The Volunteer Artilleryman's Pocket Manual (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ...placed them, 6 and 7 working out their handspikes. To Mount or Dismount a 64 pr.R.M.L. Gun by Long: Skids with Rollers. Strength of Detachment, 19 Nos. Stores required.--2 heavy drag-ropes; 8 6-ft and 2 7-ft. handspikes; 2 U-in. lashes, 3 fathoms each; 2 mauls; 2 luff tackles; 1 shifting roller, 14" x 5"; 2 do. 24" xB"; 1 ground roller, 6"x3'; 12 scotches (assorted); 2 long skids 14'x8"x8"; 3 oak skids, 3'x4"x4"; 2selvagees. To Mount the Gun. The gun should he resting on a ground roller, just in front of its centre of gravity, and the carriage placed in front of it. "Place Skids--Hook Tackles.'--8, 9,10, and 11 place the long skids, the upper ends bevels up, resting on the breast transom, the lower ends on the ground under the muzzle of the gun, arranged so that their upper surfaces are high enough to allow the trunnions to clear the top step of the carriage. No. 8 passes a handspike through the breeching loop to 9; if there he none, steadying handspikes must be fixed in the usual way. No. 11 places a selvagee over the neck of the cascable, and passes the ends down between the handspike and the breech, crossing the ends underneath, and bringing them over and around the handspike; 12 and 13hook the double blocks to them; 10 and 11 hook the single blocks to a selvagee laid across the front of the carriage by 10. Nos. 6 and 7 scotch the trucks. The whole Nos. then man the tackles on their own sides, except 6 and 7, who attend to the rollers, and 8 and 9 who stand to the steadying handspikes. "Taut."--The Nos. on the tackles haul in the slack, 6 and 7 places a 24 in. roller on the skids ready to receive the muzzle when it dips; toia roller should bo under the centre of gravitywhen the ground...