27° SERVICE OP ARTILLERY

is frequently misled from the violent shock, that the carriagesustains, a great quantity of ammunition is uselessly expended,and the guns are often tendered unserviceable, before the con-clusion of the siege.

58. In making the distribution of artillery-men, the fol-lowing is the proportion to be relieved every 24 hours; viz.eight men to a 32 pr. six to a 16 pr. 13 inch or stone mortar;four to an 8 pr. and 10 inch mortar; and two to a royalmortar. An officer and non-commissioned officer are at-tached to every 4 or 6 pieces; and when a battery containsa greater number, it is commanded by a captain.

59. I'he object of the direct firing is to dismount the ar-tillery and ruin the defences, that the garrison may be unableto work their guns when the besieger has established himselfwith his musqueiry in the second or third parallels. Thefiring from any battery should never be diverted from theparticular object against which it is intended to any other, assuch desultory operations are generally inefficacious towardsthe reduction of the place. The common rate of firingfrom batteries at a siege is at most 9 rounds an hour from eachgun.

In richochet. firing, the guns are elevated between 8°and 12°; and fired with very small charges, just sufficient tothrow the shot over the parapet or into the covered-way;that it may afterwards make several bounds: the propercharge having been ascertained, is put into flannel cartridges;that the powder being always collected together in the famemanner the inflammation may be uniform ; and since thefiring is to be continued day and night, the coins and plat-forms should be marked that the elevation and direction mayremain the same.

in batteries for throwing red-hot shot, a large iron grateis fixed behind the battery ; the shot are laid in it and astrong fire kindled : the proper charge for throwing the shotinto the place with an elevation from 8 ' to 12 0 is put intothe gun with a wad and turf over it; then the gun beingpointed and primed, a gunner spunges it out with a wetspunge, and with a pair of pincers puts the red-hot shot intothe gun, and another gunner instantly sets fire to the primingwith a match. These batteries likewise fire night and day ;but as the guns are soon heated, the firing ceases at properintervals to allow them time to cool.

60. The mortars intended to enfilade the works in order to

dismount