TR273
Pirate Fox Mom
Here is another Lord Armstrong fact!
In 1876 the Italian government fancied getting itself some new shore defence guns and turned to Armstrong's company. Since Italy and Britain were at peace the UK government had no problem with Armstrong selling guns to them. Armstrong manufactured 31 100 ton cannons for the Italians, they were and remain (I think) the largest muzzle loading cannons in the world. I'll just add Armstrong didn't just sell the guns, he also sold the carriage, shells and the whole steam and hydraulic systems that aided in the reloading, literally it was what would be called today the full weapons system, and this huge gun could fire a one ton shell, up to five miles every six minutes.
Just a few little facts to round off with:
The guns were the biggest in the world,
The sheer-legs that supported the guns were the largest in the world,
To leave Newcastle they had to pass through the Swing Bridge (see pic) which was the largest in the world, the 180 ton crane that lifted the guns ashore in Italy was the largest of its type in the world....
And all of the above were build by Armstrong at the Elswick Works.
(Swing Bridge, still in operation today, the only change is the power for the original hydraulic system is electric now rather than steam.)
In 1876 the Italian government fancied getting itself some new shore defence guns and turned to Armstrong's company. Since Italy and Britain were at peace the UK government had no problem with Armstrong selling guns to them. Armstrong manufactured 31 100 ton cannons for the Italians, they were and remain (I think) the largest muzzle loading cannons in the world. I'll just add Armstrong didn't just sell the guns, he also sold the carriage, shells and the whole steam and hydraulic systems that aided in the reloading, literally it was what would be called today the full weapons system, and this huge gun could fire a one ton shell, up to five miles every six minutes.
Just a few little facts to round off with:
The guns were the biggest in the world,
The sheer-legs that supported the guns were the largest in the world,
To leave Newcastle they had to pass through the Swing Bridge (see pic) which was the largest in the world, the 180 ton crane that lifted the guns ashore in Italy was the largest of its type in the world....
And all of the above were build by Armstrong at the Elswick Works.
(Swing Bridge, still in operation today, the only change is the power for the original hydraulic system is electric now rather than steam.)
