These operations will be
readily understood by an examination of the Illustrations. In that at
the foot of page 175 the cannon is lying useless upon the earth; one
wheel already forms the rude resting-place of a gunner, whilst the other
is in the act of being displaced. By the application of a rope round the
termination of the breech, and the lifting of the trail of the carriage,
care being previously taken that the trunnions are in their respective
sockets, a very slight exertion of manual labour is required to put the
gun into fighting trim. That we may be understood, we will add that the
trunnions are the short round pieces of iron, or brass, projecting from
the sides of the cannon, and their relative position can be easily
ascertained by a glance at the gun occupying the foreground of the
Illustration where the dismantling is depicted. To perform the labour
thus required in managing cannon, is called to serve the guns.
[Illustration: MOUNTING A GUN.]
Cannon are cast in a solid mass of metal, either of iron or brass; they
are then bored by being placed upon a machine which causes the whole
mass to turn round very rapidly. The boring tool being pressed against
the cannon thus revolving, a deep hole is made in it, called the bore.
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