THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
133 
their own disposition, and at hand. Henceforward all the carriages, 
including those for the parks, should be kept mounted, completely 
equipped, and ready to move. The consequence of this political neces¬ 
sity is the construction of carriages of iron, which can be exposed to 
the air without decaying, and which a touch of paint annually suffices 
to preserve. 
Colonel Berge gives a detailed description of the mode of manufac¬ 
ture employed in constructing these carriages in the Arsenal at 
Woolwich, which he highly praises. He approves of the packing of 
the ammunition and the equipment of the wagons, everything that is 
requisite being carried by the battery, and everything in a convenient 
and proper place—a marked contrast to the arrangements of a French 
battery, the captain of which is not allowed the use of a nail or a piece 
of string, and then astonishment is expressed if on the march the road 
is strewn with sacks and corn. 
Colonel Berge finds that the English materiel has faults which his 
Government should endeavour to avoid. The solidity of workmanship 
is unnecessary. For the same total weight he thinks it would be better 
to make the piece heavier and the carriage lighter. The rivets are too 
many, and the carriage should be made in fewer pieces. The extreme 
angle of elevation should be greater, and should be obtained without 
burying the trail in the ground. The sighting appears too complicated; 
several alterations could be suggested. The employment of the means 
of giving the piece a lateral movement is indispensable for long ranges. 
The Armstrong gun had such an arrangement; no good reason appears 
to exist why a similar arrangement was not adopted for the new gun. 
Colonel Berge, in closing this portion of his remarks, repeats that the 
employment of iron largely in carriage manufacture is of the greatest 
advantage, and he adds :—We shall incur a heavy responsibility if we 
do not appreciate this new progress in the military industrial art, for 
it is still more indispensable to France than any other power to adopt 
the principle. 
The report gives a detailed description of the new gun, which is a simple 
modification of the French gun, but the modifications have been completely 
successful in obtaining the accuracy which the French gun wanted. 
It then proceeds:—This transformation is nearly completed. The 
English Minister continues to approve of it, but he declares at the same 
time that if in a few years he finds something better, he will not hesi¬ 
tate for a moment to sacrifice the work which he has just completed. 
To better understand the advantages and defects of the system. 
Colonel Berge compares it with what he says was up to this moment 
considered the best gun in Europe—the Belgian gun. 
The examination is divided as follows :— 
1. The initial velocity. 
2. The trajectory. 
3. The extreme range. 
* 4. Accuracy. 
5. Effect of the projectiles. 
6. System of loading. 
7. Rapidity of fire. 
8. Mobility. 
