Semi-related - USS Vesuvius[1] used compressed air (rather than steam) to ensure a somewhat soft launch of its artillery projectiles. This was necessitated by t

Semi-related - USS Vesuvius[1] used compressed air (rather than steam) to ensure a somewhat soft launch of its artillery projectiles. This was necessitated by the use of dynamite payload - a potent & practical explosive, but somewhat sensitive to shock of normal gun firing. On the flipside, the gunshots were rather quiet, and completely free of flash or smoke. The whole weapon system was a technological dead end. - [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Vesuvius_(1888) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Vesuvius_(1888)