Gun port
A gunport is an opening in the side of the hull of a ship, above the waterline, which allows the muzzle of artillery pieces mounted on the gun deck to fire outside.
In France, it has often been attributed to François Descharges (or Deschenges), a master carpenter in Brest in 1501;[1] this is now known to be incorrect, since the ships of this era had long since adopted guns as their main armament.
[2] Portuguese sources attribute the invention to King John II of Portugal (1455–1495),[3] who decided to arm his caravels with heavy cannons, thus creating the first modern man-of-war.
The first artillery pieces used in naval combat, traced back to 1304,[6] were light enough to be mounted on the forecastle, in line with the tactics of the time, which favoured attacks facing the bow the enemy.
[1] 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.
[2] 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.
[2] The loss of Vengeur du Peuple and the Third Battle of Ushant 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 HMS Brunswick.
For instance, at the Battle of Ushant 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 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.
In the action of 4 August 1800, the large East Indiaman Exeter passed herself as a 74-gun ship of the line when she chased the much stronger French frigate Médée; 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 Médée, the frigate struck as if hopelessly overpowered.
The Battle of Hampton Roads, where the turret USS Monitor had the upper hand against the battery CSS Virginia, announced this trend.
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: 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.
