en slightly depressed;
raise the breech as much as possible, without lifting the gun out of
the carriage. When all is ready man the train-tackle well; have the
handspikemen also ready to assist in raising the breech; and if the
vessel is not rolling, it will be well to have additional handspikes
under the rear of the carriage to lift it also, so as to give free
egress to the gun. When all is ready, give the order: "All
together--launch!" In a gale of wind advantage should be taken of a
favorable roll to give the word, that the action of the sea and of the
men at the guns may be simultaneous.

If the guns are to be thrown overboard for the purpose of lightening a
ship which is aground, they must be buoyed, and care is to be taken
that each buoy-rope is of a proper length and strong enough to weigh
the gun. The best mode of securing the buoy-rope to the gun is to form
a clinch or splice an eye in the end which goes over the cascabel, and
take a half-hitch with the bight around the chase of the gun, and stop
it with spun-yarn.

The buoy must be sufficient to float the rope when saturated; or, in
deep water, a smaller line may be used for the buoy, and attached to
the rope intended for weighing the gun, that it may be hauled up when
wanted.

PART II.

EQUIPMENT AND MANOEUVRE

OF

BOATS.

EQUIPMENT AND MANOEUVRE

OF

BOATS.

EQUIPMENT OF BOATS.

WHEN DIRECTED TO BE MANNED AND ARMED FOR SERVICE.

1. Boats must be provided according to the time of absence and nature
of the service they are to perform, keeping in view the details
prescribed in Table (Article 5).

The number and class of Boat-Howitzers are assigned by the Bureau of
Ordnance.

2. When boats manned and armed are ordered, the Officers detailed to
command them will see that they are thus furnished, and report when
the boats are ready. They will also see that all articles are safely
returned, or duly accounted for, when the boats return to the vessel.

If the boats are directed to assemble alongside of any particular
vessel, the officers must report as they arrive there. If signalled
alongside of the ship of the Commander of the Squadron for exercise or
for inspection, they are to be inspected, if he shall so direct, by an
Officer appointed by him, whose duty it shall be to report those which
may be particularly well prepared, and those which he may find
deficient in equipment or arrangement, specifying particulars.

3. Whenev