CARRIAGES.
Garrison carriages are made of oak and other hard wood. Trucks iron; but in those situations which are not exposed to enfilade, the carriages are cast iron.
Ship carriages.—The Brackets and Transoms are elm, Axletrees oak, Trucks elm.
Field gun carriages.—All Travelling carriages are now made entirely of oak. The Carriages, for the heavy iron 12 and 9-pounders with bracket-trail, and also for all heavy battering ordnance, are made of oak. Limbers have the axletree beds of oak; Futchells, Splinter, or Sweeping-bar, of ash; Foot-boards, fir or elm. Limber boxes have the sides elm, and the rest fir. Ring-tires are used for light 3-pounders and hand-cart wheels. Shafts are always made of ash. Wheels have the Nave of elm, Spokes (12) of oak, Felloes (6) of ash.
Sleighs are used for the conveyance of artillery, during the winter, in Canada.[7] The sleigh consists of a platform six feet ten inches long, and three feet ten inches wide, placed on runners sixteen inches high; upon this rest two strong transoms, to which the brackets supporting the gun are secured. A box, distinct from the ammunition boxes, is placed on each side of the gun, together capable of containing about thirty rounds of ammunition, and which serve as seats for Nos. 1 and 6. These boxes usually contain the shot, and small stores carried in the axletree boxes, as well as long reins for driving, when in single draught. The extreme breadth of the runners is three feet.
Packing the Intrenching tools, &c.
Marching order.—In marching order, the following stores and intrenching tools are on the gun sleighs; two fitting ropes, one spare swingletree; swords of Nos. 1 and 6 on front platform under breast of gun, claw hammer, wrench, and pincers; in sockets, two portfire sticks on right rear of platform.
On No. 1 ammunition sleigh; two fitting ropes, prolonge, two spare swingletrees, and sword of No. 3, on front part of platform; carbines of No. 1 and 6, on front box; spare sponge, and worm on platform right of boxes; spare handspike on left side; 4 spare traces between front and rear boxes; swords of Nos. 4 and 5 on platform in rear of boxes, covered by knapsacks of Nos. 1, 6, 5, and 4. The knapsacks are strapped from off-handle of off-box to rear handle of rear box.
On No. 2 sleigh; felling axe, and two camp kettles, on front of platform; sword of No. 2 on front box; pickaxe in rear of front box; four spades strapped to front of rear boxes; four water buckets strapped to guard irons of front box, two at each side; swords of Nos. 7 and 8 in rear of boxes, covered by knapsacks of Nos. 2, 3, 7, and 8.
DEPRESSION CARRIAGES.
Of these there are two descriptions—
1st. Those in the batteries at Gibraltar.
2nd. Those constructed for general service.
These latter carriages are similar to common standing carriages, excepting that they are about a foot longer, and the front transom is hollowed so as to allow of a greater depression, and has a bolt behind it for the end of the stool bed. There is also a skid, or transom, placed across the last step of the carriage, which has a thread in it for the elevating screw that supports one end of the stool bed. These carriages admit of a depression of 30°, but after every round the piece must be brought horizontal to load, which is done by taking out altogether the rear transom. Depression Carronade carriages differ from the common carriages in having their trucks in rear instead of in front. They are depressed by an iron segment of a circle, which is moveable in a slit in the trail, and which has holes in it about an inch apart, through which a bolt is to be placed to support it at any height, the intermediate depression being given by a screw.