Английский военно-исторический глоссарий. Том 2. B. - страница 3

BARILLER, Fr. an officer employed among the gallies, whose chief duty was to superintend the distribution of bread and water.

BARRACKS, or Baracks, are places erected for both officers and men to lodge in; they are built different ways, according to their different situations. When there is sufficient room to make a large square, surrounded with buildings, they are very convenient, because the soldiers are easily contained in their quarters; and the rooms being contiguous, orders are executed with privacy and expedition; and the soldiers have no connection but with those who instruct them in their duty.

Barrack-Allowance, a specific allowance of bread, beer, wood, coals, &c. to the regiments stationed in barracks. See Ration.

Barrack-Guard, when a regiment is in barracks, the principal guard is the barrack-guard; the officer being responsible for the regularity of the men in barracks, and for all prisoners duly committed to his charge while on that duty.

Barrack-Master General, a staff officer at the head of the barrack department; he has a number of barrack-masters and deputies under him, who are stationed at the different barracks; he has an office and clerks for the dispatch of business; to this office all reports, &c. respecting the barrack department are made. This is a British sinecure office.

Barrack-Office: the office at which all business relating to the Barrack department is transacted.

BARRELS, in military affairs, are of various kinds.

Fire-Barrels are of different sorts: some are mounted on wheels, filled with composition and intermixed with loaded grenades, and the outside full of sharp spikes: some are placed under ground, which have the effect of small mines: others are used to roll down a breach, to prevent the enemy’s entrance.—Composition, corned powder 30lb. Swedish pitch 12, saltpetre 6, and tallow 3. Not used now.

Thundering-Barrels are for the same purpose, filled with various kinds of combustibles, intermixed with small shells, grenades, and other fire-works. Not used now.

Powder-Barrels are about 16 inches diameter, and 30 or 32 inches long, holding 100 pounds of powder.

Barrels for powder—Their dimensions.

The whole barrels are made to contain 100 pounds, and the half barrels 50 pounds of powder; but of late only 90 pounds have been put into the barrels, and 45 into the half barrels; which, by leaving the powder room to be shifted, preserves it the better.

Budge Barrels, hold from 40 to 60 pounds of powder; at one end is fixed a leather bag with brass nails: they are used in actual service on the batteries, to keep the powder from firing by accident, for loading the guns and mortars.

Budge-Barrels contain 38 lbs.

Weight of barrel—copper hooped—10 lbs.

Weight of barrel—hazle hooped—6lbs.

Length of barrel—hazle hooped—10¹⁄₂ inches.

Diameter of barrel—hazle hooped—1 foot 1 inch.

BARRICADE. To barricade is to fortify with trees, or branches of trees, cut down for that purpose, the brushy ends towards the enemy. Carts, waggons, &c. are sometimes made use of for the same purpose, viz. to keep back both horse and foot for some time. Abatis.

BARRIER, in a general sense means any fortification, or strong place on the frontiers of a country. It is likewise a kind of fence composed of stakes, and transums, as overthwart rafters, erected to defend the entrance of a passage, retrenchment, or the like. In the middle of the barrier is a moveable bar of wood, which is opened and shut at pleasure. It also implies a gate made of wooden bars, about 5 feet long, perpendicular to the horizon, and kept together by two long bars going across, and another crossing diagonally: Barriers are used to stop the cut made through the esplanade before the gate of a town.