A capital plan is to mix a few bushels of chalk and dry earth, spread it over the floor, and pay a paviour's labourer a trifle to hammer it level with his rammer.

'tis said, midst all their cares, They love to peep at man's affairs, And wondering at the workmen's hammers, The noise of axes, engines, rammers, Thought 'twould be well, nor meant the fun ill, To make an opening through the Tunnel, Just to see how the work went on, And then, down

The Paviour halts in mid-gruntstands With rammer in his idle hands; And quite refined, and at his ease, Forgetting onions, bread, and cheese, The hungry Drayman leaves his lunch, To take a peep at Mister Punch.

The foul wind prevented the squadron making much way, but the time was employed to advantage in constant exercise at the guns, and the men were brought as near to perfection as they could be; in handling them each man knew his own duty, as well as that of the captain of the gun, fireman, boarder, powder-man, rammer, &c.

The Greek artillery-men shot away the rammer of their only field-piece, after a few discharges, rendering the gun useless.

Then Rhenish rammers walk the round; In bumpers every king is crown'd; Besides three holy mitred Hectors, And the whole college of Electors, No health of potentate is sunk, That pays to make his envoy drunk.

The ammunition lift brings up the projectile and charge, which latter is subdivided, like those employed in the German guns, in succession to the breech, the hydraulic rammer forcing them home.

The feeble crew were earnestly occupied in loading the guns, and rammers and spunges were handled, with all the intenseness which men would manifest in a moment so exciting.