating platform on the deck, possibly with a partial shielding, and eventually against the
790:
515:
128:
around 1490; small ships armed in this way could confront much larger vessels armed with the usual small swivel guns.
68:. Ships featuring gunports were said to be pierced, since the ports were cut through the hull after the construction.
809:
771:
448:
543:, batteries mounted behind gunports coexisted with these heavy guns, but they gradually lost ground against the
837:
95:
389:
found herself unable to use her lower battery when two French frigates intercepted her. Similarly, during the
469:
335:
739:
131:
Guns had been mounted in ships since the 14th century. By 1386, naval artillery had progressed enough for
463:
233:
was 1.2 metre wide. On ships with several decks, they were never pierced one on top of the other, but in
184:
581:
759:
509:
390:
240:
842:
406:
552:
435:
375:
245:
17:
585:
442:
341:
319:
87:
305:. The lower ports were a recurrent flooding risk, and caused a number of shipwrecks, like the
99:
447:
passed herself as a 74-gun ship of the line when she chased the much stronger French frigate
573:
345:
331:
301:
In heavy sea, the gunports of the lower battery had to be closed, lest sea water flood the
255:
8:
458:
427:
418:
394:
230:
218:
109:
94:
in 1496, that mentions a ship with 10 gunports; and a text that mentions that during the
229:. Their size was adapted to the calibre of the artillery: for instance a gunport for a
139:, Luciano Doria was killed aboard his ship by an enemy broadside. In 1340, during the
805:
786:
767:
412:
180:
148:
53:
417:
in a sea so heavy that she had to seal her lower battery, leaving her with only 30
397:
195:
31:
535:
Around the mid-19th century, the development of larger artillery pieces, like the
383:
140:
136:
527:
132:
189:, showing the quincunx disposition of the gunport across superposed gun decks.
163:
heavy seas, and making them watertight was a technical challenge at the time.
831:
589:
439:
176:
65:
41:
Example of a typical gun port of a 36-pounder battery on a 19th-century ship.
563:
536:
374:
Considerations of flooding had tactical implications. For instance, at the
213:
120:. The first experiments with the new weapons were made in Setuvel (modern
606:
556:
313:
207:
539:, led to mounting large guns on the deck of warships. For some time, on
431:
548:
203:
156:
117:
121:
82:
earlier occurrence are a 1498 terra cotta tile featuring a
Portuguese
601:
355:
307:
250:
226:
57:
288:
279:
270:
577:
544:
540:
483:
302:
234:
105:
61:
144:
113:
98:, Isabelle of Canary was thrown overboard through the gunport of
83:
802:
Histoire de la marine française : des origines à nos jours
210:
faded and eventually disappeared entirely in the 19th century.
199:
125:
667:
665:
663:
60:, which allows the muzzle of artillery pieces mounted on the
661:
659:
657:
655:
653:
651:
649:
647:
645:
643:
572:
The philosophy of the gunport survived for a time with the
37:
640:
91:
519:. Access number 27 CN 42 at the Naval museum of Toulon.
366:" ("gunport"), reflecting their potential for flooding.
265:
Three views of a carronade with its double-lid gun port.
691:
678:
783:
Les 600 plus grandes batailles navales de l'Histoire
116:with heavy cannons, thus creating the first modern
829:
758:
743:
672:
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
799:
735:
733:
724:
711:
618:
752:
531:14 cm. guns in the battery of an ironclad.
86:pierced with gunports; a relation of the
821:Vida e feitos d' el-rey Dom JoĂŁo Segundo
780:
730:
699:Vida e feitos d' el-rey Dom JoĂŁo Segundo
686:Vida e feitos d' el-rey Dom JoĂŁo Segundo
634:
526:
482:
212:
175:
108:sources attribute the invention to King
36:
818:
612:
562:had the upper hand against the battery
14:
830:
800:Meyer, Jean; Acerra, Martine (1994).
507:" ("camel"), was used by two ships:
491:class ship of the line supported by
382:On 17 February 1783, the two-decker
112:(1455–1495), who decided to arm his
27:Opening on the side of a ship's hull
24:
334:for a similar reason. The loss of
296:
25:
854:
804:. Rennes: Ă©ditions Ouest-France.
588:, which were intended to repulse
52:is an opening in the side of the
32:Castle § Advent of gunpowder
764:Dictionnaire d'Histoire maritime
322:, two French ships of the line,
287:
278:
269:
717:
704:
580:of the secondary batteries of
522:
166:
96:Conquest of the Canary Islands
30:For gun ports in castles, see
13:
1:
478:
405:fought the British frigates
171:
7:
595:
254:, had to be rebuilt with a
10:
859:
701:, 1545, lines 8200 to 8220
688:, 1545, lines 8219 to 8220
495:inserted in the gun ports.
369:
71:
29:
766:. Paris: Robert Laffont.
671:Dominique Brissou, dans (
391:action of 13 January 1797
76:
819:Resende, Garcia (1545).
760:Vergé-Franceschi, Michel
569:, announced this trend.
143:, several of the French
753:Source and bibliography
725:Meyer & Acerra 1994
712:Meyer & Acerra 1994
586:dreadnought battleships
553:Battle of Hampton Roads
436:action of 4 August 1800
781:Le Moing, Guy (2011).
675:, pp. 1283–1284).
532:
496:
342:Third Battle of Ushant
320:Battle of Quiberon Bay
222:
198:and the demise of the
190:
45:
838:Watercraft components
744:Vergé-Franceschi 2002
673:Vergé-Franceschi 2002
530:
486:
354:The French term for "
216:
179:
56:of a ship, above the
40:
785:. Marines Éditions.
