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''For the wind is in the palm trees and the temple bells they say "come you back you British soldier, come you back to Mandalay".''<br />
from 'MANDALAY' by Rudyard Kipling
''==== The Pair of Guns found at the Palace Exits ====''Gold is for the mistress, silver for the maid, and copper ''<br />''Copper for the craftsman, cunning at his trade. ''<br />''"Good!" said the Baron, sitting in his hall, ''<br />''"but ironIron, cold ironCold Iron, is master of them all."''<br /> from 'COLD IRON' by Rudyard Kipling<br />
==== The Pair of Guns found at the Palace Exits ====
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== Guns found at Mandalay Palace ==
==== The Pair of Guns at the Entrance ====
''For the wind is in the palm trees, and the temple bells they say:''<br />
''"Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!".''<br />
from 'MANDALAY' by Rudyard Kipling<br />
These two guns are similar, but cast by different foundries. They are Royal Navy cast iron smooth bore muzzle-loading cannon, as are the other pair, and the bear the Crown and 'P' signifying they have passed proof, that is to say test fired, and they are stamped with the Royal Cipher of George ll (reigned 1727-1760). One gun has a weight of 57cwt-0qrs-8lbs. Quarters refer to one quarter of one hundredweight (20cwt. equals one ton). The other gun would seem to be of very similar weight. Both are 32pdr. demi-cannon of nine and a half feet.<br />
The question that we all want to know, of course, how did these two pairs of Royal Navy cannon find themselves guarding a Burmese potentate's palace in Mandalay ? Well, that will be another story .......... work in progress!
These are the oldest Royal Navy guns seen. They are marked with the Rose @ Crown insignia which was used by the Board of Ordnance from 1690 to 1725. The design of the crest varied slightly as the years progressed. The guns are marked respectively 8009 and 8012 and the marks on the buttons are L7 and S11. These last refer, I believe, to the guns' position on board ship, Larboard No.7 and Starboard No.11. The word Larboard was subsequently changed to Port to avoid confusion. The serial numbers are recorded in Col. Browne's Survey and refer to a date of 1695. From this Survey it can be established that they are nine and a half ft. 32 pounder demi-cannon, cast by Thomas Weston, Ironmaster of the Ashburnham forge near Battle, East Sussex, for HMS NEWARK. She was a Third Rate ship of the line mounting 76-80 guns of various weights. Each of these 32 pdrs would be serviced by 14 men and a 'powder monkey', (a small boy who could easily run up and down ladders carrying bags of gunpowder from deep in the ship's hold). HMS NEWARK was refitted in 1717 and in 1745. At each refit, and possible alteration to the ship's hull, it was usual to remove and assess which guns would still be needed. Those surplus to requirements, but still in good condition, would be transferred to the ordnance stores and placed on another ship as needed. Well founded cannon, if used with the correct amount of powder, single-shotted and not fired at extreme elevation, could be expected to last 1000 firings and a few were recorded as lasting for 3000 before becoming worn out and useless.
== Background to the Casting of Iron Guns in the Weald of Sussex ==
''See you the dimpled track that runs all hollow through the wheat ? ''<br /> ''Oh, that was where they hauled the guns that smote King PhillipPhilip's fleet.''<br />
from 'PUCK'S SONG' by Rudyard Kipling<br />
The Fuller's forge and foundry was constructed on a particularly difficult site. If it rained too much the site would flood and if it was too dry there was a lack of fast-flowing water in the stream to generate power. In a reply dated 17th October 1754 to the Prince of Severino, who was pressing for a firm delivery date for some guns he had ordered, John Fuller wrote , 'my furnace is a fickle mistress and must be humoured, her favours are not to be depended upon'.
== The Manufacture of Gunpowder ==
