144 Mounting of Na^al Ordnance. 



dently proceeded from difficulties naturally attendant on their 

 service, from the extreme defectiveness of the common sys- 

 tem of mountini^, which absolutely renders firing guns on 

 board ship, in an agitated sea, at an opponent, almost a waste 

 of powder and shot. Captain M., in developing these causes 

 of inaccuracy and non-effect, very justly says, that 



" it is absurd, as a principle, to calculate that the rolling of a 

 vessel shall produce a proper elevation, at the same instant that 

 the motion of its head is not interfering with the true line of the 

 gun's direction ;" and hence, " it becomes necessary that, whilst 

 taking aim, the marksman should have the power of changing the 

 elevation, or the line, of his gun, at the same instant that the 

 motion of the shij) may be producing the other required move- 

 ment ; and also, that he should be able to fire at the moment 

 these joint operations have produced their desired effect." 



Those who are ignorant of the difficulties peculiar to the 

 service of naval ordnance, will, no doubt, think that the fore- 

 going observations are nothing more than elaborate in ex- 

 posing minute defects; but in reality the causes here brought 

 before us by Captain Marshall, trivial as they may appear, 

 are those which chiefly conduce to the general inaccuracy and 

 consequent non-effect of a ship's fire. 



Captain M., in winding up this able exposition of the pro- 

 perties required in naval ordnance, comes to the obvious 

 conclusion, that, 



*' contrary to all other artillery exercises, it hence appears'^that the 

 practice of naval gunnery requires an art similar to that of firing 

 at moving objects ; . . . and, consequently, before any general 

 system of correct firing can be hoped for in cases of this nature, 

 seamen must be provided with a gun-carriage better calculated 

 than the old one to meet the peculiar circumstances in which they 

 are so frequently placed." 



A short but very able discussion then follows, in which it 

 clearly appears, from mechanical principles, that it is im- 

 practicable to obtain, with the present adaptation of the 

 standing garrison-carriage, the qualities required for the pro- 

 per service of a ship's gun. 



It appears, therefore, that to produce the desired facilities, 

 either a carriage upon a perfectly novel principle must be 

 adopted, still mounting by the trunnions, or else a modifica- 

 tion of the present carriage must be effected by bidding adieu 

 to the ancient method of mounting. 



Adhering to the old practice, many ingenious men have 

 endeavoured to form a gun-carriage adapted to the wants of 

 the naval service, but they have generally failed in some 

 important particular. Gover, and the celebrated Swedish 



