146 
RAISING 38-TON GUN PROM MUD. 
A plank was also placed under the half-weight mark, to keep the 
gun horizontal. 
Thursday, 31^ May. (8th day). 
In the* morning, the breech and muzzle were lowered on to the 
transverse skids, leaving a great part of the weight of the gun on the 
trunnion sabicu beam, 8. This was done to test the transverse beams, 
ZZ, under the gun, and ascertain whether, the weight being transferred 
to them by degrees, the centre sabicu beam, 8, could be dispensed 
with and lashed lower. 
The weight was now resting on the beams ZZ, and the centre sabicu 
beam 8. It was necessary to raise the gun sufficiently high to allow 
of 2 parbuckle skids, 20' x 15" x 15”, resting on transverse planks 
3" thick (and over them 3" oak planks), being placed under the breech; 
and under the muzzle a similar skid, with 9" of planking on it, to 
bring it up to the same height above the ground. 
The sabicu beams being so high above the original level of the mud, 
and the columns of skids so liable to tilt the platforms and overturn, the 
sabicu beams had to be lowered down to the gun. 
The muzzle and breech beams, $j$ 2 , could not be relashed at once, 
because the lashings were caught by the long skids, ZZ, which had to 
be placed between the 6' x 12" x 12" which supported the jacks, in the 
centre of the platforms P\P°. They were therefore lowered by jacks, 
,-, and a 6' x 12" x 12" skid placed next to the 
_f__□_ sabicu beam, and a 3' x 9" x 9" next. The 
*“■=■“”* weight was now divided between the plat¬ 
forms P\P 2 and the beams ZZ, so as to release the centre sabicu beam, 
which was lashed down to the gun, by the trunnions. 
The weight being taken on this centre sabicu beam, left only the 
preponderance to be lifted at the breech. This was done by a jack, 
placed so that the lip caught the cascable button. 
The muzzle sabicu beam was released by having a 3' x 4" x 4" skid 
placed parallel to the beam Z, between the lashings which held the 
muzzle sabicu beam. The muzzle and breech were now lowered off, 
leaving the weight on the centre sabicu beam and the beams ZZ, and 
the muzzle and breech sabicu beams were relashed close down to the 
gun. 
Fig. 10. Fig. 11. 
