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{{Template[[Image:Origin0001 Woolwich Barracks.jpg|650px|thumb|left|text=This article describes some famous artillery pieces with connections to the era The Barracks of the British in IndiaRoyal Arsenal Woolwich]] [[Image:0003 Bhurtpore Gun.<br>The information and images have been provided by Elizabeth Hancox, FIBIS member and acknowledged expert on gunsjpg|350px|thumb|right|Bhurtpore gun]] [[Image:0004 Bhurtpore Gun.}}jpg|250px|thumb|Bhurtpore gun]]
[[Image:0003 Bhurtpore Gun.jpg|700px|Bhurtpore gun]] [[Image:0004 Bhurtpore Gun.jpg|250px|Bhurtpore gun]] 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 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.
[[Image:0005 Bronze Gun.jpg|500px400px|thumb|Bhurtpore gun]] [[Image:0006_Bronze_Gun.jpg|500px400px|thumb|right|Bhurtpore gun]]This gun captured during the [[Siege of Bhurtpore 1826|Siege of Bhurtpore]] in 1826, stands outside the [http://en.wikipedia.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
This gun captured during the [[Siege of Bhurtpore 1826Image:0006a text.jpg|500px|left|Siege of Bhurtpore]] in 1826, stands outside the [http<br style="clear:left" //en.wikipedia.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>
[[Image:0006a text.jpg|500px|center| ]]
[[Image:0010a Tipu artillery.jpg|400px|]]
[[Image:0011 Bronze 9-pdr.jpg|400px|]] [[Image:0012Bronze 9-pdr.jpg|400px|]] <gallery caption="Two views of the same presentation gun - one of a set given to Ranjit Singh - and recaptured by the British." widths="450px" heights="250px" perrow="3">Image:0011 Bronze 9-pdr.jpgImage:0012Bronze 9-pdr.jpg</gallery>
[[Image:0013 Brass 4.75.jpg|400px|]] [[Image:0014 Brass 4.75.jpg|400px|]] '''Indian brass gun on its carriage.''' Calibre 4.75in; length of bore 7ft 7.5 in; total length 8ft 8in. The ornamentation of this gun is peculiar and quite oriental. The carriage is decorated with thin iron plates of similar design to the ornament on the gun. The dolphins represent an animal somewhat like a rhinoceros. The vent is iron and plugged. [[Image:0014a Sikh drawing.jpg|400px|]]
'''Elevation''' as drawn by CaptThe ornamentation of this gun is peculiar and quite oriental. Ralph Smyth, Bengal Artillery, in 1848 after its capture during The carriage is decorated with thin iron plates of similar design to the ornament on the [[1st Sikh War]] 1845-6Bronze 8gun. The dolphins represent an animal somewhat like a rhinoceros.33 lb (7 seers)Panjab, probably Lahore, late 18th to early 19th centuryCalibre 4The vent is iron and plugged.1
[[Image:0022 Chainmail.jpg|300px|]]
'''Fine chainmail coat with hood.''' Would have been worn with armour and helmet in mediaeval style, probably by fanatical Sikh horsemen called Gorchuras who went into battle, drug crazed, during the Punjab Campaigns of the 1840’s and earlier.
[[<gallery caption= widths="400px" heights="400px" perrow="2">Image:0022 Chainmail.jpg|'''Fine chainmail coat with hood.''' Would have been worn with armour and helmet in mediaeval style, probably by fanatical Sikh horsemen called Gorchuras who went into battle, drug crazed, during the Punjab Campaigns of the 1840’s and earlier.Image:0024 Lucknow gun.jpg|400px|]] '''Smaller bronze gun from Lucknow''', bearing the Oude emblem of the fish; there is an inscription on the reinforce, and ‘By Major Claud Martin, Lucknow’ on the base ring. Calibre, 3.68in; length of bore, 46.4; total length 55in. [[Image:0025 Indian 4-pdr.jpg|400px|]] '''Indian 4 pounder.''' 3.1 in calibre, circa 1820. There appear to be tiger’s heads on the trunnions.Image:0026 Scinde gun.jpg|'''A brass gun brought from Scinde.''' It is richly ornamented. There is a curious representation of the head of an animal on the muzzle. On the chase are two blank scrolls. The dolphins represent fish. Length, 4ft 8 in; calibre, 3.42 in.</gallery>
[[Image:0026 Scinde gun.jpg|400px|]]
'''A brass gun brought from Scinde.''' It is richly ornamented. There is a curious representation of the head of an animal on the muzzle. On the chase are two blank scrolls. The dolphins represent fish. Length, 4ft 8 in; calibre, 3.42 in.
