THE 110YAL AHTILLEHY INSTITUTION. 
217 
which virtually amounted to creating a field artillery; but luckily for the 
prestige of England, the Turks refused to embark during the solemn fast of 
Rhamadan, and the expedition was in consequence delayed in Marmorice Bay 
till the 20th February. Thus, owing to a happy accident, breathing time was 
given to the artillery officers to carry out their heavy task. 
Having landed and parked his guns, General Lawson's first step was to 
equip four 3-prs. on the off-horse system, to accompany the cavalry. The 
shafts of the 3-pr. carriages, which were permanent, and only intended for 
single draught, were cut off at the splinter-bar; poles were introduced; and 
teams of four, or when they could be spared six, horses were told off to the 
guns. Only one N.C. officer and three men were available for each gun; 
two gunners riding on the off horses of the team, the N.C. officer and the 
other gunner on the limber. The reserve ammunition for these guns was 
carried in hand-carts, which were adapted for draught on the curricle prin¬ 
ciple, and drawn by four horses. Four light 6-prs., on block-trail carriages, 
and two royal howitzers, were also equipped on the off-horse system. “ It 
was very much wished to have exchanged the limber shafts for poles, on 
account of their weight, as well as other considerations; but no wood could 
then be procured, even in the island of Rhodes, for the purpose." 1 2 Ten 
horses, two abreast, were told off to each 6 pr. A driver was mounted on 
the near leader, a gunner on each of the lead centres, a driver on the near 
and a gunner on the off centre, a gunner on each of the wheel centres, and a 
driver on the near wheeler. A N.C. officer and a gunner sat on the limber 
boxes, which contained 60 rounds of ammunition. Thus each gun w'as 
manned by one N.C. officer and six gunners. The 6-prs. on bracket 
carriages required twelve horses when going over heavy sand or shingle. 
These horsed guns were commanded • by Major Macdonald. The 12-prs., 
under Lieut. Adye, were drawn to Cairo by oxen, with a horse in the shafts. 3 
From whatever point of view it be looked at, the conduct of the home 
authorities in dispatching upon active service a force of artillery in a state 
of absolute and complete disorganisation, was disgraceful and unpardonable. 
Had the English artillery been found wanting in the hour of need, no blame 
would have been too heavy to heap upon the devoted heads of Lawson, 
Macdonald, and Adye. By their unflagging zeal and unusual ability they 
covered themselves with glory; holding their own with 6-prs. and royals, 
ill-trained gunners, untrained drivers, improvised harness, and wretched 
horses, against the French horse artillery, composed of 8-prs. and 6-in. 
howitzers, and drawn by the finest horses in the army. 3 Yet I am not 
aware that any distinction was conferred on them for their admirable ser¬ 
vices ! No officers ever proved themselves worthier of the honor of holding 
commissions in the Royal Artillery. 
It is improbable that so able an officer as Lawson failed, on his return 
home, to represent the difficulties in which the artillery had been involved 
in Egypt, from the disorganisation of the personnel and the deficiency of 
the means of draught. Nothing, however, was done ; for men had not yet 
grasped the truth that the field artillery service cannot tolerate mediocrity, 
1 General Lawson’s MS; 
2 Ibid. 
a Ibid. p. 29; 
