110 
COMPOSITION AND STRENGTH OF A SIEGE TRAIN 
In tlie fourth class, following the usual proportion of weight between 
a piece of the description indicated and its carriage, the weight of the 
former is limited to 1501bs.* 
We have now to determine, generally, what the descriptions of fight¬ 
ing carriages should be, viz : whether adapted for the piece to fire 
through a deep embrasure, shallow embrasure, or oyerbank ; and, if for 
the latter, whether they should be arranged for the piece to recoil 
under coyer or not. 
In the first artillery position it will generally be possible to construct 
the heavy gun batteries so as to be well hidden from the enemy's view, 
for owing to the great distance of the position from the fortress, hot 
only will natural undulations of ground intervene, but walls, gardens, 
trees, &c., due to the impossibility of keeping such an extent of 
ground free from cultivation, while the power of the guns and the 
nature of their work will permit considerable choice of site for them, 
Hence in these batteriesf comparatively deep embrasures are admissible: 
for, not being seen by the enemy they cannot assist his aim, and, as but 
small angle of traverse is required for the guns, they need not be wide 
mouthed to weaken the parapet. That the latter may be cut away as 
little as possible, the carriage should give all the height to the axis of 
the gun which facility of working a heavy piece and the details of its 
own construction will conveniently permit. J 
Howitzers of the bombarding batteries, including the light howitzer 
in the second aswellasinthe first position, being only fired at high angles 
of elevation can be mounted on low carriages behind a high parapet, in 
fact, upon “ beds," as mortars, of merely sufficient height to admit of 
the requisite elevation being obtained from the piece. 
Howitzers for enfilade (curved) firing being used in the second as 
well as the first position must be mounted on the description of carriages 
suited for the former. 
In the second position the besiegers batteries cannot be so placed 
as to be hidden by natural objects from the enemy's view, therefore, in 
this position deep embrasures, or even any embrasures, however shallow, 
which facilitate the enemy's aim are inadmissible, unless the batteries 
can be sufficiently masked by screens of earth thrown up in front, || 
while, even then, any but very shallow embrasures, or mere troughs in 
# The 7 pr. M.L.R. weighs 200 lbs, and its bed for siege purposes, 224 lbs. 
f Speaking of the 1st batteries, Kraft says, “ We have had batteries which the enemy 
has endeavoured to search out with his fire for days and weeks but has failed and they 
suffered no losses and produced excellent effects.” 
% In addition to this, the deeper an embrasure is, the more easily is it ruined by 
shell and the less easily re-established. 
The height of axis of the 64 pr. M.L.R., on its siege carriage is which permits 
it, at 5° of depression, to fire over a sill of 3 '-4|'/; on a sliding carriage and platfoi’m, such 
as in use in the navy, its height would be 3'-l' / and it would fire over a sill of 2/-l' / . 
It will generally be possible to leave the earth under the ground platform higher than 
the remainder of the terreplein of the battery and so raise the height of the piece to the 
greatest admissible for working, if that height be not given by the carriage as would bo 
the case were such as the naval carriage used. 
If heavy guns have to be used in the future for breaching or demolishing armour plated 
works they must be mounted on carriages to recoil under cover. 
11) In the Eastbourne experiments such screens were used apparently with success. 
