REPORTS ON MOUNTING OF HEAVY ORDNANCE AT MALTA. 
605 
C .— Cost. 
The total cost to the E.E. Department of transporting these two guns has 
up to the present been £13 2s. 6d. 
.Further expenditure will, however, be necessary for re-fixing the iron gate 
and hand-railing and bridge at Fort San Eocco, and for repairing injuries to 
works.caused by the transport of the guns. 
E. THOMPSON, Lieut. E.E., 
The Comclg. R.E., 7). 0. Cotlonera. 
Malta . 
The Operation of Landing and ■ Transporting a 38-ton Gun at the Jews’ 
Sallyport , at Malta . 
• It being proposed to mount a 38-ton gun in St. Gregory's Bastion at 
Valletta, Malta, orders were given to disembark the gun at the Jews' Sally¬ 
port, as being more convenient than taking it round by any other way, 
though perhaps it is more exposed to the open sea than other places of dis¬ 
embarkation. 
This sallyport has a couvreport immediately in front, on the pier; thence 
there is a steep ramp of 12° slope of steps through a passage, with another 
gateway at the top leading into a very narrow street, with another incline 
immediately at right angles up on to the level (vide Sketch Nos. I. and II.) 
Thence the gun had to travel a considerable distance until it reached Lower 
St. Elmo Gate, again make a sharp turn over a wooden drawbridge up a 
steep ramp along the ramparts to its destination. 
The landing place being quite exposed, and having only 2J ft. of water, 
one of the calmest days for disembarkation was chosen, in order to avoid 
damage to the pontoons (bringing the gun round) against the rocks by the 
rise and fall of the waves. 
The gun was placed on two pontoons or barges by the navy, on a sleigh 
resting on two balks. 
Preparations. —There was a landing place almost level for about 25 ft. 
The Eoyal Engineers had to cut a roadway 8 ft. wide through the couvre¬ 
port, the drawbridge in front to be replaced by three stout beams, the 
lower gate widened from 6J ft. to 7J ft., and the crown of the arch from 6 ft. 
to 8 ft. high. 
Since the gun was to be landed at 5.30 a.m. on the 24th August, all 
preparations were made on the 23rd inst. As no position suitable for a 
holdfast could be found at the top of the sallyport from which to attach the 
main tackle—all the houses, walls, and windows being too weak, and private 
