Part 370

Breast PLATES, the two plates, on the face of the carriage, on the other cheek.

Breast PLATES, the clasps, with ornamented heads, by which the cross belts in the army are attached.

Train PLATES, the two plates on the cheeks at the train of the carriage.

Dulidge PLATES, the six plates on the wheel of a gun carriage, where the fellies are joined together.

PLATEAU, Fr. A flat piece of wood, which is sometimes used to place mortars on, &c.

PLATEBANDES, Fr. Capsquares. A particular part of a piece of ordnance, which, though of a flat form or figure, rises beyond the rest of the metal, and is always cast before the moulding. There are three sorts of platbands upon a regular piece of ordnance, viz. capsquare and moulding at the breech; capsquare and moulding of the first reinforce; capsquare and moulding of the second reinforce.

PLATEBANDES d’affuts, Fr. Iron capsquares, which serve to keep the trunnions fast between the cheeks of a piece of ordnance.

PLATFORM, (Platforme, Fr.) The upper part of every brick or stone building which is arched and has more floors than one, is so called. Hence the platform of a tower, or of a redoubt. All pieces of ordnance that are planted on a rampart, or are disposed along the lines of a besieging army, &c. have their platforms.

PLATFORM, in gunnery, is a bed of wood on a battery, upon which the guns stand; each consisting of 18 planks of oak or elm, a foot broad, 2¹⁄₂ inches thick, and from 8 to 15 feet long, nailed or pinned on 4, 5, or 6 beams, from 4 to 7 inches square, called sleeper. They must be made higher behind than before by 6 or 9 inches, to prevent too great a recoil, and to advance the gun easily when loaded. They are from 18 to 20 feet long, 8 feet before and 14 or 15 feet behind.

Permanent batteries, if good stone is not to be had, should be made of brick placed on the edge.

PLATFORMS. The common platforms for gun batteries require the following materials for each: 5 sleepers or joists, 6 inches square, 14 feet long.--1 hunter, 8 or 10 inches square, 8 feet long, 14 planks, 1 foot wide, 11 feet long, 2¹⁄₂ inches thick.--20 pickets.

The usual slope of platforms for guns is one inch to every yard.

The platforms for mortar batteries are made with 3 sleepers 8 inches square, and covered with about 11 timbers of the same thickness. They are laid perfectly horizontal, about 15 feet asunder, and 12 feet from the epaulement. This is the distance commonly practised for firing only at 15 degrees elevation; but if the platforms be placed at the undermentioned distances from the epaulement, the mortars may be fired at the angles corresponding.

At 13 feet distance for firing at 30 degrees. 21 feet at 20 30 feet at 15 40 feet at 10

over an epaulement of 8 feet high. See BATTERY.

PLATINE de lumiere, Fr. The same as Plaques de Plomb, as far as it regards cannon. With respect to musquets and other firearms, it means that part of the hammer which covers the pan.

PLATOON, in military affairs, was formerly a small body of men, in a battalion of foot, &c. that fired alternately. A battalion was then generally divided into 16 platoons, exclusive of the grenadiers, which formed 2 or 4 platoons more, as occasion required. At present a battalion is generally divided into wings, grand divisions, divisions, (platoons or companies) subdivisions, and sections; and the word platoon is generally used, to denote a number (from 10 to 20) of recruits assembled for the purpose of instruction, in which case it may be considered as synonimous with company; but a platoon may consist of any number under a battalion.

PLATRAS, Fr. Rubbish, such as ashes, pieces of broken brick, mortar, &c. It is used by refiners, for the purpose of distilling saltpetre into proper vessels.

PLATRER, Fr. to plaster, to patch, to daub over.

PLAY, is occasionally applied to a military action; as the cannon play upon the enemy, &c.

PLEBEIAN. From the Latin Plebius, a distinction made between the poor and rich, in a very early period of Rome; which tended to its ultimate destruction. The term is chiefly used in speaking of the ancient Romans, who were divided into senators, knights, plebians, and common.

PLEDGET, the same as bolster, compress, in surgery, a kind of flat tent, which is laid over a wound, to imbibe the superfluous humors that ooze out, and to keep it clean.

PLEIN du Mur, Fr. The main part or body of a wall.

PLEIN fouet, direct shot; or firing so as to hit the mark by the trajectory line.

PLIER, Fr. To give way.

Une aile qui PLIE, Fr. in a military sense, the wing of an army, which gives way. When this occurs, it behoves a wise and executive general, to send immediate support, for the whole army is endangered by the least impression on that quarter.

PLINTH, the square member which serves as a foundation to the base of a pillar.

PLOMB, Fr. literally means lead. It is sometimes used in a military sense, to signify musquet shot, &c.