From the treatise by John Muller in 1768 the side pieces (brackets) for an 18 pounder were 69 inches long and 5 inches thick. There are drawings of the 1760 carriage from Adye that was drawn in 1766 on page 377 of Volume II of Caruana's The History of English Sea Ordnance for a 24 pounder and the length matches the chart below so I am pretty sure this chart is a good one to use. With the exception of a different design of the cap square, it is very similar to the 1732 pattern carriage. Do you have drawings based on contemporary sources of the 1732 or 1760 carriage?
What surprises me is that the carriages appear to be the same length for any barrel length of the same caliber. Maybe someone else has another contemporary chart with more information.
Allan
Muller chart from 1768
The below is a chart from 1775. The dimensions are slightly different but the Muller chart above is about the time of Bellona so maybe the best on to use.
What surprises me is that the carriages appear to be the same length for any barrel length of the same caliber. Maybe someone else has another contemporary chart with more information.
Allan
Muller chart from 1768
The below is a chart from 1775. The dimensions are slightly different but the Muller chart above is about the time of Bellona so maybe the best on to use.