Galloper-Carriages serve for 1¹⁄₂ pounders. These carriages are made with shafts, so as to be drawn without a limber. In the war of 1756, the King of Prussia, mounted light 3-pounders on these carriages, which answered very well. The horse-artillery is an improvement of this method of the Prussian.
Howitz-Carriages are for transporting howitzers; and those for the 6 and 5-8 inch howitzers, are made with screws to elevate them, in the same manner as the light 6 pounders; for which reason they are made without a bed, and the centre-transom must be 9 inches broad to fix the screw, instead of 4 for those made without: in the centre, between the trail and centre-transom, there is a transom-bolt, which is not in others, because the centre-transom must be made to be taken out; after which, the howitzer can be elevated to any angle under ninety degrees.
Tumbrel-Carriage. See [Tumbrel].
Block-Carriage, a carriage which is made from a solid piece of timber, hollowed out so as to receive the gun or howitzer into the cap-squares. The lower part of the cap-square is let into the solid wood, and the gun or howitzer is either elevated or depressed by a screw, as in other carriages. The limber for this carriage carries two large chests for ammunition, and takes four men. The pintle of the limber is so constructed as to receive the gudgeon of the carriage; by which means a greater relief is afforded when the carriage passes over rough ground.
Block-Carriages are also used by the horse-artillery as curricles. They are particularly useful on mountain service. The original inventor of them, is the British Colonel Congreve, author of many other important military inventions.
Truck-Carriages are to carry timber and other heavy burthens from one place to another, at no great distance: they serve also to convey guns or mortars upon a battery, whither their own carriages cannot go, and are drawn by men as well as horses.
Ponton-Carriage. Carriages of this kind are solely for transporting the pontons; they had formerly but two wheels, but are generally now made with four. The making use of two-wheel carriages for travelling a great way, is contrary to sense and reason; because the whole weight lying upon the two wheels, must make them sink deeper into the ground, than those of a four-wheel carriage.
Carriage.—Weight of Field Carriages at present in use.
| Horse Artillery Carriages | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cwts. | qrs. | lbs. | ||||||
| 12 Prs. gun and carriage complete for service, with two men, and theirappointments on the limber, and 16 rounds of ammunition. | 45 | 0 | 14 | |||||
| Ammunition caisson for do. complete, with two men on the limber, and 1spare wheel, 2 spare shafts, with 78 rounds of ammunition. | 33 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 6 Prs. equipped as above with 42 rounds | 34 | 1 | 21 | |||||
| Ammunition caisson as above, 108 rounds | 39 | 0 | 21 | |||||
| 5¹⁄₂ Inch howitzer, equipped as above, with 20 rounds | 35 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Ammunition caisson for do. as above, with 52 rounds | 39 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Forge waggon, complete for travelling | 19 | 2 | 14 | |||||
| Large tilted baggage waggon, empty | 18 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Equipage to be carried | 12 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Park Carriages. | ||||||||
| cwts. | qr. | lb. | cwts. | qr. | lb. | |||
| 12 Prs. Med. gun carriage, without box. | 16 | 1 | 21 | - | 42 | 0 | 7 | |
| Limber to do. | 7 | 2 | 14 | |||||
| Gun | 18 | 0 | — | |||||
| 12 Pr. light gun | 12 | 0 | — | - | 36 | 2 | 21 | |
| Carriage complete | 12 | 3 | 7 | |||||
| Limber, with em. box. | 12 | 3 | 14 | |||||
| 6 Prs. Desaguliers | 12 | 0 | — | - | 34 | 1 | 13 | |
| Carriage complete | 11 | 0 | 14 | |||||
| Limb. to do. em. box. | 11 | 0 | 27 | |||||
| 6 Prs. light batt. gun | 6 | 0 | — | - | 24 | 1 | 21 | |
| Carriage without box. iron axletrees | 9 | 2 | — | |||||
| Limber, with em. box. | 8 | 3 | 21 | |||||
| 5¹⁄₂ Inch howit. light | 4 | 3 | 7 | - | 24 | 0 | 14 | |
| Carriage, without box. | 10 | 0 | 7 | |||||
| Limber, with em. box. | 9 | 1 | — | |||||
| 24 Prs. platform travelling carriage | 22 | 3 | — | - | 84 | 2 | 16 | |
| Standing carriage for do. iron trucks, and tackles of the carr. | 13 | 3 | 16 | |||||
| Iron gun | 48 | 0 | — | |||||
| Ball cartridge waggon, Duke of Richmond’s pattern, with spare pole and swingle trees | 16 | 1 | 17 | - | 36 | 1 | 17 | |
| Charge of musquet ammunition | 20 | 0 | — | |||||
| Common pattern ammunition caisson, altered | 16 | 2 | — | - | 36 | 2 | — | |
| Charge of ammunition | 20 | 0 | — | |||||
| New infantry ammunition cart | 9 | 1 | 14 | - | 21 | 1 | 14 | |
| Charge of ammunition | 12 | 0 | — | |||||
| Common sling cart, complete | 17 | 1 | 14 | |||||
| Common truck carriage | 12 | 2 | 21 | |||||
| Common hand cart | 4 | 1 | — | |||||
| Forge waggon, complete | 13 | 2 | 14 | |||||
Dimensions of certain parts of carriages, the knowlege of which may prevent many mistakes in arranging the different pieces for disembarkation, or in other similar situations.