SHORT NOTES ON PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS. 
23 
merits/* Four or six horses with two drivers (according to the ground) drew 
the carriage. These pieces were served by four artillerymen, two on the carriage 
and two mounted on the off draught horses; they went through the service to Grand 
Cairo, and travelled much better than was expected from the lowness of the limber 
wheels, which defect there was no remedy for in Egypt. 
“ Four light 6-prs. upon block trailed carriages-}* with two royal howitzers were 
also equipped (as nearly as the means would admit) for horse artillery service. 
Seven artillerymen and three drivers with ten horses were allotted for the service 
of each piece, the gunners riding the horses in draught, but the N.C. officer 
mounted single, for the purpose of advancing to examine roads, reconnoitring the 
enemy, &c. 
“ It being apprehended that extraordinary weights might cause the low narrow 
wheels of the trench cart to sink so much into the sand, as to retard the draught 
considerably, a contrivance^ was thought of to prevent this from happening, by 
occasionally increasing the breadth of the felloes. The staves of casks being strong, 
and of a favourable shape for this purpose (and still more valuable from their being 
easily procured at the Commissary-General’s store) it was proposed to cut them into 
lengths, of seven or nine inches each piece, having two small iron staples fixed at 
an interval, the breadth of the felloe. A rope equal in length to the circumference 
of the wheel, is run through each of these lines of staples, secured so as not to slip 
out, but keep the staves parallel at one inch and a half asunder. They are then 
applied to the wheels as shewn by Fig. 4, and fixed by small lashings to the 
spokes, to keep the whole from any alteration in travelling.” 
* “A block of wood was fixed by two bolts to the back of the axletree, and the iron 
pintail removed from the centre of it to this block, to receive the trail of the carriage upon. 
This was done in order to make room for a 6-pr. ammunition box (containing 32 rounds 
complete for the gun), to be fixed crossways in the front; the old side boxes belonging to the 
carriage being rejected entirely, their places furnished seats for two gunners. A small expense 
ammunition box (containing 8 rounds), was made to fit in between the cheeks of the gun 
carriage after the French manner. A copper tray or drawer was introduced under one of the 
gunner’s seats to contain the slowmatch, instead of carrying a linstock.” 
f “These carriages from their lightness, short draught and quick turning, passed over the 
inundation dikes, and desert with great ease, while the framed carriages with more horses were 
attended with difficulty and delay, and once in the desert obliged to be left behind.” 
£ “ If the mode mentioned of preventing narrow wheels from sinking in deep sandy situations, 
should have the appearance of possessing more fancy than judgment, it must be placed to the 
variety of obstacles which hourly presented themselves in Egypt, and called for every assistance 
the mind could catch at to surmount, and still perhaps, the idea may lead to something useful 
even in a northern climate, passing over snow, &c.” 
