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Historic Guns of British India

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== Historic Guns Summary ==This article describes some famous artillery pieces with connections to the era of the British in India ==.
{{Template:Origin|text=The information in this article has been provided by Elizabeth Hancox, FIBIS member and acknowledged expert on guns.}}
=== The Celebrated Bhurtpore Gun at Woolwich===
'''IMAGE 1 IMAGE 2'''
Named '''"The Father of Victory"''', this gun captured during the [[Siege of Bhurtpore 1826|Siege of Bhurtpore]] in 1826, stands 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 the precious metals enter into 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.
This trophy was confided to the two corps of [[Royal Artillery ]] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Engineers Royal Engineers ] by His Majesty George IV in 1828. It bears the following inscriptions:
On the Chase:
The meaning of Shah Jehan is ‘King of the world’<br>
 '''==== Letters relating to the large gun captured at Bhurtpore, copies from letter-book in DAQM General’s Office, Woolwich'''<br>====
:21st October 1828
=== Indian SB Bronze Gun at the Royal Arsenal===
'''IMAGE 3 IMAGE 4'''
AN INDIAN SThis gun captured during the [[Siege of Bhurtpore 1826|Siege of Bhurtpore]] in 1826, stands outside the [http://en.B BRONZE GUN TAKEN AT BHURTPORE IN 1826wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Arsenal Royal Arsenal] at Woolwich. The extreme length of this gun is 168.6ins and the estimated weight 6.5 tons, calibre 5.5ins. The workmanship is both elaborate and beautiful; there are three inscriptions on this cannon, shown below as 1, 2 and 3
The extreme length '''IMAGE 5''' 1. Translates as ‘Maharajah Brijander Sujjan Singh Bahadur’ which is assumed to be the name of this gun is 168a monarch.6ins and the estimated weight 61/<br> 2 tons, calibre 51/2ins.The workmanship is both elaborate and beautiful; there are three inscriptions on this cannonThis reads ‘Maharajah Pirthi Andar Siwai Jawahir Singh Bahadur or Maharajah Briji Andar Siwai Jawahir Singh Bahadur, shown below as 1, 2 the latter being preferred and 3is again the name of a monarch.<br>
1. Translates as ‘Maharajah Brijander Sujjan Singh Bahadur’ which is assumed to be the name of a monarch.
2. This reads ‘Maharajah Pirthi Andar Siwai Jawahir Singh Bahadur or Maharajah Briji Andar Siwai Jawahir Singh Bahadur, the latter being preferred and is again the name of a monarch.
3. This has been more difficult to decipher but assumed to read ‘Maharao Manbhir Singh tup-i-burj-i-in Maqam Sakt Walu Kari-gar which translates to ‘Maharao Manbhir Singh made the cannon of the citadel of this place Walu was the artificer’.
The figures LXXII. Are are obviously the work of some European, and are in no way connected with the writing.<br> In endeavouring to decide the history of the gun, the first thing which demands attention is the circumstance that at the end of the cascable [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascabel_(artillery) cascabel] there is the design of a face, intended apparently , to represent either the sun or moon. This points strongly to the presumption that the cannon belonged to one of the dynasties known in India as the ‘Surya bunsi’ ( Children of the Sun) or ‘Chandrbunsi’ ‘Chandra bunsi’ ( Children of the Moon). Now ‘Udaipur’ is Udaipur was a dynasty of the sun, and the surmise that this is the state from whence the gun came is strengthened by the fact that Sujjan Singh (inscription 1) does occur in the annals of that Principalityprincipality; but though the British Government have several times interfered in the internal administration of the Country country they have never conducted war-like warlike operations against the Chiefchief; so it is concluded that in spite of the mark on the cascablecascabel, the cannon was not captured in this state. 
The names ‘Siwai’ and ‘Pirthi’ (inscription 2) are to be traced to the ‘Jaipur’ dynasty, but so far as my researches have extended I cannot find that this line of Chiefs belongs to either the ‘Children of the Sun’ or ‘Children of the Moon’; moreover, though on more than one occasion the British authorities have taken steps to secure good government in this state I have not succeeded in discovering any campaign of a nature likely to result in the capture and dispatch to England of a cannon of this description; so I dismiss ‘Jaipur’ from further consideration.
There remains but one other state to which I wish to er refer as in any way connected with the matter at issue- I allude to ‘Bhartpur’. In the first place the ruling race is sprung from the ‘Jats’ and these in turn claim an origin as the ‘Children of the Moon’, moreover ‘Brijandar’ ‘Siwai and ‘Jawahir Singh’ are all names frequently to be met in the annals of the Bhartpur dynasty, while the first of the three as far as I can learn, is confined exclusively to this state. Further there was also a Chieftain of this kingdom called Jawahir Singh who ruled 1763-1768. Lastly, the play of words in ‘Brij’ and ‘Burj’ both written b r j (no short vowels) seem to emphasise the word ‘Brijandar. These various arguments seem to point strongly to the supposition that the cannon came from Bhartpur and dates from the 1/3 qtr third quarter of the 18th Century. 
(The analysis of the cannon undertaken by Mr Wollaston of the India Office)

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