192 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Loading . 
“With, respect to the loading, it has been found impracticable to use the 
shears, it being difficult to get the animals to remain quiet under the fall; 
moreover, the nature of the soil is seldom such as to afford a good hold for 
the pickets. The loading has, therefore,'been effected as follows, in the case 
of the gun, one skid (with the carriage two skids) is placed, with one end 
resting on the ground, the other on the cradle, the elephant being of course 
in a sitting posture. The breech-screw being removed,* handspikes are 
inserted in the bore at breech and muzzle, and the gun is lifted up along the 
spar by eight men to its rest in the cradle. 
“ To assist the lift, a drag-rope is attached to the gun at the trunnions, 
passed over the cradle and manned on the opposite side by 3 or 4 men, 
with this too, the gun is kept steady while the men who are lifting obtain 
a fresh purchase. 
“The carriage being heavier, 12 men are required to lift it; the arrange¬ 
ments are the same, except that two skids are used instead of one, up 
which to slide the weight. The limber is lifted bodily up (no skidding 
being used) and placed in its cradle, a wheel is then placed on the top and 
lashed securely. 
“ The ammunition boxes are carried slung, one on each side of the animal, 
with a wheel laid on the top of the pad and lashed. 
“The three wheels are slung, one on each side, and one laid on the top. 
“With regard to the time occupied in loading, the chief delay takes place 
in equipping the elephants with their gear and cradles; once this is done, 
the gun and carriage are loaded in 2 or 3 minutes; the other loads take 
longer on account of the lashing. 
Carriage for 8-inc/i mortar . 
The 8-inch mortar, with its bed; requires two elephants, the weights 
being as follows, (those of travelling bed, cradle, pad, &c. being given 
approximately only) :— 
Light 8-in. mortar, 8 cwt. 1 qr. 12 lbs. j iron (firing) bed, 7 cwt* 2 qfs. 6 lbs.; 
wood (travelling) bed, 1 cwt. 2 qrs.; cradle, 2 cwt. 1 qr. 
“ The load would then be, 
Tor mortar elephants:—mortar, 924 lbs.; travelling bed, 168 lbs; cradle, 
252lbs.; pad, &e. 500 lbs.; total, 1844lbs. 
For bed elephants:—-iron bed, 840 lbs.; travelling do. for do., 168 lbs.; 
cradle, 252 lbs.; pad, &c. 500 lbs.; total, 1760 lbs. 
“ The weights of skids, implement boxes, handspikes, &c. are not known; 
but they form a good load for an elephant* 
“ The powder has been carried on another elephant, and the shells on mules> 
(4 per mule), the powder could likewise have been so carried. 
* Breech-loading guns are much more easily employed oh this service than are muzzle-loaders, 
owing to the facility afforded for the employment of handspikes to lift the guns into their cradles 
in place of parbuckling as formerly:—E. C: 
