RAISING- 38-TON GUN FROM MUD. 
145 
Tlie jacks were worked 4 at a time, tlie trunnion jacks going slowly 
always, whilst the breech jacks and muzzle jacks worked alternately. 
Had fewer jacks or smaller platforms been used, the columns of skids 
to support the beams must have got out of the perpendicular, for the 
platforms would not take more than 8 tons each. * 
On this day the men had begun to work at 6.45 a.m., and worked, 
except 1J hour for meals, till 6.30 p.m., at which hour the gun was 
sufficiently raised to admit of long skids, 25' x 12” x 12”, being placed, 
one under the button of the cascable, the other under the half-weight 
mark, Z 0 Z X . 
IT a. 8. 
View from East. 
The gun was now raised vertically 2! 9” from its former position, 
clear of the mud. The button of the cascable having a very small 
bearing on the 25' x 12” x 12” skid, it w’as not considered safe to leave 
it resting thus during the night, so a further lift of 4” was taken, and 
a 4” x 4” x 3' placed under the button at the point A. 
