Changes

{{Template:Origin|text=This article describes some famous artillery pieces with connections to the era of the British in India. See also article [[British Guns in Burma]].<br>The information and images have been provided by Elizabeth Hancox, a FIBIS member with a special interest in artillery, and acknowledged expert on gunsthe [http://www.angloburmeselibrary.com/ Anglo-Burmese Library].}} [[Image:0001 Woolwich Barracks.jpg|600px|thumb|left|The Barracks of the Royal Arsenal Woolwich]]<div style="clear:both"></div>

Named '''‘’’"The Father of Victory"''' this gun, captured during the [[Siege of Bhurtpore 1826|Siege of Bhurtpore]] in 1826, stands stood for many years outside the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Artillery_Barracks Royal Artillery Barracks] at Woolwich. It is 16ft 4ins long and weighs about 17.5 tons; the calibre is 8ins. Tradition has maintained that precious metals were included in its composition; but analysis of metal taken from three places dispelled this idea. The metal is variable; it contains 9% to 15% lead, with traces of arsenic and antimony; the other components are 3% to 5% of tin, and the remainder copper. It is remarkable, however, that the exterior of the breech is of a totally different metal from the body of the gun, being in fact brass, containing nearly 37% of zinc, and has been cast over the body of the gun subsequently to the first completion of it, as one of the ornamental scrolls is partly covered by it.

<gallery caption= widths="300px250px" heights="300px250px" perrow="3">Image:0010 Tiger howitzer.jpg|Tiger howitzerImage:0009 Tiger howitzer.jpg|Tiger howitzerImage:0010a Tipu artillery.jpg|Capture of Seringapatam showing one of Tipu Sultan's Tiger guns

<gallery caption= widths="300px" heights="200px" perrow="3">

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 . Presgrave 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)

=== Bronze Tiger Mortar ===

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 pierced for the securing bolt.

[[Image:0046 Belvoir gun.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Gun at Photo courtesy of Belvoir Castle]]

<gallery caption= widths="300px" heightsBackground to the Casting of Iron Guns in the Weald of Sussex ="300px" perrow="3">Image:0049 Moulmein Mon Museum.jpgImage:0050 Moulmein.jpgImage:0051 Moulmein-detail.jpg</gallery>

''See you the dimpled track that runs all hollow through the wheat?'This smooth-bore cast iron gun'<br /> ''Oh, dated 1826 and bearing the elaborate ‘Crown & P’ mark of George IV, signifying that was where they hauled the gun had passed proof in the Royal Navy yards as fit and ready for service, is of the Blomefield pattern, named after Thomas Blomefield, Inspector of Artillery at Woolwich between 1780 and 1822. It has the characteristic breeching loop above the button, typical of naval guns of this pattern, also carried by Nelson’s VICTORY at Trafalgarthat smote King Philip's fleet. The loop had a heavy duty hawser passed through it, lashing the gun to the ship to prevent too much unpredictable recoil demolishing the mast and occasionally demolishing members of the gun crew as well. Formerly masts were padded at the base using ‘soft substance’ but this was never satisfactory, especially in the case of very heavy cannon.[[Image:0052 Victory.jpg|300px|right|thumb| A 32pr. on board the VICTORY]]''<br />

Below is a drawing and extract from ‘The story of the Gun’ Lt AW Wilson RA first published 1944:<blockquote> 'PUCK'S SONG'‘The drawing shows a 32pr. on board the VICTORY. Compare it with any piece of 200 years before and notice the similarity. Elevation was still obtained by means of the quoin or wedge, while the only advance on checking recoil by means of ‘soft substance’ around the mast, seems to be that of anchoring the piece to the ship by a breeching passed through the eye of the cascable. The number in the detachments for these guns was decided by allowing one man for each 500lbs of metal. The 32-pounder weighed 32 cwt (3,584 lbs) and therefore had a crew of seven. It is interesting to consider that were we to use the same system today we should require a detachment of 70 for one of our modern heavy guns.’''Rudyard Kipling<br /blockquote> The gun at Moulmein is marked as 17-1-0, indicating a weight of 17cwt 1 qtr and 0lbs. Which is a much lighter weight that might be expected for an approximately 9ft long, 32-pounder cannon. This is indicative of a carronade.

