The men are armed with a sabre, which is in action suspended to the saddle, that they may not be incumbered in mounting and dismounting. Each man has besides a pistol in his cross belt, and a spear head in his holster, which may be occasionally fixed at the end of one of the Rocket sticks, so as to give the further aid of a very formidable lance. Instead of carrying slow match, which would be dangerous as well as inconvenient, the portfire is lighted in action by a flash of powder obtained from a pistol lock and pan, mounted on a small stock; and a light portfire stick for discharging the Rocket, about three feet in length, is constructed of a thin iron tube, which shuts up, and is carried in the holster. The sticks are fastened in the loops on the Rocket case, either by the gripe of a pair of pincers with points in them, or by the stroke of a small hammer with a point in the head, or by some equally simple tool. Every part of this equipment, except the sticks, is so completely concealed by the shabracque, that the Rocket trooper has the appearance merely of a lancer. The weight of ammunition carried by the troop horse, with the full complement going into action, is three stone six lbs.; to which the horse is fully equal for any ordinary operation. But in long marches, it would be not only useless but improvident to burthen him to this extent; small tumbrils, therefore, are provided to convey three rounds of each man’s Rockets, he still carrying one round on the near side, and the four sticks on the off side to balance, which leaves the horse, in travelling, only one stone four lbs. weight of ammunition to carry; a burthen of two stone less on line of march, than that of the heavy dragoon’s or artillery-man’s horse; allowing for the difference of the weight of the men requisite for the respective services. The Rocket trooper has no heavy weights to lift--no guns to spunge, or to limber up and unlimber. He is required merely to be light and active for mounting and dismounting, and for moving nimbly on foot with a single Rocket, when in action: so that, whereas an artillery man cannot average less than 13 stone, the Rocket trooper need not exceed 10 stone, a difference amounting within a few pounds to the whole weight of ammunition carried by the men, even in action. It is needless to add that this difference in the men must also give great facility in recruiting for a Rocket corps. [Illustration: _Plate 1_] OF THE EQUIPMENT OF THE AMMUNITION HORSE. Plate 2 represents the mode of equipping the Ammunition Horses. The left hand figure shews that the whole of the ammunition, &c. may be completely covered and protected from the weather by a painted canvass; and the other has this cover off, to shew the particular distribution of the load, which consists of eighteen Rockets and Rocket sticks, and a proportion of small stores, such as portfires, slow match, &c.