Gun-carriage

Gun-carriage is a most important adjunct to every piece of ordnance. It requires to be of great strength in order to resist the shock of discharge, and, in the case of a field-gun carriage, to bear an enormous strain in passing at a rapid pace over broken, uneven, or rocky ground without being unduly heavy or wanting in mobility. A large department, fitted with splendid machinery, in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, called the Royal Carriage Department, is charged with this branch of manufacture for the British service, whether naval or military. See CANNON for plates showing several of the numerous patterns, and also MONCRIEFF PITS.