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'''What a fine brass barrel with roaring muzzle. This muzzle is like that of a destructive lion. This splendid gift which Lord Auckland, Governor-in-Chief (Governor-General), brought to Hindustan which at the behest of friendship he ordered as a present for Maharajah Ranjit Singh. To date this majestic voice, men said ‘Show forth the day of victory'.''
Amend text. Temp save
The surface is decorated in relief with bands of conventialised foliage edging rings which, with the exception of the vent astragal, are flat. On the first reinforce in relief are the arms, with crest, supporters and motto, of the East India Company. The second reinforce bears a cartouche engraved with Persian verse inscription which reads:
The letters making up the last phase also form a chronogram giving date of manufacturing according to Christian reckoning 1838. Between the lines of verse are three words meaning ''‘Christian religious (era)183(8).’'' The chase bears a representation of the Order of the Bright Star of the Punjab, a decoration instituted by Ranjit Singh towards the end of his reign. The decoration is shown attached to a ribbon, this being inscribed in Pujabi written in Persian script:'' ‘Noble great King of Kings! Maharajah Ranjit Singh Bahadur. In the year 1895.’'' This date in the Vikram Samvat era is equivalent to 1838. The first reinforce ring is inscribed G HUTCHINSON, 1838. COSSIPORE. The second reinforce ring bears the number 11 on either side of which is also engraved in Persian script ''‘this piece of artillery was named Khorehnal’'' (devouring gun). There is a disport patch at the muzzle and a block on the cascable which is drilled for a central rear sight and stamped with the number 70. The weight 7-0-8 is stamped on the base ring.
L 3ft 9in ( 114.3 cm) 4ft 2 in (127cm) Cal 4.2in (10.7cm) wt 7cwt 8lb (359.2 kg).
Transferred from the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich 1968. This gun together with a similar one now in the Rotunda Museum Woolwich which may have formed part of another gift, is similar in form and decoration to the above but bears the name D PREGRAVE and is dated 1839 (its companion at Woolwich is illustrated as fig, 85 in ‘plans of ordnance captured by the Army of the Sutledge during the campaign of 1845-46’. Drawn by Capt Ralph Smyth, Bengal Artillery.n.d)
'''IMAGE'''
Bronze Mortar
Indian, probably late 18th century.
The piece is cast in the form of a sitting tiger, the muzzle issuing from open jaws, the surface being modelled and chased to simulate stripes. It appears to be unfinished since the vent is not drilled and the bore has not been cleaned after casting. There is a lifting loop at the front, on the under side.
L 4ft 6in (137.2cm) Cal 9.4in ( 23.9cm) Diam chamber 7.2in (18.3cm)
Found concealed in the Fort at [[Kurnool|Kurnaul]], [[Madras Presidency]], in 1838 together with 219qv. There is a similar mortar, also from Kurnaul, at the firepower Firepower Museum.
'''IMAGE'''
Bronze Gun 24-pounder <br>
Indian probably 18th century.
The muzzle trunnion ends and cascable button are formed as ‘tigers heads’. Two tigers stripes appear on the chase and the reinforce rings are edged with engrailed bands in relief. The gun is unfinished, the vent has never been drilled, a cartouche on the second reinforce intended for inscription is blank, and a lump of metal below the cascable button intended to provide a fixing for an elevating screw has never been pieced for the securing bolt.
Found with another in the fort of Kurnaul, Madras Presidency, about 1838 (1859 Inventory, 137, No 85). Other pieces of ordnance from the same source are in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotunda_(Woolwich) Rotunda Museum Woolwich]. They were originally found concealed in the Fortfort. From the Rotunda Catalogue 1864 it appears they were intended for the equipment of an insurrectionary force raised to drive the British out of India.
BRONZE GUN 6pdr
The inscriptions show that this gun was cast to the order of Sava i Jai Singh, ruler of Amber (modern Jaipur) from 1693 to 1743. He was the founder of Jaipur and is famous for the astronomical observatories which he built in various places in N. India.
'''IMAGE''' BRONZE GUN 2pdr2-pounder<br>
Indian, 18th century
The muzzle is formed as a monster’s head. The prominent mouldings are edged with conventional foliage, the chase and second reinforce being ornamented with foliated panels in relief. A raised block on the base ring is pierced with a peep sight, there being a large fore sight at the muzzle. The chase is engraved with the measurements: ‘Length 10 in 5, width 2in 5, 10’. Just below the first reinforce ring are stamped the numbers 59-4-2-25, the first being an inventory number, the other it’s its weight. The entire surface shows considerable traces of gold paint.
'''IMAGE'''
L 5ft ( 152.4cm): 5ft 8.5in (174cm) Cal 2.3in (5.8cm) Wt 4cwt 2 qtr 25lb (239.9Kg)
Transferred from the India Office to the Indian Section of the Victoria & Albert Museum, in 1894, and from the Museum to the Armouries in 1958.
'''IMAGE'''
Burmese Dragon Gun
Taken by British forces in 1885 from King Thebaw’s Palace in [[Mandalay]].
