Any "cannon ball" that contained anything -- black powder, alcohol, or
anything else -- would have to have some sort of plugged hole.  Even
hollow round shot was cast, which means more than enough heat to ignite
either at the time of manufacture.  (Not to mention that there would have
been no way to ignite powder or drain booze even had they been
successfully packaged inside an unperforated iron sphere.)

As to how they killed, it wasn't always impact alone: in naval combat,
solid shot would send splinters (not the little things you get in your
finger from unsanded wood -- great jagged boards, more like) flying around
the enclosed deck space.  One round shot could create numerous splinters,
which were more effective at disembowling, decapitating, and amputating
than the shot was. (A nice Hallowe'eny subject this be, arrr.)  I imagine
a similar situation would have obtained inside stone or masonry
fortifications, but I'm not sure.

There was also specifically antipersonnel ordnance like canister and grape
that was solid round shot in the marble to golf-ball size range, and was
delivered like buckshot. (I only wish I knew if silverware had ever been
so used, a la _Pirates of the Carribbean:  Curse of the Black Pearl_.)

Cheers,
R. Johnson

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