REPORTS ON MOUNTING OP HEAVY ORDNANCE AT MALTA. 
595 
From Major J. F. Morgan, Comdg. No. Id Bait., 10th Bde. (late No. 3 
Batt., 12th Bde.) R.A., to Ft.- Col. Jones, Comdg. Royal Artillery, 
Cottonera Division. 
Ricasoli, 
llth August, 1877. 
Sir, 
I have the honour to report for your information the completion of the 
duty of transporting the first 3 8-ton gun from Calcarra Creek to 
Et. San Rocco. 
The gun was landed on the 10th July, and was dismounted from the sleigh 
and placed in its position in rear of the pivot, 4 ft. clear of the racers, 
yesterday, the 9th August; so that exactly one month has been occupied in 
transporting this gun the distance of something over a mile along a roadway 
of considerable difficulty. 
The number of days on which the gun was moved was 24, and the number 
of hours 110, or about 4J hours per day. The average number of men 
employed was 77. Besides this, an average number of 37 men was employed 
for 511 hours in shifting stores, shifting and fixing holdfasts, &c. 
I enclose a diary of the operations, and time and number of men employed, 
in explanation of which I w r ouid submit the following observations. After 
landing, it will be observed that about four hours were occupied in slewing 
the gun at right angles; this, to a great extent, was due to the want of 
experience of the men in operations of this nature. At first, also, the progress 
was siow, as will be noticed on the 12th of July, when only a distance of 
()0 yds. w r as accomplished, over ground which was in all respects favourable. 
On this day, also, a Dockyard roller was broken, owing to the sleigh getting 
slightly to one side, when the weight was heaviest on this roller. 
It is the only instance in which a roller was broken, but it tends to show 
what accidents are liable to happen if very great attention is not paid to the 
proper placing of the rollers. 
It was attempted on the 13th to move the gun by a capstan, as being 
handier than the winch vdiich was being used, but it was found the power 
was not sufficient, and the capstans were therefore discarded for this reason, 
and also from a knowledge of the fact that in most parts the road was so 
narrow that only a winch could be used. 
On the 15th the gun was advanced up a steep incline. Care was taken to 
use two wdnches, with a sufficiently powerful tackle to each, and for this 
purpose a detachment of 31 men was obtained from No. 14 Batt., 10th Bde., 
(late No. 2 Batt., 12th Bde). The holdfasts were arranged independently of 
each other, so that if one gave way the other would hold. They were as 
under— 
