57. Boat-Guns.—No tackles are required to run out 12-pdrs.; but 24-pdrs. may possibly require them.
58. The hole in the cascabel for reeving a breeching has been purposely omitted in howitzers, as hitherto the use of a breeching has not been found necessary. Should one be required, a thimble may be fitted to the neck of the knob to serve in place of this hole.
With a breeching, the piece may be fired as if on an ordinary carriage.
59. The recoil is controlled by compressing the slide between the bed and the lower plate. It is necessary, however, that the surfaces of the carriage in contact should be plane. If they are not so, dismount the gun and examine them, and where the wood is worn smooth, remove it in the slightest manner, and correct the surfaces generally. In making the surface plane, it is by no means necessary that it should be rendered smooth. It ought to be as little so as possible for the present purpose.
SECTION OF 12 PDR. SHRAPNEL
With Bormann Fuze and Filling of Sulphur.
D. Van Nostrand Publisher. Julius Bien, pr.
60. Field-Carriage.—In order to moderate the recoil on smooth ground, take out the axle or pin of the trail-wheel and turn the wheel up on the trail.
For using the howitzer on shore, two transporting-boxes are supplied, placed on a support and lashed to the axle of the field-carriage. When more than a single piece is landed, it may be found convenient to secure the trail of one field-carriage to the axle of another, and then, by means of pieces of stuff, or boat's spars, secured from axle to axle, to place the ammunition-boxes, provisions, and pouches upon them.
61. Shrapnel may be effectively used where the dispersion of common canister becomes too great and its effects feeble. It takes the place of common shell, to a great extent, when uncovered masses of men are in view, and is designed to burst in front of troops, at just such a distance and height as to disperse the balls among them.
62. Similar terms are used in marking the sight and the fuze. Thus, if the fuze be adjusted to 2 seconds, and the piece elevated by the sight raised to the line on it marked 2 seconds, then the shrapnel will burst about 500 yards from the piece, and spread its balls from that point to a considerable distance further—effectively at least 150 yards.