LIMBER SYSTEM FOR FIELD ARTILLERY. 
201 
would then be only 14 horses, or 7 horses per gun, wanted, and a total 
of 76 rounds only carried for each gun—a matter of little moment on a 
peace footing ; there would be 10 wheels only in use and 1 spare wheel 
carried, also 3 pairs of shafts in use and 2 spare shafts carried. 
It is clear that a saving of one horse per gun could be thus made on 
a peace establishment. The total weight of the equipment on the 
modified limber plan, as compared with the wagon system carrying an 
equal amount of ammunition, would be very considerably in favour of 
the limber system. 
The cost of conversion would be comparatively small, and would only 
consist in the addition and fitting of the small extra boxes and wheel 
limber frames. This would be a final cost also, whereas the saving in 
the purchase and keep of horseflesh is continuous, and would soon show 
a large credit to the side of the limber system. 
May it not, then, be claimed for the proposed modification that it 
would very materially lighten the artillery equipment generally, and 
also very much facilitate the transport and supply of ammunition in the 
field, without having so many eggs in one basket, as is the case with 
the present wagon system; and that a positive increase of efficiency 
might be obtained, combined with a decrease of expenditure ? 
The whole of the present wagon equipment could be utilised until 
worn out by being made use of in the second reserve ammunition train, 
so that there need be no waste of material owing to the proposed 
modifications. 
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