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Empty cannoncartridge-bags,both for Landand Sea Service,packed in pressedbales.
Small-arm car-tridges. Land andSea Service.Ball-cartridges.
Blank cartridges.
Storekeepers and others in charge of magazines are supplied with cartridge-hagsready for filling when required. These empty bags are now sent to stations at homeand abroad, and for both Land and Sea Service in pressed bales, containing numbersvarying from 200 to 500 and upwards. A screw hand-press, capable of considerablepower, is used for this operation. A covering of oil-cloth is also pressed over thebags, together with a stout canvas covering, well secured and marked.
Fig. 9 represents a bale of 500 24-pr. cartridge-bags, as packed for Land Service.
Fig. 10 represents a bale of 200 32-pr. cartridge-bags, as packed for Sea Service.
2A Pot Gun
8 tbs
32 Fot Gun
10 tbs
Note .—The close pressure of the bags, together with the covering of oil-cloth, issupposed to have the effect of arresting the destruction of moth. This mode ofpacking, however, has only been in practice about two years, and its advantages inthat respect remain to be verified.
To form the cartridges for the different natures of small-arm ammunition, thepaper is cut accordingly: a former is then used, by first placing the ball in the cupat the bottom, and rolling the paper (white fine) tightly on to it, after which it ischoked with a piece of catgut, fastened to the table for the purpose, and then tiedclose above and below the ball with two half-hitches and a thumb-hitch, and the endset down with the palm of the hand to form a good bottom, or, as it is termed, a‘ rose.’ The former is then withdrawn, and the cartridges placed upright in a box, inrows, for the purpose of filling. Rifle cartridges are formed with green paper, andwithout the ball attached, the latter being covered with a calico patch.
Blank cartridges for all arms are made up in purple paper, and rolled together onthe former in the same manner as ball.
Fig. 11, ball-cartridge former.
Fig. 11.
'■xiL/N.
Fig. 12, choking knife, screwed into the table.
Fig. 12.
The cartridges, ball and blank, are filled by a machine, and after receiving the