'''Carronades''' were a revolutionary concept in naval gunneryAs the population of England doubled between 1520 and 1620 more tradespeople connected with the iron industry moved into Waldron. For 150 years the Sussex Weald, known by to the sailors Romans as ‘Smashers’. They were first produced at the Carron Ironworks at Falkirk, ScotlandForest of Anderida, was possibly the foremost industrial area in 1770the country. They fired a 32lbBlast furnace techniques using water-powered bellows to heat the iron ore had been imported from France and the high temperatures obtained allowed molten ore to be poured into moulds. hollow shell filled with 500 musket ballsFrom 1540 the first English cannon were cast in wealden furnaces. The idea was to approach enemy shipping This freed the Royal Navy from dependence on foreign guns. Most of the rear ordnance produced had to be dragged on rough and, aimed at the stern, the shell would explode muddy tracks on impact causing a shower sleds or special carts drawn by teams of bullets oxen to small coastal ports from whence they would be transported by sea to fly along the decks towards the bow naval dockyards at Portsmouth or Chatham. It could take over a year to cast and deliver guns, killing as many enemy crew and troops as possibleallowing for several months for a newly fired furnace to reach 'full blast'. The ultimate 18th century naval anti=personnel weapon!<br />

During the [[2nd Burma War]]Waldron furnace, constructed at Furnace Farm, Commodore Tarlton was in charge of the naval operations at operation by 1560 and remained in business for some 200 years, producing first cannonballs and iron bars ready for the [[Battle of Martaban]] forge (on known as pig-iron) but by the opposite bank of 18th century, cannon. The water wheel powering the Salween River to Moulmein) and also at [[Capture of Pegu June 1852|Pegu]]. His ship was HMS Fox. This ship furnace bellows was driven by a vessel of 1pond fed by the millstream,131 tons, built at Portsmouth in June 1821, re-fitted in September 1850, she was a 5th rate ship of and the linelarge pond, indicating a complement of 46 guns. On her quarterdeck she was armed with 10 32-pounder carronadesor dam, one of which corresponds exactly to the weight marked on the Moulmein piececan still be seen.<br />

== 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 /> <gallery caption= widths="300px350px" heights="300px350px" perrow="32">File:00530077-mandalayCannon-palaceproving-entrancebank.jpg|'''Cannon proving bank'''. Many cannon balls have been found at the foot of the bank by metal detectors. There was an older proving bank in a nearby wood.File:0078-Upstream-from-1boring-mill.jpegjpg|Palace entrance gun 1'''Site of the Boring Mill upstream.''' There are 20 tons or so of iron borings in the stream at the Boring Mill site. In the photo: Douglas Anderson, wheelwright, and Peter Davies, retired civil servant and assistant to landowner Peter Reed. Mr Davies has a special interest in muzzle loading guns such as Brown Bess.

These two guns are similar, but cast by different foundriesThe Fuller's forge at Old Heathfield was built in 1693 and lasted about a hundred years. They are Royal Navy cast iron smooth bore muzzleThe site is very large and has a huge man-loading cannon, as are the other pair, and they bear the Crown and made 'Pproving' signifying they bank at the base of which many cannonballs have passed proof, that is to say been found. It also had a small quarry for test firedfiring cannon and two boring mills on the stream. As at Waldron, and they are stamped these streams still run red with iron oxide from the Royal Cipher massive deposits of George ll (reigned 1727-1760). One gun has a weight of 57cwt 0qrs 8lbs (cwt = hundred weight = 112lbs; qrs = quarter = 28lbs). The other gun would seem to be of very similar weight. Both are 32-pounder demi-cannon of nine and a half feetcongealed borings left in the stream beds.<br />

The cannon at Entrance 1Fullers also employed a Master Wheelwright among other highly skilled craftsmen, marked W and interestingly there is still a fully-functioning wheelwright's shop on the trunnion (the trunnions are short iron protuberances which balance the cannon on the gun carriage enabling it to be tilted upwards as necessary) was cast at the Waldron foundry near Heathfield in Sussexsite today, at the time of John Harrisonoperated by Douglas Andrews, Ironmaster. The cannon at Entrance 2 was cast who has himself constructed a short distance away at the Heathfield foundry new gun-carriage for an Islamic trophy gun ordered by John Fuller (marked JF on the trunnion). This trunnion mark was used between 1722 and 1745. Gun founders were a tight-knit community, often inter-related, and were in Colonel of the habit of sub-contracting work to a neighbouring foundry if they were over-committed with orders. This may well have happened with these two cannonRoyal Engineers.<br />

