315 
A SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENT IN MOUNTAIN 
ARTILLERY TRANSPORT. 
CAPTAIN F. R. MAUNSELL, R.A. 
There is a description of transport in use at the present time in the East 
a short account of which may be of interest. The idea has not been 
tried in recent years, as a means of military transport, but there seem 
to be several good points about it, and for Mountain Artillery work, 
where heavy weights have to be carried over a country too difficult 
for wheeled traffic, it seems specially suitable. 
The carriage referred to is known in Persia as a “ takhtrewan ” or 
travelling seat, and consists of a strong wooden framework, on which 
is erected a carriage in which the passengers sit. The side pieces of 
the framework form two pairs of shafts, one projecting to the front 
and the other to the rear. (Fig. 1.) Two horses or mules are used, 
Fig. 1. 
the leader travelling in the ordinary manner in the front pair of shafts 
and the other facing in the same direction harnessed in the rear pair. 
There are no wheels, and the whole weight of the carriage and articles 
carried is distributed between the two animals by the backhands, 
which rest on pack saddles. Traces are not used, and do not seem to 
be required. 
A previous instance of such a system of draught being used for 
military purposes is in an account given in the R.A.I. “ Proceed¬ 
ings ;; of January, 1883, of the operations in Egypt in 1801. This 
method of carrying stores is there described as a horse-barrow. The 
carriage used was something similar in shape to the ordinary hand- 
barrow, but larger. Two horses or mules were used, each having a 
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