Mounling of Naval Ordnance. 



157 



much before or abaft the beam of its 

 port ; these difficulties the irregular di- 

 rection of the guu's recoil frec^uently 

 occasions. 



" A greater number of accurate shot 

 in a given time can be fired. 



"S men to suf&cient to work 



a long 12-pr, 



"4 Ditto ditto a Congreve 18-pr. 



*' 5 Ditto ditto a long 18-pr. 



** 7 Ditto ditto a long 24-pr. 



Exclusive of powder-boy. 

 Hence the reduced crews of sliips of war 

 on the peace establishment are more than 

 sufficient to work their guns. 



•' The services of about fifty men from 

 each deck of long guus being dispensed 

 with, much less confusion aud carnage 

 at quarters will prevail; by requiring 

 fewer men, economy may be promoted, 

 more sliips may be equipped, or the pre- 

 sent crews made more efficient. 



" When disabled in action, it may have 

 its parts quickly renewed. 



" The breeching of the gun can never 

 get fovd of the carriage, and little or no 

 caution is necessary to keep the side 

 tackle falls clear of the recoil. 



" A gun, engaged at a great angle of 

 elevation or depression, does not require 

 its quoin to be moved in order to load it. 



" Guns, in the regular sized ports, may 

 be elevated or depressed through an 

 angle of at least 28°. 



" A ship heeling over 10" or 12°, may 

 lay point blank her weather guns. 



*' Weather and lee guns may be work- 

 ed more easily, a part of their weight 

 only requiring to be moved up and down 

 the inclined plane of the deck. 



" However heated or heavily shotted 

 the gun may be, it never jvunps up at the 

 breech. 



" When the guns are all laid at their 

 proper level on going into action^ they 

 will continue in this position. ' "**"»» h;' 



" By a new mode of altering the line 

 of the gun, by moving the breast block 

 instead of the breech, the gun is steadily 

 drawn in a line with its object, and may 

 be fired at the same instant, the men 

 whilst in the act of moving the gun 

 being clear of the recoil. 



" Gmis when secured are much nearer 

 the deck and lower in the ship. 



* The old French carriage for ships, having only the two fore tracks, had much advantage 

 in this respect over those with four tracks. 



" 6 men are required to work 



a long 12 pr. 



« 7 Ditto ditto a Congreve 18 pr. 



" 9 Ditto ditto a long 18-pr. 



« 10 Ditto ditto a long 24-pr. 



Exclusive of powder-boy. 



Hence, the full complement of men are 



required to work a ship's guns. 



*' In the confined space between the 

 guns so many men are stationed to work 

 them, that the decks are inconveniently 

 crowded, and the enemy's shot amongst 

 them very destructive. 



" If disabled, cannol be replaced in 

 action without such difficulty, as to pre- 

 vent its being attempted. 

 " Serious inconveniences may arise when 

 the ropes attached to the carriage get 

 under the fore tracks, and to keep them 

 clear requires much attention. 



" When workuig a gun much elevated 

 or depressed upon its carriage, the muz- 

 zle often requires to be levelled each 

 time it is loaded. 



" Guns in their ports can only be ele- 

 vated and depressed through an arc of 

 about IS". 



" A ship laying over 6" or 7" cannot 

 point her weather guns horizontally. 



" When the decks are inclined, the 

 whole weight of the gun is moved up 

 and down them. 



" The gun, after a few rounds, kicks 

 or tilts up, by which means the bed or 

 quoin is moved, and the decks violently 

 shaken. 



" However carefully the elevation of 

 the guns may have been inspected and 

 adjusted, two or three rounds will move 

 the quoin. 



" The rough motion of a handspike 

 applied to the breech occasions delay in 

 accurate pointing*, and the men being 

 required to stand clear before the gim 

 can be fired, an interval of time elapses, 

 in which the motion of the sliip may 

 alter the direction of the gim. 



