Black powder storage for sailors

[billk]

Where did the sailors and pirates store their black powder? Did they use powder horns? I have not seen any examples of such.
Any ideas?
Thank you,
Billk

 

[paulvallandigham]

Mostly in sealed kegs. Later, in the 19th century, canisters of lead were made to keep the powder. Large quantities were needed to feed the cannon on board, and the small arms required relatively little amounts of Black powder by comparison.

 

[Coot]

The powder was packed in kegs which were left sealed (sometimes for years) until needed. A cooperage in England still makes repro kegs which have (non sparking) copper bands rather than the more common (& cheaper) iron used on most other kegs. Warships had powder magazines built into the ship. In some cases the magazine included a sheet copper lining and small windows into the hold so that lanterns could be placed outside the magazine & let in enough light so that the gunner's mates could work inside the magazine without taking a lantern in with them. Naval muskets, pistols & blunderbus were (at least by the late 18th cent. loaded by premade paper cartridges) The Royal Navy Museum at Portsmouth has not been able to find me a standard load for a blunderbus but they do have a letter from the late 18th cent from a Capt. to the Gunner on a RN ship in which the Capt. instructs the Gunner to have 10,000 musket, 2,000 pistol & 1,000 blunderbus cartridges made. As pirates were opportunistic re both ships and weapons, their proceedures could vary from ship to ship.

 

[grant]

Would they have used lead lined kegs? I think the ship's gunners mates measured out bulk powder into empty cannon cartridge bags. When required to fire the cannon the powder boys would run these to the cannon crews.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Lead would have made the kegs too heavy. The kegs were sealed with tar. Lead tins were used in the latter half of the 19th century to contain powder, but in smaller quantities or sizes, not kegs. The lead could then be melted down for bullets. There is some indication that this practice may have been tried with the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. Lead cannisters of powder would work in boats, and canoes, but would be much too heavy if made the size of kegs. Remember, ships carried powder primarily for the cannons, and at one pound of powder per shot, they went through a lot of powder. Many of the voyages lasted up to 2 years, and everything had to be carried on board for the entire length of the " cruise ", as there were no supply ships, or friendly ports where provisions could be acquired. A keg could be fitted with a cork or wooden stopper to keep out moisture, and they worked fairly well. Remember, this was the end of the wood culture, where nearly everything used in common life was made of wood, and not metals. Kegs to store goods, from Beer to powder were common containers, no more unusual than plastic bottles are to us today.

 

I don't think keeping their powder dry was their top priority
Some little known American military history.

The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators.
However, let it be noted that according to her log, "On July 27,1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water,
7,400 cannon shot, 11 ,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."
Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping." Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.
Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.
On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum aboard each.
By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn.
Then she headed home.
The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water.

GO NAVY!

Bill

 

[PaulN/KS]

These "Sand Crabs" don't understand that us Sailors have our prioritys.... :grin:
Besides,water goes stagnent with age but rum,wine and whiskey just get better.Kinda like me...

Go Navy :thumbsup: