In wheeling, the men are to take particular care, neither to open nor close their ranks, and to carry their arms well.
In wheeling, the motion of each man is quicker or slower, according to the distance he is from the right or the left: thus, when you wheel to the right, each man moves quicker than his right-hand man; and, wheeling to the left, each man moves quicker than his left-hand man; the circle that every man wheels being larger, according to the distance he is from the hand he wheels to; as may be seen by describing several circles within one another, at two feet distance from each, which is nearly the space every man is supposed to take up.
Wheel-carriages. In artillery, &c. The whole doctrine thereof, as it stands on a mathematical theory, may be reduced to the following particulars, viz.
1. Wheel-carriages meet with less resistance than any other kind of carriage.
2. The larger the wheels, the easier is the draught of the carriage.
3. A carriage, upon four wheels of equal size, is drawn with less force than with two of those wheels, and two of a lesser size.
4. If the load be all on the axle of the larger wheels, it will be drawn with less force than if laid on the axis of the lesser wheels; contrary to the common notion of loading carriages before.
5. Carriages go with much less force on friction-wheels, than in the common way.
WHEELBARROW. A small carriage of burthen, pushed forward by the hands on one wheel; a certain number are always attached to the artillery.
WHINYARD. A sword, so called by Butler in his Hudibras.