480 
TRACTION. 
Or, per horse. 
Horse artillery 
lbs. 
69 7* 0 actual load, 
618*0 calculated load, 
79*0 difference. 
Light field battery, 788*0 actual load, 
724*8 calculated load, 
65*3 difference. 
Heavy field battery, 704*6 actual load, 
678*6 calculated load, 
26*0 difference. 
The tractive force which each horse has to put forth to move the 
above actual loads is, as calculated by equation, 
lbs. 
Horse artillery..... 79*14 
Light field battery . 89*45 
Heavy field battery . 85*33* 
while the force which it is considered each should be called upon to 
exert, as already given, is 
lbs. 
Horse artillery. 70 00 
Field batteries... 82*00 
It therefore appears that the gun-teams of horse artillery and light 
field batteries are considerably overweighted, those of heavy field 
batteries (of eight horses) not much so; and it is to b£ remembered 
that the calculated loads are based upon the supposition that the horses 
are in fair condition—“ reduction of rations, occasional failure of food, 
and bivouacking often producing great diminution of power.^f 
Comparing now the light and heavy field battery teams, we find 
that the heavy battery is more mobile than the light; each horse in 
the team of the former having to make less exertion than in the team 
of the latter! In fact, the light field battery, as existing, does not 
seem, so to speak, an advantageous arrangement; for while the gun 
carried is but the same as in the case of horse artillery, the gun-team, 
of six horses, is overweighted, and if increased to eight would be just 
as much underweighted, and would become more mobile even than 
horse artillery—which is unnecessary. It would therefore seem better 
to abolish the light field battery and employ the heavy only, in which 
each horse is approximately but duly weighted, and yet the team has 
behind it the heaviest gun; or, if necessary to retain the light field 
battery, to increase the gun-team to eight horses, and at the same time 
to increase the weight (i.e., the power also) of the gun carried— 
* Allowing, as before, 25 per cent, loss on the leading pair of horses. 
f No deduction has been made for any weight on their backs. Against this may be set the assist- 
ance which they may get from the momentum of the carriage in motion. 
