LIMBER SYSTEM FOR FIELD ARTILLERY, 
115 
experimental limber in England, as it would not cost Government a 
single sixpence to do so, 
We have seen that the slight enlargement of the boxes of the limber, 
together with the weight of the 12 extra rounds carried, would give 
possibly an additional 1^ cwt. or 12 stone to the weight of the service 
limber packed complete. This would, however, be in the limber itself; Comparison 
that is, close to the horses. Now, an average gunner weighs about 
12 stone or 1J cwt. Three gunners are often carried, according to the pro P r 0 0 sed d to 
present system, on the gun limber, and 2 more on the axletree seats; ^® d Gar r r e ie( t 
that is, far away from the point of draught. With the limber system it system, 
is proposed to carry only 2 gunners on the limber, and none on the 
axletree seats; that is, 3 gunners less would be on the gun and 
carriage than at present. But the weight of 1 gunner, as above 
shown, would be added by the limber system in extra ammunition, &c.; 
therefore there would remain only the weight of 2 gunners to the 
advantage of that plan, or a matter of 3 cwt. off the tail of the load. 
There would be besides the tangible gain of having 12 more rounds 
with every gun when working by itself in action, and also 2 horses 
as well as 1 driver in every subdivision could be dispensed with. 
We make 4 horses draw an ammunition wagon in England on a 
peace footing, even with many gunners on it, and, as this carriage is 
much heavier than the gun, obviously 4 horses might be made to 
suffice for the latter also during peace. Thus it would appear to be comparison 
quite feasible in times of peace to work with a gun team of only 
4 horses, and 2 horses to the extra limber; which, with 3 mounted 
men accompanying each gun, as proposed, would give 9 horses per ing of pre¬ 
sub division. The wagon system on a peace footing takes 11 horses proposed 
for the gun and wagon and 1 mounted man. systems. 
Again, if we compare the wagon alone with the proposed limber, both 
on a peace footing, it is plain that only one-half the number of 
horses and drivers would be wanted by the line of extra limbers that 
are now used by a line of wagons on a peace establishment; and in 
the field the wagon has often been made a perfect omnium gatherum 
requiring many horses. 
Were poles to be adopted instead of shafts, then a perfectly uniform some 
and interchangeable equipment of saddlery and harness could be intro- ofpo^ 868 
duced, giving the advantages of simplicity, lightness, and cheapness, ^ d u ^ ts r 
together with the thorough adaptability of any horse and its equip-posed plan 
ments at any moment to any place in the battery—a most important 1U the fleld * 
advantage on service. This principle of general adaptability should, 
indeed, be thoroughly carried out with the men, as well as with the 
horses and equipments, by a complete similarity of training all round 
in the field artillery. Horses suitable for artillery purposes are in daily 
use in civil life, and these are very generally found trained to work in 
double harness and pole draught—as, for instance, those used in vans, 
omnibuses, &c. This is important with regard to the possibility of . 
sudden expansion to a war footing, and the consequent heavier demand 
for trained horses. With pole draught an additional gunner could 
ride on the off wheel horse, whenever rapid movement of the battery 
became necessary; and should it at any time—in peace manoeuvres, 
