Two New Cast Iron Cannon At The Saluting Battery

Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna has added two early 12 pounder British cast iron muzzle loading cannon to the growing historic artillery display at the Saluting Battery in Valletta. The two gun barrels were cast by the Carron gun foundry of Falkirk in Scotland in 1810. Their second reinforce is marked with the cypher of King George III. This addition is significant for the Saluting Battery since between 1803 and 1844 its armament consisted of 12pr guns. The 12pr iron ML gun was capable of 1,000 to 1,200 yards (about 900–1,100 meters) range and could fire solid, cannister and chain or bar shot. This type of gun was used to arm the main deck of early British frigates until the Napoleonic Wars when the armament of frigates was upped to 18 pounders. The two gun barrels were acquired from a private collector in England who had salvaged them from the scrapman way back in the 1960s. They are mounted on replica iron garrison carriages. The latter were used in peacetime only until about the Crimean War in lieu of wooden garrison carriages which were kept in covered storage to protect them from the elements. In case of war the iron carriages were replaced by the timber ones since they could absorb the wild recoil of the guns better. Furthermore, it was assumed that the iron ones could fracture if hit by an iron shot or splinter making them dangerous to the gun crew. This project was wholly funded by FWA through voluntary donations. If you wish to help FWA achieve more with a donation please use this link to donate online: https://www.wirtartna.org/donate