ack and fastened to the
stock. The carriage is likewise provided with a road brake, which
is to be employed in firing only when the nature of the ground is
such that the spade cannot be used.

The gun is placed in a bronze sleeve that carries the brake
cylinders and the various other connecting pieces for the return
spring and the aiming apparatus.

The hydraulic recoil consists of two cylinders placed laterally
and at the height of the axis of the piece.

The axle has the peculiarity that in its centre there is a wide
opening in which are placed the cradle and the gun. It is
provided with two screw trunnions, around which the pivoting
necessary for lateral aiming is effected. This arrangement of the
gun with respect to the axle has the effect of greatly
diminishing the shocks that firing tends to produce.

Elevation and depression are accomplished by rotating the axle in
the wheels of the carriage. This is done by means of a crank
which, through an endless screw and pinion, controls a toothed
sector attached to the sleeve.

Pointing in direction is done by means of a lever known as a tail
piece. Mounted upon the axle there are two small sights, forming
a line of aim, that permit of bringing the carriage back in the
direction of the target as soon as a shot has been fired. All
that the gunner has to do is to give the piece a slight
displacement laterally with respect to the carriage by means of a
hand-wheel, which turns the gun 2 deg. to one side or the other.

The line of aim is found by a back and front sight arranged upon
the right side of the sleeve in which the gun is mounted. The
back side permits of aiming while the gun is being loaded. It
carries a small oscillating level that indicates the elevation of
the gun during rapid firing.

The weight of the carriage, without wheels, is 1,146 lbs. and
with wheels, 1,477 lbs.

The ammunition consists of cartridges containing charge and
projectile and having a total weight of 19 lbs. The powder
employed is of the smokeless kind, designated by the letters B.N.
The weight of the charge is 1-3/4 lbs. The projectiles are of
three kinds--ordinary shells, shrapnel shells, and case shot. The
weight of each is the same, say 14-1/4 lbs. The shrapnel shells
contain 234 balls, weig