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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 13/10/2011 Posts: 851 Points: 2,628 Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
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The archaeology group of which I am a member did a walk round Leeds looking at the remains of the Linen textile industry last Friday. Very interesting to! Part of the walk took us past the Royal Armouries. They have a number of large weapons on display outside along the banks of the canal. Typical of the Royal Armouries they are more concerned with visual effect than actually providing any useful details but I would guess the cannon barrel near the canal is probably a long 9pdr or possibly a 12 pdr. I wonder what others think? I took some pictures including the Royal Cypher which is very much the same as Capt Stedders is offering on his cypher post. There is also a picture showing an elevation scale on the side of the cannon but to scale this might be a bit hard to reproduce! There was also a 24pdr carronade on the side of Clarence Dock. This is easier to identify because the iron carriage is stamped 24pdr!! There is also what looks like a date stamp 10-3-14, so I assume it was an 1814 pattern carronade. I have read somewhere that some later carronades were mounted on a wheeled carriage rather than the slide mounting as used on Victory. Hope these are of interest Mike T
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Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 02/04/2010 Posts: 491 Points: 1,460 Location: Poole
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Great find Mike, and not the the cause of any wailing and gnashing of teeth as I had originally feared. Phew! Schnellboots on back burner
Tools.
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Rank: Pro Groups: New Members, Unapproved Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 15/04/2010 Posts: 1,266 Points: 3,841 Location: The Quantock Hills,Somerset
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Mike,I stand to be corrected,but everything I have ever read/studied has indicated that the "long nine" a popular gun used as bow chasers due to their uncommon accuracy were all made of bronze.It may be an effect of the photo but that cannon looks iron so I would assume it was a 12 pounder.As I said ,I do stand to be corrected PS No slur intended on your photo. Rob Nolli Illigitimi Carborundum!!!Current Builds: HMS Victory, SV Thermopylae
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 13/10/2011 Posts: 851 Points: 2,628 Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
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Hi Rob Thanks for your reply. When I was writing the post last night, I simply guessed at what the gun might be. To take up your point, the gun in the photo is an iron gun, I know the pictures are a tad over exposed which is slightly surprising because I was using the reliable auto setting on my P880. Your comment about always being bronze has got me thinking so I had a look on Google and some of my reference books this morning. The Age of SailJudging from the above Patrick O'Brian might be guilty of confusing the issue because he refers to the bow chasers on Surprise as being brass and they may well have been but gives the impression that all long nines were the same. I have a distant memory of visiting the NMM and seeing an iron cannon on display outside and being impressed that I was actually looking at a long-nine chase gun. From what I have read this morning, I believe that there were probably more iron long nines than brass and because of weight distribution I guess that if a Captain could acquire brass chasers then they would be better in the bows of a ship. This is what I like about the forum, as well as the build side of things it keeps me thinking about the detail of the historical side. That's why I choose to build 18th century warships rather than more modern ships. Mike T
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 15/04/2010 Posts: 1,266 Points: 3,841 Location: The Quantock Hills,Somerset
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I stand corrected! I know Mr O'Brien isn't entirely accurate in his writings..good though they are..the very fact that he called them brass bears witness to that.What does surprise me though is that Douglas Reeman under his aka Alexander Kent has also got it wrong when he is usually historically fastidious being an ex naval man himself.Not that I base my post solely on fiction but unfortunately I can't recall where I saw the information as it was many moons ago that I read it..in fact I think I was still at school. Rob Nolli Illigitimi Carborundum!!!Current Builds: HMS Victory, SV Thermopylae
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 13/10/2011 Posts: 851 Points: 2,628 Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 15/04/2010 Posts: 1,266 Points: 3,841 Location: The Quantock Hills,Somerset
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lol..He does in fact say they are brass in one of his books..The far side of the world..I think..again I stand to be corrected. So your not going gaga..i'm sure there are many good years left in you yet!! Rob Nolli Illigitimi Carborundum!!!Current Builds: HMS Victory, SV Thermopylae
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 13/10/2011 Posts: 851 Points: 2,628 Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
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Tell my wife that!!
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