The difference there, chain shot, is that the chain is still fairly short, because you can’t really get a large length of chain to reliably ‘unfold’ from a single projectile when fired. This beast had a chain that started unfurled, attached to each cannon ball, and long enough to go all the way down each of the barrels - making it, theoretically, have a massive spread of chain which could scythe down large numbers of troops in formation, instead of just a handful (for which one would generally prefer grapeshot, shrapnel, or canister).
It is the chain that was the innovation
The article/meme specifically states the canon was experimental and the canon never saw battle.
Also didn’t ships already have canons capable of tearing down masts with chained balls by that time?
The difference there, chain shot, is that the chain is still fairly short, because you can’t really get a large length of chain to reliably ‘unfold’ from a single projectile when fired. This beast had a chain that started unfurled, attached to each cannon ball, and long enough to go all the way down each of the barrels - making it, theoretically, have a massive spread of chain which could scythe down large numbers of troops in formation, instead of just a handful (for which one would generally prefer grapeshot, shrapnel, or canister).
I wonder if a single canon with 3 balls chained together would have worked by loading the center ball
More beads. Like, 20 of them. Load one, put the others up my bum. Fire the cannon. Pure bliss.