SERVICE OP ARTILLERY

ZI4

done but to fill the rest of the IheHs ana grenades ; antimake up combustibles as fast as they are wanted. All theguns are mounted ; part on the most attackable fronts, therest on the baibette-batteries : each of which should be spa-cious-enough to contain several guns, the better to com-mand the adjacent country ; and the governor directs theengineers to cut out the embrasures m the flanks.

If the piace be countermined; a quarcity of well fistedearth is iaid in diffierect parts of the gallei.es, and framesand planks prepared for carrying on felh branches; anexact plan and piofiie ot the countermines are taken, whichshould be very carefullv preserved ; and the miners drivesmall shafts on every fide to determine the nature of theground, with a view of ascertaining the time requisite formaking an excavation of a cubical foot; and judging howfar the sound of the enemy’s miners at work can be Heard ;which entirely depends on the tenacity of the foil: that no-thing, in a word, may be wanting to render the subterraneanoperations conducive to success; experiments are made, todetermine the line of least retistance for a chamber, madebetween the surface of the ground and an excavation 9feet below it (which is the depth of the work that thebesieger should carry on in searching for the counter-mines) and to ascertain the charge for only shaking theearth, and burying the enemy’s batteries without making alarge entonnoir. The care of the miners is intrusted to anintelligent officer ; some men are occasionally picked outfrom the infantry for that service. The carpenters, black-smiths, and armourers shops are fixed, that they may pre-pare the several articles belonging to them ; and some horsesand oxen procured for removing the guns and stores to anypart where they may be wanted, with a sufficient quantityof forage for their use.

As ceconomy in the daily issues of stores, and in the extra-pay to the artillery-men and additional gunners is a matterof great moment; a commissary and some clerks of storesare appointed to keep an account of all issues and expen-ditures, that exact returns of every thing may be made outwhen called for.

129. At the second epoch (127) viz. when the place isinvested; the commanding officer of artillery directs thepowder and every other article that will be wanted duringthe siege j to be distributed in the different magazines; and

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