i8o Experimeiits with Cannon^ ^c. 



tached to the gun-carriage, and consequently cannot be 

 misplaced nor lost, through carelessness, nor in the 

 hurry of action. There are no buckles to unfasten, nor 

 cords to loosen and untie, in preparing the gun for ac- 

 tion. -7— The ram-rod is fastened to the carriage in a safe 

 and simple manner, and may be detached from it in 

 an instant, when wanted ; and the tompion of the gun, 

 and the stopper that closes the vent, may be removed, 

 or put into their places, with the greatest expedition. 



" Upon a comparative trial of one of these new-in- 

 vented guns, with a field piece on the common construc- 

 tion (which trial was made in the presence of the late 

 Elector Palatine, reigning Duke of Bavaria), it was 

 found that, when both guns arrived on the ground at 

 the same moment, the new gun commonly unlimbered 

 and fired from four to six rounds before the old gun 

 could be got ready to be fired once. 



" 4. In the mounting of this new gun, care was taken 

 to provide for the pointing and elevating of it, in the 

 most expeditious manner, and for the confining of it at 

 any given elevation. 



" 5. To make provision for elevating it, to any given 

 number of degrees or minutes, above the object against 

 which it is pointed, without the assistance of any quad- 

 rant, plumb-line, or other instrument. 



"The elevating machine, belonging to this gun, will be 

 found to answer perfectly for all these purposes. The 

 thread of the elevating screw may, in all cases, be so 

 chosen, that one turn of the screw shall elevate the gun a 

 certain number of minutes, — as 60, for instance, — when 

 the gun, being previously pointed directly at the object, 

 may be elevated to any required number of degrees or 

 minutes above it, merely by keeping an account of the 



