The encyclopædia britannica; a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information . al foruse in ordnance. This view held for many years, and steel wasonly again employed after many trials had been made to demon-strate its reliability. It will be seen later that the ill success ofthese experiments was greatly due to a want of knowledge ofthe correct principles of gun construction. The progress made since 1S54 is dependent on and embracesimprovements in gun construction, rifling and breech mechan-isms. Considerable obscurity exists as regards the means adoptedfor mounting the firs
The encyclopædia britannica; a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information . al foruse in ordnance. This view held for many years, and steel wasonly again employed after many trials had been made to demon-strate its reliability. It will be seen later that the ill success ofthese experiments was greatly due to a want of knowledge ofthe correct principles of gun construction. The progress made since 1S54 is dependent on and embracesimprovements in gun construction, rifling and breech mechan-isms. Considerable obscurity exists as regards the means adoptedfor mounting the first cannon. From illuminations in con-temporary manuscripts it appears that the earliestguns, which were trunnionless, were simply laid onthe ground and supported by a timber framing ateach side, whilst the fiat breech end rested against astrong wood support let into the ground to prevent recoil. Thisarrangement was no doubt inconvenient, and a little later smallcannon were fastened in a wooden stock by iron bands; largerguns were supported in massive timber cradles (fig. 3) and Redrawn from Mallets Construction oj Artillery. Fig. 3.—Primitive Gun-mounting. secured thereto by iron straps or ropes. The ponderous weightto be moved and the deficiency of mechanical means preventedthese large cannon and their cradles from being readily movedwhen once placed in position. Laying was of the most primitivekind, and the bombard was packed up in its wood cradle to therequired elevation once for all. When it was desired to breacha wall the bombard with its bed would be laid on the ground atabout 100 yds. distance, the breech end of the gun or the rearend of the bed abutting against a solid baulk of wood fixed tothe ground. Mons Meg was originally provided with a woodcradle. It is by no means certain when wheeled carriages were HISTORY AND CONSTRUCTION] ORDNANCE 191 introduced. They must have gradually appeared as a means ofsurmounting the difficulties engendered by the re
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