505. Sling the gun slightly breech-heavy, to render it more manageable. If it is to be mounted on the spar-deck, place the carriage in the gangway; if on the main-deck, close to the main hatchway on that deck. In place of the garnet, hook the stay-purchase for lowering the gun into its carriage.
GETTING OUT GUNS THROUGH PORTS.
506. Secure the yard as in getting in guns, and sling the gun in the same manner. Hook the garnet and haul it taut, so as to raise the breech of the gun as much as the port-sill will permit; hook or toggle the gun-purchase, and sway away. As soon as the trunnions are clear of the carriage haul it from under the gun, ease away the garnet, and let the gun go out the port. As soon as the gun is perpendicular to the purchase, unhook the garnet and lower the gun into the lighter, or on the wharf, as the case may be.
If the gun is to be taken out over all, the stay-tackle is to be substituted for the garnet, only it is to be hooked to the same end of the slings as the gun-purchase, and the lashing on the slings is to be passed around the chase of the gun, as near the trunnions as possible, without being in the way of the brackets.
MANNER OF USING THE GRIOLET PURCHASE FOR DISMOUNTING OR MOUNTING GUNS ON COVERED DECKS.
507. In practice, guns are rarely shifted from one carriage to another during action: it is only during a cessation of firing. While the action is going on, the crew of a disabled gun are more usefully employed in replacing the killed and wounded. Furthermore, spare carriages are not so numerous as to permit this operation to be performed frequently. Nevertheless, each gun's crew should be thoroughly exercised, in order to develop their strength and skill.
508. The gun is to be run in, in the direction required to bring the muzzle under the housing-bolt, and the breech under the hole bored in the deck to receive the screw-bolt of the upper block of the breech-purchase. This hole should be bored through the plank in the deck, as nearly abreast the middle of the port as the beams will allow, giving the block room to play clear of the beams and carlings.
With a gun's crew of twelve men the operation may be performed as follows:
At the word "Stand by to dismount!" the Quarter-Gunner of the division on the deck above that in which the gun is to be dismounted removes the screw-tap, and stands ready to place the washer, key and un-key the bolt of the breech-purchase block.
All the numbers, except 1, 2, 3, and 4, man the train-tackle.