Note 7 — PART III. ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES, ETC.
Reading edition
The recoil of guns on sleighs varies from four to five feet when on rough ground or in deep snow; to twenty or thirty yards when on glare ice. In the latter case it is of course necessary to send the ammunition sleighs further to the rear; but the recoil may be considerably lessened by placing a small chain round each of the runners.
Ice of eight inches thick will bear with safety a weight of 1115 lb. (or nearly half a ton) on the square foot.