ained against such heavy
Ordnance, which have been in nowise obviated by either the Pivot
Shifting-Screws of our own Navy, or the Pivot-Flap of the English Navy.

[17] Some difference of opinion may arise in regard to the shipping of
these levers before the gun is run out, and they are required for
pointing. To ship them now amounts to having them on the whole time--to
which the only objection is, that if on, before wanted in pointing they
may be in the way of the men; and, on the other hand, if not on, more
attention may be demanded from 15, 16.

The question will not be material when the men are well drilled.

[18] The gun being now pivoted to the Port, the Breechings should be
shackled and the rear Pivot-Bolt drawn, in regular order. But neither of
these can be done without running out the gun a few feet. For in order to
pivot with the greatest ease, the carriage had been previously run back on
the Slide to the rear Hurter, so as to bring the weight of the gun as near
as possible to the Rear pivot, the very best position being with the
Trunnions of the Gun just forward of the Rear pivot. The shackling of the
Breeching and the removal of the Bolt are, therefore, deferred until the
Gun has been run out in the subsequent proceedings.

The Breeching is always to be shackled to the Ship's side--not to the
Slide, which needlessly strains the pivoting, and also causes the shackle
with its appliances to interfere with the working parts at the forward end
of the Slide.

[19] It is generally expected that the Compressors are to supersede the
necessity for a Breeching. But experience shows that in firing it is
better to rely habitually on the Breeching, and use the Compressors to
assist. Thus, in firing to windward at Sea, the Compressors are always to
be set, but only so hard as may be required to ease the shock on the
Breeching. In firing to leeward, the Compressors are not wanted, except to
secure the gun in its place when in. When the Ship is not steady, but
rolling, the discretion is to be exercised.

The Preventer, or Inner Breeching, will be found indispensable to avoid
accident when running out to leeward in a sea-way. For with a trained
crew, and all precaution in handling the levers and In-Tackles, there is a
liability to the gun getting away, in which case it moves out with great
violence, and may do serious damage. On one such occasion an XI-in. gun
cracked the stout iron straps of the Compressors, and seemed b