Canons

adrian · 19th January 2022, 07:38 PM

The common use of cast iron versus the rare use of cast steel in this period aside the two metals display markedly different corrosion characteristics and these guns have every appearance of being made of cast iron. I would be astounded if they were anything else.
Cast steel was a technology that was neither very practical nor affordable until after the introduction of the Bessemer process in the mid 1850s.

Richard G · 21st January 2022, 02:15 PM

I think it is quite possible that these are signal cannon. They would not be solely for saluting or ceremony but more or less in everyday use when some kind of warning, synchronisation or attention seeking was necessary. Thus cannons were fired by light house keepers as fog warnings in certain situations. Guns were fired at noon or a specified time so that time-keeping or certain activities could be co-ordinated. British admirals and naval bases were known to fire a cannon when they were about to hoist a signal by flag.
Today, the breaking of the ramadan fast is often announced by a signal cannon.
The more one thinks about it the more one can imagine their use in a time before electronic communication and when not everyone had a watch.
Regards
Richard

df1967 · 22nd January 2022, 03:01 PM

I believe they are swivel guns, either from a ship or maybe also from a castle. See: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drehbasse

df1967 · 22nd January 2022, 10:18 PM

This one is from demensions, weight and marks identical….

Richard G · 24th January 2022, 05:01 PM

So now we have three of them?

kronckew · 24th January 2022, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard G

So now we have three of them?

...and all with the same 'Gun Number'.

df1967 · 24th January 2022, 08:10 PM

Yes they are identical, but Iam as stated before quite sure the number 8 (VIII) is telling the size of the swivel canons from the manufacturer HF.Just the producer sign HF I really have no idea. Anyhow many speculations, but interesting to know that the same model is rigth now for sale in the USA…

22nd January 2022, 03:01 PM	#3
df1967 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Germany Posts: 47	I believe they are swivel guns, either from a ship or maybe also from a castle. See: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drehbasse Attached Images

22nd January 2022, 10:18 PM	#4
df1967 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Germany Posts: 47	This one is from demensions, weight and marks identical…. Attached Images

19th January 2022, 07:38 PM	#1
adrian Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 132	The common use of cast iron versus the rare use of cast steel in this period aside the two metals display markedly different corrosion characteristics and these guns have every appearance of being made of cast iron. I would be astounded if they were anything else. Cast steel was a technology that was neither very practical nor affordable until after the introduction of the Bessemer process in the mid 1850s.

21st January 2022, 02:15 PM	#2
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 411	I think it is quite possible that these are signal cannon. They would not be solely for saluting or ceremony but more or less in everyday use when some kind of warning, synchronisation or attention seeking was necessary. Thus cannons were fired by light house keepers as fog warnings in certain situations. Guns were fired at noon or a specified time so that time-keeping or certain activities could be co-ordinated. British admirals and naval bases were known to fire a cannon when they were about to hoist a signal by flag. Today, the breaking of the ramadan fast is often announced by a signal cannon. The more one thinks about it the more one can imagine their use in a time before electronic communication and when not everyone had a watch. Regards Richard

24th January 2022, 05:01 PM	#5
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 411	So now we have three of them?

24th January 2022, 08:10 PM	#7
df1967 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Germany Posts: 47	Yes they are identical, but Iam as stated before quite sure the number 8 (VIII) is telling the size of the swivel canons from the manufacturer HF.Just the producer sign HF I really have no idea. Anyhow many speculations, but interesting to know that the same model is rigth now for sale in the USA…