374 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
in diameter placed upright side by side from 8 to 10 feet high in the clear, 
the rows being about 3 ft. apart. 
The other description of pah consisted of strong spars about 18 inches in 
diameter placed upright in the ground about 8 feet apart; cross bars 
connected them, and on these were hung smaller spars from 4 to 6 inches in 
diameter; these were placed close to one another, and their ends were kept 
about a foot above the ground. No nails were used but, as is customary 
with the natives, flax secured everything. The line of stockading was again 
double. The natives used to fire out of pits dug out behind the second 
row, and made deep enough for them to fire under the stockades. 
These latter pahs were used by the southern natives in the war of 1860- 
61 and, on one occasion, one 8 in. gun and two 24-pr. howitzers, besides a 
9-pr. gun, failed to make a practicable breach in a pah, formed as above 
stated, after two hours firing, at a distance of 200 yards. 
The battery of six 12-pr. Armstrong's took up a position 900 yards from 
the stockade and after rather more than an hour's firing made a breach, in 
the section constructed after the northern fashion, large enough to allow a 
section of men to go through abreast. 
The southern description of pah was more difficult to breach as it gave 
more to the shell on bursting; and the debris, supported by the flax, was 
most difficult to clear away. With both descriptions of pahs salvoes were 
found most effective; all the guns being laid on the same part of the 
stockade, until the posts which seemed to afford most support were 
destroyed. 
The great accuracy with which these guns could be fired, and the tearing 
damage done by the shells on bursting, contributed greatly to effect a breach 
in the latter description of pah. About two hours were employed in making 
a practicable breach, and concussion fuzes were chiefly used. 
The trails used by the battery were old 9-pr. trails which had been 
altered for the Armstrong's. Three of them broke during the practice; 
one while firing at a distance of 900 yards, and the other two at 1800 yards 
from the target; the range being nearly level in both cases. The point of 
fracture was immediately under the elevating screw bed. On the return 
of the battery to Auckland the trails were repaired and strengthened, and 
were used in the campaign of 1863-4 without further damage, though 
several rounds were fired from some of the guns and at high elevations. 
In March 1863, Captain Mercer received directions to mount 100 gunners 
and drivers of his battery and to drill them to act as cavalry. Each man was 
armed with a regulation cavalry sword and either a carbine (cavalry pattern) 
or a Dean and Adams' revolver. These arms were supplied by the Colonial 
Government. One troop had hunting saddles and light bridles, which were 
also supplied by the colony. 
As hostilities were expected to break out shortly at Taranaki, Captain 
Mercer was ordered to take his squadron down there by sea; and also to 
take four Armstrong 12-prs. with harness in case they might be required. 
At this time only four officers were with the battery, viz. Captain Mercer, 
Lieut. Pickard, Asst.-Surgeon Temple, and Yet.-Surgeon Anderson. The 
other officers had been previously promoted or exchanged and their reliefs 
had not yet arrived, but Lieut. Pait arrived soon after the order was given 
for the formation of the squadron of cavalry. 
