342 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
saddle galls and without the load giving endless trouble on the line of 
march is an art in itself, attainable only by long practice and a clear 
understanding of the subject. I think some of the details of packing in 
.these pages will be of assistance to those who have to undertake the task. 
The weight of the gun and its appurtenances, the calibre of the piece, 
and the weight of the projectiles of the Austrian mountain gun so nearly 
approach those of one of the patterns of mountain guns of the British 
service, that I imagine this translation may be of some use in judging of 
our own system or systems, which I believe to be only provisional. 
The work I have translated from combines field and mountain artillery. 
In the text on the latter subject are frequent references to what had been 
detailed on the former as equally applicable. I have therefore in the 
translation added from the text what was necessary to make it a complete 
treatise on the subject of mountain artillery. 
A great deal of it will be found to be elementary; but in my opinion the 
elements are well exhibited, and the abstract doctrine everywhere sound; 
and it is always of use to those well acquainted .with the theory of artillery 
to look at the subject from another man's point of view. To those who 
are not so learned, I believe a study of what the author has to say will put 
him in possession of a fair amount of erudition. 
As to the translation, I think it well to state that I have rendered the 
text into English directly from the book; I have then closed the book and 
endeavoured to put the rough draft of the translation as far as possible into 
English idiom, in the form of a paraphrase; but in such fashion that the 
translation will, I hope, be found to contain the substance. 
I have been compelled to combine English terms to get equivalents for 
many of the German technical terms which are unknown in the English 
technical language; but I comfort myself with the knowledge from good 
authority that the coinage of technical terms of any art or science is no 
outrage to a language; and I hope that this will plead my excuse with 
the reader when he comes on a term which explains itself, but to which 
his eye and ear are unaccustomed. 
All the Austrian weights and measures of the original have been carefully 
converted to British imperial equivalents. 
Through the intervention of a friend, and the kindness of the Austrian 
War Office, I am enabled to add several valuable drawings explanatory of 
the text, in addition to those in the original work. 
H* H. M. 
Blackheath, 
June 26j 1R69. 