The question that we all want 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 know, the Prince of courseSan Severino, how did these two pairs of Royal Navy cannon find themselves guarding who was pressing for a Burmese potentatefirm delivery date for some guns he had ordered, John Fuller wrote: ''s palace in Mandalay ? Wellmy furnace is a fickle mistress and must be humoured, that will her favours are not to be another story ..depended upon''........ 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 To understand guns you must understand gunpowder from deep in the ship's hold) - Adrian B. HMS NEWARK was refitted in 1717 and in 1745. At each refit, and possible alteration to the shipCaruana'''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.<br />

== Background Sanitary arrangements were still primitive in the reign of Henry Vlll and latrines were dug out at night by dung farmers and scavengers, but in the reign of Elizabeth l they were superseded by officials dignified by the name of Royal Saltpetre Men, who collected excrement specifically for the making of gunpowder. This was manufactured using a formula of 75 parts saltpetre, 15 parts carbon (charcoal) and 10 parts sulphur, or brimstone as it was once called. This last name is very evocative as the bright yellow sulphur was indeed collected in lumps from the brims of volcanoes in extremely hazardous conditions. The first two materials produced the explosion and the third added ignition and consistency to the Casting grains of Iron Guns in black powder which was milled to the Weald size of Sussex ==corn, hence the name 'corned' powder, as opposed to fine powder. Fine powder was needed to prime the cannons and was also used for small arms.<br />

''See you the dimpled track that runs all hollow through the wheat?''<br /gallery caption= widths="200px" heights="200px" perrow="3"> ''Oh, that was where they hauled the guns that smote King Philip's fleetFile:0080 Weir.''<br />jpeg|Weir from 'PUCK'S SONG' by Rudyard Kipling<br /> As the population of England doubled between 1520 and 1620 more tradespeople connected with the iron industry moved into Waldron. For 150 years the Sussex Weald, known to the Romans as the Forest of Anderida, was possibly the foremost industrial area in the countryFile:0081 Millstone. Blast furnace techniques using water-powered bellows to heat the iron ore had been imported from France and the high temperatures obtained allowed molten ore to be poured into moulds. From 1540 the first English cannon were cast in wealden furnaces. This freed the Royal Navy from dependence on foreign guns. Most of the ordnance produced had to be dragged on rough and muddy tracks on sleds or special carts drawn by teams of oxen to small coastal ports from whence they would be transported by sea to the naval dockyards at Portsmouth or Chatham. It could take over a year to cast and deliver guns, allowing for several months for a newly fired furnace to reach 'full blast'.<br />jpeg|MillstoneWaldron furnace, constructed at Furnace Farm, was in operation by 1560 and remained in business for some 200 years, producing first cannonballs and iron bars ready for the forge, known as pig-iron,but by the 18th century, cannon. The water wheel powering the furnace bellows was driven by a pond fed by the millstream, and the large pond, or dam, can still be seenFile:0082 Millstones.<br />jpeg|Millstones Most landowners, particularly the Fullers, had interests in iron founding and they managed their woodland as coppice to produce the enormous amounts 0f charcoal needed for the blast furnaces. It has been estimated that between 4 and 5 thousand acres of coppice was needed to keep each forge and furnace combination in continuous use.<br /> The Fuller's forge at Old Heathfield was built in 1693 and lasted about a hundred years. The site is very large and has a huge man-made 'proving' bank at the base File:0083 Remains of which many cannonballs have been found. It also had a small quarry for test firing cannon and two boring mills on the streamwharf. As at Waldron, these streams still run red with iron oxide from the massive deposits jpeg|Remains of congealed borings left in the stream beds. <br />wharfThe Fullers also employed a Master Wheelwright among other highly skilled crafsmen, and interestingly there is still a fully-functioning wheelwright's shop on the site today, operated by Douglas Andrews, who has himself constructed a new gun-carriage for an Islamic trophy gun ordered by a Colonel in the EngineersFile:0084 Mill.<br />jpeg|Mill The Fuller's forge File:0085 Remains of Corning House and foundry was constructed on a particularly difficult siteMixing House. If it rained too much the site would flood and if it was too dry there was a lack jpeg|Remains 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 Corning House and must be humoured, her favours are not to be depended upon'.  == The Manufacture of Gunpowder ==Mixing House 'To understand guns you must understand gunpowder' - Adrian B. Caruana<br /gallery>

