FIRE-TUBS.
243. Fire-tubs should be made of oak, of the patterns furnished by the Bureau, the hoops being of iron. The top is to be provided with a stout hoop of wood, to ship and unship, with a grating across it of stout copper wire, the meshes of which must be small enough to prevent the passing-boxes from falling into the water when struck over the tub.
FIRE-BUCKETS.
244. Fire-buckets should be made of light well-tanned sole leather, according to pattern.
A few Rubber buckets have been issued for trial and report.
THE GROMMET MUZZLE-LASHING FOR HOUSING GUNS.
245. Consists of a grommet made of rope double the size of the gun-tackle falls, with two cringles worked into it for the frapping lashing, which will be of stuff half the size of the tackle-falls.
The grommet will be made large enough just to slip over the swell of the muzzle when the bight is over the housing hook-bolt, and the gun is in position for housing. It will be wormed throughout, and parcelled in the wake of the housing-bolt and frapping lashing, and where there is no swell, in the wake of the muzzle-ring.
Where the housing-bolt is an eye-bolt, the grommet is secured to it by means of a toggle which has a lanyard.