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{{Template:Origin|text== Summary ==[[Image:0001 Woolwich BarracksThis article describes some famous artillery pieces with connections to the era of the British in India.<br>The information and images have been provided by Elizabeth Hancox, FIBIS member and acknowledged expert on guns.jpg|1000px|Woolwich Barracks]] THE BARRACKS OF THE ROYAL ARSENAL WOOLWICH}}
== The Celebrated Bhurtpore Gun at Woolwich==
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:
=== Indian SB Bronze Gun ===
1. Translates as ‘Maharajah Brijander Sujjan Singh Bahadur’ which is assumed to be the name of a monarch.<br>
=== The Mulharrao Howitzer ===
[[Image:0007Mulharrao.jpg|300pxthumb|left|250px|The Mulharrao Howitzer ]] [[Image:0008 Bronze howitzer.jpg|300pxthumb|right|250px|The Mulharrao Howitzer ]]
'''A bronze 6’’ howitzer late 18th century from Baroda''', it is mounted on a native carriage. Weight 3cwt. 34lbs; length of chamber 6.3 in; length of bore 7in. There are numerous implements attached to the brackets of the carriage.
=== Tiger Howitzer ===
<gallery caption= widths="300px" heights="300px" perrow="3">[[Image:0010 Tiger howitzer.jpg|600px|]] [[Image:0009 Tiger howitzer.jpg|300px|]] Image:0010a Tipu artillery.jpg</gallery>
Captured at Tipu Sultan’s fortress at the [[Battle of Seringapatam 1799|Battle of Seringapatam]] in 1799.
Tipu’s emblem was the tiger and he was known as ‘The Tiger of Mysore’. This piece is probably not finished as the detail of the chasing is not as fine as would normally be expected. It is a bronze 4 pounder inscribed 'Patan (Sriringpatna) Cast by Shams al-Din'. This gun is typical of those produced throughout Tipu Sultan’s region and is decorated with his emblems; tiger heads on the muzzle, trunnions and button, and the bubri, or stylised tiger stripes, which also contain information about production.
=== Cossipore Guns ===
'''Bronze 9 pounder. D Presgrave, Cossipore (East India Company) 1838/39'''
=== Mughal/Sikh Artillery ===
<gallery caption="Indian brass gun on its carriage." widths="450px" heights="300px" perrow="3">
Image:0013 Brass 4.75.jpg
Image:0014 Brass 4.75.jpg
</gallery>
[[Image:0014a Sikh drawing.jpg|thumb|350px|'''Elevation''' as drawn by Capt. Ralph Smyth, Bengal Artillery, in 1848 after its capture during the [[1st Sikh War]] 1845-6
Bronze 8.33 lb (7 seers)
Panjab, prob Lahore, late 18th to early 19th century
Calibre 4.1
]]
This is one of several cannon produced between 1760 and 1825 based on ‘Zamzamah’ or ‘Kim’s Gun’ which was cast in Lahore in 1761. It is a fine example of the Mughal casting tradition already in the Panjab before the Sikhs took over. Similar pieces have been dated to as late as 1825.
By the mid 1820s ornate cannon of this type were being replaced by similar, more streamlined, types which were both lighter and easier to produce. The closest contemporary British equivalent, a brass 9-pounder introduced in 1719, weighed almost 531lbs less and was a foot shorter.
At some point in its service life, probably in the 1820s, the barrel was remounted by Sikh engineers on a Napoleonic-style split trail carriage and aiming was improved by attaching a strap around the button connected to a capstan elevating screw.
=== Sutlej Guns ===
[[Image:0014b Sutlej guns.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Sikh Horse Artillery Light 6-pounder]]
Sikh Horse Artillery Light 6-pounder (5 seer)Panjab. Lahore, about 1838Calibre: 3.25in (5.5 pounder)
Throughout Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign, Sikh engineers had access to East India Company patterns and workshops, as well as periodic diplomatic gifts of cannon. These accelerated artillery development to such an extent that by the late 1830’s, Sikh artillery rivalled that of the Company in both quality and quantity.
'''One of three Indian bronze guns''' which might date from about 1675 ( late Mughal) but the carriage with its elevating screw dates from 1859. (Brig. Young). No further information available.
[[Image:0023 Bronze 1629.jpg|300px|]]
'''Bronze gun from India''', slightly ornamented about the cascable and chase. Calibre 4.86 in; length of bore, 7ft 10.5 in; total length 8ft 9 in; weight 15cwt 19lbs. The gun is supposed to have been carried into Assam by the Musselmans at the time of the invasion of the province by the Mahomedan power, and to have been taken from them by the Assamese at the time of their expulsion, or rather disastrous retreat from the malarias effects of the climate. It is well known they left a number of guns behind them. The guns seem to have been manufactured by a European, as it has an inscription in the roman character, ‘EVERHARDVS. SPLINTER.ME. FECIT ENGHVSAE. ‘The date on the reinforce is 1629. In Persian there is also an inscription which bears the name of the reigning Mahomedan sovereign, with the date of the manufacture. There is a third inscription on the gun in either Assamese or Ahom, stating the name of one Assam King, by whom, and the date when the gun was taken by the Assamese.
== Guns at Fort Nelson==
