116 
ARMING ELEVATED BATTERIES. 
wheel disengaging from the baulk, and the hawsers pass freely between 
them. The hawsers are kept in place by guide rollers. The wheels 
of carriage are fitted with skid blocks which are self-acting on the 
rails, skidding the wheels whenever there is any backward movement. 
The front cradle is nearly similar to the hind, except that it has no 
locking gear, and it is made in two parts so as to pivot when used by 
road, these parts can be locked together for use on rails. 
Loops and shackles are fitted for the purpose of draught and lash¬ 
ing. The gun is secured to the carriage by lashings round the cas- 
cable and trunnions The length of the carriage should be adapted 
so that about two-thirds of the whole weight may be on the rear 
cradle. 
The winches are arranged in two sets, one set rather more than half 
way up the incline, and the second set at the top. Each set consists 
of a 5-ton iron winch on either side of the rails, about eight yards 
from them, and opposite to each other, with a 2-ton iron winch in 
rear of each. The 5-ton winches are fixed on frames of wood, and the 
frames sunk into the earth, picket posts being driven in each angle as 
a further security. The handles of these winches are made very long 
so as to allow eight men to work at each handle if necessary. They 
have slow and quick motion, and brakes. The chains are passed 
round the drums of these winches three times, and led to the 2-ton 
winches, about five yards in rear. The 2-ton winches are fixed to 
wood frames placed on the ground and secured by picket posts driven 
at the angles. These winches haul in the slack of the chains after 
leaving the front ones, and prevent “ surging.” About four men are 
required to hold on to each chain in rear of the 2-ton winches. 
The hauling chains are small link, of best wrought iron, 1 in. in 
diameter. The blocks are of iron, adapted for the chains, and are 
made as <f snatch blocks.” The holdfasts for standing ends of hauling 
chains consist of wood baulks buried, with chains round them leading 
to the surface. At the top of cliff, one holdfast, which is made very 
secure, takes the standing ends of the chains as well as the ends of the 
9 in. hawsers for locking gear. When using the lower set of winches 
half way up the slope, it was impracticable to make a good holdfast 
between the rails for the standing ends of the chains, so two holdfasts 
were made, one on each side of the rails, and a long but strong chain 
made fast to both, to this the standing ends of chains were secured. 
Shackles and bolts were used to connect the chains, blocks, &c. 
Single blocks were attached to the gun carriage, and the chains rove 
through them. The chains were led off to the winches by means of 
other single blocks, for which holdfasts were made by heavy anchors 
buried, with skids across the flukes. 
The gun is brought up by two chains, worked by the winches on 
opposite sides of the tramway, care being taken that the strain is as 
nearly equal as possible. When brought up to the lower set of 
winches, and on a level part of the rails, the carriage is carefully 
scotched and skidded, as the chains have to be cast off and shifted to 
the upper set of winches and holdfasts. 
