108 
MINUTES OF PB0CEEDING6 OF 
The first three of these are due to the same cause. A gun in a cupola 
may be considered a gun en barbette; for the cupola could be placed on a 
level with the crest of the work, and would therefore give increased com¬ 
mand to the gun it covers, and also an unlimited lateral range. At present 
a gun en barbette is an object for the enemy's artillery, and exposes its 
detachment to their riflemen. They are therefore only placed as a rule in 
the salients of the work; and the rest of the guns are cramped by the 
contracting influence of their embrasures, than which nothing more 
effectually limits their fire and utility. The sole of the embrasure checks the 
depression of the piece after a certain limit; and the sides reduce their 
lateral range to a comparatively small angle. Even the guns in the salients 
can only be traversed over a limited arc of the circle; whereas the revolving 
cupola w r ould move completely round, and might allow of the greatest 
depression. It would thus command the whole surrounding country, and 
might be turned so as to give a species of reverse fire upon any point 
within, which might be in the possession of the enemy. 
The gun detachment would be safe and completely invisible; and this 
suggests the 4th of the advantages enumerated,—economy of numbers to 
work each gun. The large number we would allow at present to each gun 
during a siege is calculated to allow for casualties. Where the risk of 
casualties is so immensely diminished, the allowance to be made becomes 
proportionably less; and the guns will be worked easily with diminished 
numbers. 
Our next advantage, in order, is the power of doing away with outworks. 
These, such as ravelins, &c. are meant to throw a fire which would sweep 
that part of the glacis in front of the faces of the bastions which could not 
be covered by the fire from the work; and in general terms to compensate for 
the want of lateral range in the guns of the fortress. But where the guns 
of the work can be concentrated upon any spot, and no part of the sur¬ 
rounding country but can be brought under their fire, a ravelin becomes 
quite unnecessary. A cupola in each salient would act better than any 
ravelin; and their guns could be easily made to command even the ditch in 
front of the curtain, and throw showers of case-shot upon the heads of any 
storming party. The second clause of the 5th head is a sequitur to the 
first. Given a certain space of ground on which to build a work, that work 
which consumes most of that space in outworks like ravelins has the least 
accommodation for troops, for in calculating the number of men to fill a 
work, we would be reluctant to take into consideration anything save the 
main work. 
The economy of construction which we have included in the list of advan¬ 
tageous consequences on the adoption of this invention is partly the economy 
which follows a judicious outlay. In the first place, a fort whose guns are 
under cupolas, requires no traverses to resist enfilade and ricochet fire. 
Every cupola is a traverse to the next; and we are thus spared first the 
expense of constructing earthen traverses, and secondly, that of keeping 
them in repair,—an item of some importance in severe climates like our 
American colonies, where the frost tears up earthen works more effectually than 
the most powerful shells. By this system, also, the interior of the parapet 
with its banquette, embrasures, revetments, &c. is avoided; and the cupolas 
could be placed on the crest of the superior slope, the earth sloping back 
