32 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUKOPK. 



from 9' to 12', or even more ; the parapets 16' to 20' thick. In the ditches of the works, which 

 were leisurely constructed, palisades, fraizes, caponieres, hlock houses, blinded batteries, &c., 

 were freely and judiciously employed. In some cases all the slopes were revetted with sods. 

 The embrasures varied much in size, according to the circumstances of the particular case ; 

 the soles generally sodded, the cheeks revetted with sods, gabions, or fascines. Generally, 

 every two guns had splinter proof gabion traverses from two to three tiers in height, two to 

 three gabions wide at bottom, and one at toj) ; no fascines between the tiers ; the gabions vertical, 

 with offsets. There were usually banquettes between the embrasures, which latter were 

 provided with rojie mantelets ; the magazines generally of a pentagonal section, and covered 

 with 12" timber, a layer of fascines, and C of earth; the cartridges placed on shelves. 



The works intended to act against shipping were provided with hot shot furnaces, and heavy 

 guns were employed. Whenever the field works were at all leisurely constructed, nothing 

 could have been mo^e perfect and creditable than their details. 



On many of the barbette water batteries, the following arrangement was used for aiming: 

 The rear traverse circle was graduated to small fractions of degrees ; on the parapet was a small 

 arc graduated proportionally ; a wooden slat about 3' long, and provided with an index traversed 

 on this arc ; on top of the slat were two fine needle sights. It was only necessary to sight the 

 ship to be fired at with these needle sights, take the reading shown by the index, and then run 

 the gun to the same reading on the rear traverse circle. 



THE PRUSSIAN ENGINEER TROOPS. 



They are called pioneers, and perform the duties of sappers, miners, and pontoniers. 

 They are officered by details from the corps of engineers, and are organized in divisions 

 of two companies each. In time of war, a reserve or depot company is added to each 

 division. There is a division for each of the nine army corps, and two independent companies 

 for the Confederation fortresses of Mayence and Luxembourg. On the war footing, the strength 

 of each company is as follows : 



4 officers. 



1 orderly sergeant. 



1 ensign (a non-commissioned officer in the line of promotion.) 



3 sergeants. 



9 master pioneers (an intermediate grade of non-commissioned officer.) 



9 corporals. 

 189 privates, including one hospital attendant. 



3 musicians. 



226 men, exclusive of officers, surgeons, and drivers. 



In peace, the strength is reduced to about one-half. The drivers of the tool and ponton 

 wagons are soldiers of the train, and are not taken from the companies. 



When the whole army is placed on the war footing, the strength of the pioneers is 7,743 men, 

 exclusive of officers, surgeons, and drivers. All the pioneer material is made at the engineer 

 arsenals. In the trenches armor is not used. Exjieriments have been made with helmets and 

 cuirasses made of three thicknesses of bull's hide ; the results are said to be satisfactory. The 

 men carry tools in slings, never attached to the knapsack. They are armed with a light musket; 

 having an ordinary bayonet. Pioneers are employed as overseers, clerks, master workmen, &c.} 

 in the construction of permanent works. 



