Apuntes sobre la evolución histórica de la metalurgia armamentística española de los siglos XVII a XIX a través de la caracterización de balas de cañón

Abstract

In this work we have studied four cannonballs dating from the early seventeenth century and early nineteenth century, from a fort in Mexico (Fortress of San Juan de Ulúa, Veracruz), two Spanish shipwrecks (San José, 1620; Gunner, 1808), and a French shipwreck (Fougueux, 1805). Studies have been done combining metallographic techniques, chemical analysis, Xray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared) Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and microhardness testing. The results were compared with those obtained by other authors for cannonballs from foundries located in northern Spain during this period: group Liérganes-La Cávada and Orbaiceta. These tests show a clear evolution in the quality of the ammunition from the early XVII century in front of the blast furnaces manufactured in the early nineteenth century. In addition, there is a great similarity between all of Spanish origin munitions dating from the nineteenth century, and some differences with the bullet of French origin from the same period, although while Spain adopted the French ordinances of 1732 in the modeling of bullets. The results allow us to hypothesize about the origin of these foundries and, where appropriate, give a very approximate dating.