Sanitary arrangements were still primitive in The quantities of gunpowder loaded onto an 80 gun ship varied according to the reign theatre of war but would be about 288 barrels of Henry Vlll cannon powder and latrines were dug out at night by dung farmers and scavengers41 barrels of fine powder. Each barrel weighed 90lbs. Gunpowder was not used loose, but in the reign made up into cartridges, first of parchment and later of Elizabeth l they were superseded by officials dignified by the name special cartridge paper. The method of Royal Saltpetre Men, who collected excrement specifically for the making priming a cannon was as follows: The cartridge of gunpowder. This was manufactured would be placed down the muzzle, rammed home using a formula of 75parts saltpetreramrod, wadded, 15parts carbon (charcoal) and 10parts sulphur, or brimstone as it was once calledthen the cannonball similarly. This last name is very evocative as A sharp-pointed metal rod would be inserted into the bright yellow sulphur was indeed collected in lumps from the brims of volcanoes in extremely hazardous conditions. The first two materials produced vent to pierce the explosion cartridge and the third added ignition and consistency vent would then be filled up with fine powder. A portfire rod would be used to ignite the grains of black fine powder which was milled to in the vent. This in turn ignited the size of corncartridge, hence the name 'corned' powder, as opposed resultant heat causing the gases generated to speedily build up into an explosive power sufficient to fine powderpropel the cannonball up the barrel towards the target at high speed. Fine powder was The optimum amount of gunpowder needed to prime per cartridge for a 32-pounder cannon would be 14lbs (1 stone). Any excess could cause such a massive build-up of gases in the barrel thereby risking the destruction of the cannons cannon and was also used for small armsprobably most of those attending upon it.<br />

The quantities of gunpowder loaded onto an 80 gun ship varied according mills at Chilworth near Guildford were founded by the East India Company in 1625. They were forced to leave their previous site near Woolwich because frequent explosive accidents caused havoc among the theatre local population. There were, of war course, accidents at Chilworth but would be about 288 barrels of cannon powder and 41 barrels of fine powder. Each barrel weighed 90lbs. Gunpowder it was not used loose, but made up into cartridges, first of parchment and later of special cartridge papera heavily populated area. The method of priming On one occasion a spark from a workman's hobnailed boot striking on a cannon was as follows: stone path caused an explosion which killed six men. The cartridge of gunpowder would be placed down mills used the muzzle, rammed home using a ramrod, wadded, and then the cannonball similarly. A sharpfast-pointed metal rod would be inserted into the vent flowing Tillingbourne stream to pierce power the cartridge and heavy grinding stones of the vent would then be filled up with fine powderincorporating process. A portfire rod would be used to ignite the fine powder There were many stages involved in the ventmanufacture and thus it was very labour-intensive. This in turn ignited As far as the cartridgeingredients were concerned, local alder trees provided the resultant heat causing the gasses generated to speedily build up into an explosive power finest charcoal, sulphur was imported from Sicily, and saltpetre imported from India cost £45 per ton. A sufficient supply to propel the cannonball up the barrel towards the target at high speedlast seven years in July 1752 cost £9,000. The optimum amount of gunpowder needed per cartridge for a 32pdr. cannon would discovery that saltpetre could be 14lbs. (1 stone). Any excess could such a massive build-up of gasses in the barrel thereby risking the destruction of the cannon manufactured from earth gathered from dovecots, to which dung, urine and probably most of those attending upon lime were added, meant that itcould be collected locally.<br />

The gunpowder mills at Chilworth near Guildford were founded by the East India Company in 1625. They were forced 12th to leave their previous site near Woolwich because frequent explosive accidents caused havoc among the local population. There were, 13th century chapel of course, accidents at Chilworth but it was not a heavily populated areaSt. On one occasion a spark from a workmanMartha's hobnailed boot striking built on a stone path caused an explosion which killed six men. The mills used 600ft hill above the fast-flowing Tillingbourne stream mill and half a mile distant, was considerably reduced by successive explosions, finally to power a heap of stones, and only rebuilt in 1850. A massive explosion later on split the heavy grinding stones of mill walls open, shattered the incorporating process. There were many stages involved glass in the manufacture windows of the ancient manor and thus it was very labour-intensive. As far as even severely damaged the ingredients were concernedvillage of Albury a short distance away, local alder trees provided not to mention the deaths of the finest charcoal, sulphur was imported from Sicily, workmen and saltpetre imported from India cost £45 per ton. A sufficient supply to last seven years in July 1752 cost £9the terrible injuries caused by the volatile black powder,000. The discovery that saltpetre could be manufactured from earth gathered from dovecots, to which dung, urine ignited by the slightest friction and lime were added, meant that it could be collected locallyspark.

*Mr Paul Evans - Librarian, Firepower Museum.

*Mr Peter Davies, Assistant - special interest - smooth bore muzzle-loading smallarmssmall arms.