THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
333 
The limber is fitted to carry the supply of ammunition which 
accompanies the gun. Three points about it deserve notice—viz., its 
load, the position of the limber-hook, and the point of attachment of 
the traces. 
The load on the fore axle, as before mentioned, should be less than 
that upon the hind axle; but the amount of difference on the gun- 
carriage must of necessity be more or less modified by the quantity of 
ammunition which is considered absolutely necessary to be carried with 
the gun. 
The position of the centre of gravity of the load must always be such 
that the vertical through it will fall in front of the axletree, that there 
may be no tendency to rotation to the rear ; otherwise, the position of 
the load must be such that when combined with the effect of the dis¬ 
tribution of the remainder of the whole load, it will throw a sufficient 
amount of weight, and no more, upon the shaft horse^s back. The 
ammunition being carried in boxes facilitates stowing on board ship, &c. 
The height of the limber-hook from the ground is fixed by con¬ 
venience of lifting the trail, for unlimbering and limbering-up; its 
position between the axles, by the length given to the trail, the pro¬ 
portion of the total load to be thrown upon each axletree, and, as far as 
possible, solidity of attachment to the body of the limber. 
The considerations governing the point of attachment of the traces 
have been mentioned before, under the head of lightness of draught, in 
respect of mobility. 
The Ammunition Wagon. 
The wagon must be able to accompany the gun over any ground the 
latter may have to pass, therefore the general principles of mobility, 
&c., apply equally to it; and the present form of ammunition wagon 
has been arrived at as best carrying out these* principles, and the par¬ 
ticular purpose for which it is intended; the parts, so far as possible, 
being interchangeable with those of the gun-carriage. 
With regard to the distribution of the load upon the axletrees, the 
arrangement of the ammunition in boxes admits of the approved pro¬ 
portion—viz. 1 : 2—being more conveniently and more nearly approached 
than in the gun-carriage. 
Nothing requires to be said upon the parts of the wagon in detail. 
What has been said about the parts of the gun-carriage, viewing it as 
a travelling carriage, applies to it; the perch in the one, corresponding 
to the trail in the other. * 
The Remaining Artillery Carriages. 
These carriages aTe not intended to come under fire in the same 
manner as the gun-carriage, or even as the ammunition wagon; yet, 
since they must always be within reach of the battery to which they 
belong, and therefore to some extent conform to its movements, the 
general principles of construction require to be carried out in them—at 
least such has been the view held hitherto, as is well expressed in 
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