Office of Ordnance, Westminster, 27th July 1796. (P.R.O. Kew WO 44/732/19)

Abstract of Regulations instituted by the Board of Ordnance, with the concurrence of the Lords of the Admiralty, for painting the Guns and Carriages of His Majesty's Ships.

All Ships when ordered to be fitted or refitted, whether for Channel or Foreign Service, are to have their Guns and Carriages painted, but of none other Colours than those already established, viz.

RED, WHITE, OR CHOCOLATE

The Guns on the Upper Deck, and the Muzzles of those on the Lower Deck, are in future, to be painted once in Twelve Months, if at the End of that Time a Ship should arrive at either of the Ports of Spithead, Plymouth or the Nore. And when the Guns and Carriages of any Ship have been painted or a supply of paint issued to the Gunner for that purpose, a certificate is to be given by the respective Officers to the Gunner, Specifying the Date when, and Place where, the Guns and Carriages were last painted, or a supply of paint issued, which certificate is to be produced to the office where the Gunner makes a Request to have the Guns and Carriages of that Ship fresh painted.

When any Ship arrives at either of the before-mentioned Ports, without being ordered into the Harbour, and the Gunner makes a Demand for paint, to paint the Guns and Carriages, which Demand is approved by his Captain, and the Commanding Officer of His Majesty's Ships at that Port, and it shall appear by the certificate produced by the Gunner, that the Ship's Guns and Carriages have not been painted within Twelve Months, the respective Officers are to supply such a proportion of paint and oil as may have been found sufficient to paint the Upper Deck Guns and Gun-Carriages, and the Muzzles of the Lower-Deck Guns of a Ship of that class; and as soon as the Guns of the said Ship shall have been painted, the Gunner is to report the same to the store-keeper of the Ordnance, who is upon the Receipt of such Information to send a proper Officer on board, to see that the work has been properly executed, and to acquaint the Board of Ordnance if contrary should be the fact. But it is to be observed, that proportions of paint and oil can be supplied only in cases where the Ship is not ordered into the Harbour.

R.H.CREW, SECRETARY.

Additional Regulation formed by the Board of Ordnance, on the 1st of January, 1800, and concurred in by the Lords of the Admiralty.

The Commanders of His Majesty's Ships are not in any Instance to allow their Crews to scape, or prepare the Guns or Carriages for painting, without previously consulting, and obtaining the Permission of the repective Officers of the Ordnance, at the Port where the operation of painting the Guns and Carriages is intended to be performed.

R.H.CREW, SECRETARY.

Royal Arsenal, 29th March 1813. (P.R.O.Kew, WO44/498)

Sir, In conformity, to the Humble Boards Orders, I have transmitted a statement of the Weights and Lengths of the Guns and Carronades of each nature used in the Service.

Return of the Nature, Length and Weight of Sea Service Ordnance in use for Arming the Ships of His Majesty's Royal Navy :-

GUNS	Length	Weight		CARRONADES	Length	Weight
32 Pounders	9 1/2 ft.	55 cwt.		68 pounders	5 ft. 4 in.	36 cwt.
24 Pounders	9 1/2 ft.	50 cwt.		42 pounders	4 1/2 ft.	22 cwt.
	9 ft.	47 cwt.		32 pounders	4 ft.	17 cwt.
	6 1/2 ft.	33 cwt.		24 pounders	3 3/4 ft.	13 cwt.
	6 ft.	31 cwt.		18 pounders	3 ft. 4 in.	10 cwt.
18 Pounders	9 ft.	42 cwt.		12 pounders	2 ft. 8 in.	6 cwt.
	8 ft.	37 cwt.
	6 ft.	27 cwt.		MORTARS
12 Pounders	9 ft.	34 cwt.		13 inch	--	101 cwt.
	8 1/2 ft.	33 cwt.		10 inch	--	52 cwt.
	7 1/2 ft.	39 cwt.
9 Pounders	8 1/2 ft.	29 cwt.
	7 1/2 ft.	26 cwt.
	7 ft.	25 cwt.
6 Pounders	8 1/2 ft.	23 cwt.
	8 ft.	22 cwt.
	7 1/2 ft.	21 cwt.
	7 ft.	20 cwt.
	6 1/2 ft.	18 cwt.
	6 ft.	17 cwt.

Royal Carriage Office, Woolwich, March 31st 1813 (received 1st April), (P.R.O.Kew WO 44/498)

Sir, I have the Honour to forward a statement of the weights and lengths of the Gun and Carronade Carriages used in the Navy, called for in your letter of the 20th instant.

Statement of the Lengths and Weights of each Nature of Gun and Carronade Carriages in the Service of the Navy. Rl. Carriage Office March 30th 1813.

Gun Carriages For:
Gun		Length		Weight
		Ft.	In.	Cwt.	qu.	lbs.
32 pounder	9 1/2 ft. gun	6	3	9	1	12
24 pounder	9 1/2 ft. gun	6	2	7	2	20
	9 ft. gun	6	0	6	2	22
	6 1/2 ft. gun	5	0	6	0	24
18 pounder	9 ft. gun	5	11	5	3	17
	8 ft. gun	5	5	5	2	12
	6 ft. gun	5	0	5	1	10
12 pounder	9 ft. gun	5	8	4	3	20
	8 1/2 ft. gun	5	6	4	2	12
	7 1/2 ft. gun	5	0	4	1	5
9 pounder	8 1/2 ft. gun	5	4	4	3	21
	7 1/2 ft. gun	4	11	3	3	7
	7 ft. gun	4	9	3	0	27
6 pounder	8 ft. gun	4	11	3	1	19
	7 ft. gun	4	6	3	0	0
	6 ft. gun	4	1	2	3	11
4 pounder	5 1/2 ft. gun	3	9	2	0	0

Carronade Carriages and Slides
Carronade		Length		Weight
		Ft.	In.	Cwt.	qu.	lbs.
68 pounder	Top Carriage	4	7
	Slide	8	1	13	0	0
42 pounder	Top Carriage	4	0
	Slide	7	0	8	0	25
32 pounder	Top Carriage	3	8
	Slide	6	7	7	0	0
24 pounder	Top Carriage	3	4	4	3	9
	Slide	6	6	4	3	9
18 pounder	Top Carriage	3	2
	Slide	5	4	3	4	20
12 pounder	Top Carriage	2	9
	Slide	5	4	3	2	20

This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com