64 NAVAL SCIENCES. 



carriage, which has no wheels {pi. 22, fig. 3), but is made of two thick 

 frames bolted together, and with grooves for the trunnions. The gun is 

 pointed by means of a screw, instead of quoins. On the cheeks are two 

 ring-bolts to which the breech-rope is fastened, thus greatly diminishing 

 the recoil. In galleys, feluccas, gun-boats, and other small vessels, which 

 are propelled by oars, the arrangement is different, as these can always be 

 so turned as to bring the object fired at within range. 



The weight of a ship's guns and their carriages is as follows :. iron 48- 

 pounders, 9000 pounds ; brass do., 7900 pounds ; 36-pounders, 7450 and 

 6860 pounds ; 24-pounders, 5382 and 4846. The carriage of a 48-pounder 

 weighs 1500 pounds ; of a 36-pounder, 1200 to 1300 pounds ; of a 24-pounder, 

 900 to 1000 pounds; and of an 18-pounder, 740 to 800 pounds. A 48- 

 pounder is served by 16 men ; a 36-pounder by 14 men ; a 24-pounder by 

 10 men ; and an 18-pounder by 9 men. 



The guns of a man-of-war usually project from the port-holes about two 

 thirds of their length, the carriage touching the side, but in stormy weather 

 they are drawn back and the port-holes are closed. This is more particu- 

 larly the case with the guns of the lower deck. The guns are moved by 

 different ropes : the breech-rope, the train-tackle, and the side-tackle. The 

 hreech-rope is a short rope, either laid around the breech of the gun or 

 drawn through a hole in it, then drawn through the rings on the cheeks 

 of the carriage, and hooked at the ends into strong rings on the ship's 

 side. It serves to prevent too great a recoil after the discharge of the gun, 

 and also to keep it from rolling back when the wind beats the ship towards 

 the opposite side. It must be long enough for the gun to be drawn so far back 

 that its mouth will be two feet from the ship's side, for the sake of loading 

 it conveniently. When the cannon is in the port-hole, the breech-rope is 

 laid upon both sides of it, and bound with cable yarn. The train-tackles 

 {pi. 10, fig. V) are used to draw the gun backwards. One of its blocks is 

 fastened at the centre of the hind axle-tree, and the other to a ring attached 

 to the deck. Guns of a large calibre have a double tackle (fig. 2^^). The 

 side-tackle is used to draw the cannon to the ship's side, and to project their 

 muzzles through the port-holes. It is hooked to the rings of the two 

 cheeks of the carriage, and to those on each side of the port-holes {pi. 22, 

 fig. 4). For pointing and elevating the guns handspikes are used, and for 

 the side direction, crow-bars with claws. If there are no elevating screws, 

 two quoins are made use of When not in action, the guns must be 

 securely fastened, as, if they get loose during the rolling of the ship, they do 

 much damage, and may in some cases cause the loss of the vessel. In order 

 to secure the heavy cannon on the lower deck, they are drawn back and 

 the quoins taken out, which raises their muzzles to the upper part of the 

 port-hole ; a rope is placed round these, by which they are secured to a 

 ring over the port-hole ; the train tackles are hooked to the same ring, and 

 to a strop which passes round the breech, and drawn taut ; the side-ropes 

 are also drawn taut, and the remaining part of them wound round the 

 breech and through the ring on the ship's side ; they are then fastened 

 together before the gun-carriage with another rope, and finally a wedge is 

 116 