613:Notes and references
574:central battery ship
697:Garcia de Resende,
684:Garcia de Resende,
555:, where the turret
428:Mississippi Company
231:36-pounder long gun
219:36-pounder long gun
110:John II of Portugal
637:, pp. 26–27).
533:
516:Mont Saint-Bernard
497:
223:
194:the advent of the
191:
46:
792:978-2-35743-077-8
541:armoured frigates
475:on 2 March 1799.
402:Droits de l'Homme
337:Vengeur du Peuple
149:Battle of Lepanto
16:(Redirected from
850:
824:
815:
796:
777:
747:
746:, p. 1397).
737:
728:
721:
715:
708:
702:
695:
689:
682:
676:
669:
638:
631:
398:ship of the line
376:Battle of Ushant
311:in 1545 and the
291:
282:
273:
241:Georges Fournier
196:ship of the line
21:
858:
857:
853:
852:
851:
849:
848:
847:
843:Naval artillery
828:
827:
812:
793:
774:
755:
750:
738:
731:
722:
718:
709:
705:
696:
692:
683:
679:
670:
641:
632:
619:
615:
598:
582:pre-dreadnought
525:
481:
372:
362:", comes from "
299:
297:Flooding danger
292:
283:
274:
258:to be pierced.
174:
169:
141:Battle of Sluys
137:War of Chioggia
88:Siege of Rhodes
79:
74:
42:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
856:
846:
845:
840:
826:
825:
816:
810:
797:
791:
778:
772:
754:
751:
749:
748:
729:
727:, p. 26).
716:
714:, p. 31).
703:
690:
677:
639:
616:
614:
611:
610:
609:
604:
597:
594:
524:
521:
480:
477:
457:, the frigate
371:
368:
298:
295:
294:
293:
286:
284:
277:
275:
268:
266:
248:, such as the
217:Gun port of a
173:
170:
168:
165:
133:Jean Froissart
78:
75:
73:
70:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
855:
844:
841:
839:
836:
835:
833:
822:
817:
813:
811:2-7373-1129-2
807:
803:
798:
794:
788:
784:
779:
775:
773:2-221-08751-8
769:
765:
761:
757:
756:
745:
741:
736:
734:
726:
720:
713:
707:
700:
694:
687:
681:
674:
668:
666:
664:
662:
660:
658:
656:
654:
652:
650:
648:
646:
644:
636:
635:Le Moing 2011
630:
628:
626:
624:
622:
617:
608:
605:
603:
600:
599:
593:
591:
590:torpedo boats
587:
583:
579:
575:
570:
568:
567:
561:
560:
554:
550:
546:
542:
538:
529:
520:
518:
517:
512:
511:
506:
500:
494:
490:
485:
476:
474:
473:
467:
466:
460:
456:
452:
451:
446:
445:
441:
440:East Indiaman
437:
433:
429:
423:
420:
416:
415:
410:
409:
408:Indefatigable
404:
403:
399:
396:
393:, the French
392:
388:
387:
380:
377:
367:
365:
361:
357:
352:
350:
349:
343:
339:
338:
333:
329:
325:
321:
316:
315:
310:
309:
304:
290:
285:
281:
276:
272:
267:
264:
263:
262:
259:
257:
253:
252:
247:
242:
238:
236:
232:
228:
220:
215:
211:
209:
205:
201:
197:
188:
187:
182:
178:
164:
160:
158:
152:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
129:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
101:
97:
93:
90:, printed in
89:
85:
69:
67:
66:naval warfare
63:
59:
55:
51:
39:
33:
19:
820:
801:
782:
763:
719:
706:
698:
693:
685:
680:
571:
565:
558:
537:Paixhans gun
534:
514:
508:
504:
501:
498:
492:
488:
471:
464:
454:
449:
443:
438:, the large
424:
422:conditions.
413:
407:
401:
385:
381:
373:
363:
359:
353:
347:
336:
327:
323:
312:
306:
300:
260:
249:
239:
224:
192:
185:
161:
153:
130:
104:
80:
49:
47:
607:Firing port
523:Later years
208:quarterdeck
167:Age of Sail
124:) south of
100:BĂ©thencourt
832:Categories
740:Jean Meyer
549:gun turret
419:18-pounder
227:chase guns
204:forecastle
157:forecastle
118:man-of-war
106:Portuguese
602:Embrasure
578:casemates
489:Téméraire
479:Other use
360:sabordage
356:scuttling
348:Brunswick
332:foundered
308:Mary Rose
256:freeboard
251:Mary Rose
181:Broadside
172:Technique
151:in 1571.
102:'s ship.
58:waterline
762:(2002).
596:See also
576:and the
566:Virginia
545:barbette
503:called "
493:chameaux
432:en flûte
340:and the
303:gun deck
235:quincunx
145:carracks
114:caravels
62:gun deck
559:Monitor
505:chameau
472:Sibylle
370:Tactics
328:Superbe
246:clinker
200:galleys
183:of the
122:SetĂşbal
84:caravel
72:History
50:gunport
18:Gunport
808:
789:
770:
742:, in (
551:. The
510:Rivoli
459:struck
444:Exeter
414:Amazon
395:74-gun
364:sabord
324:Thésée
126:Lisbon
77:Origin
465:Forte
455:Médée
450:Médée
186:Océan
806:ISBN
787:ISBN
768:ISBN
584:and
564:CSS
557:USS
513:and
470:HMS
411:and
386:Argo
384:HMS
358:", "
346:HMS
326:and
314:Vasa
206:and
54:hull
468:by
92:Ulm
834::
732:^
642:^
620:^
592:.
487:A
351:.
330:,
48:A
823:.
814:.
795:.
776:.
723:(
710:(
633:(
221:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
