he
blocks. The Loader and Sponger pass the frapping lashing round both
parts of the breeching, in front of the brackets, and with the
assistance of the men nearest them bowse it well taut; and secure the
muzzle by placing the grommet over it and the housing hook-bolt, and
by frapping the two parts together with the lashing. When the
housing-bolt is an eye-bolt, a toggle will be necessary to keep the
grommet in its place.

In moderate weather the train-tackle is unhooked from the deck, and
made up and stopped along the side-tackle, on the forward side of the
gun. In bad weather it is kept hooked, bowsed taut, and the end
expended through the ring-bolt and round the arms of the rear axle.

The manner of housing guns, mounted on truck-carriages, on other
decks, in bad weather, does not vary materially from that just
described, excepting that the upper half-ports and the port-bucklers
are put in and secured.

When there are no housing-chocks the ordinary chocking-quoins may be
used as such. It will be an additional security to take off the rear
trucks, and to tighten the muzzle-lashing by raising the breech.

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE MANUAL EXERCISE.

231. The exercise of the great guns has a double object: 1st, To teach
the crew all the details necessary to Load, Point, and Fire the gun;
2d, To develop their activity, intelligence, and muscular force.

The principal object, the base of all this instruction, is loading and
pointing; too much care and attention cannot be devoted to obtain
exactitude in all the movements. There is a tendency to devote too
much time to such exercises as shifting carriages from side to side.
There is always sufficient time for these manoeuvres. The most
important are the management of the rammer and sponge in loading and
the handspikes in pointing.

232. At the time of reception on board, the crew may be considered as
made up of three classes: 1st, The Captains, Loaders, and Spongers of
guns, who may be considered as competently instructed in the manual;
2d, another part, who have had some instruction and are competent to
fill the secondary duties; 3d, The remainder, who are entirely
ignorant.

The directions in the manual are more particularly devoted to the
instruction of a crew completely formed, omitting all the minor
details of position and exactness in the performance of the motions
under the different commands, which are to be supplied by the
Instructor. These details would br