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The 100 Tonne Gun
The greater portion of Gibraltar’s history is mostly devoted to wars,
defending the territory against other nation, specifically Spain, who
wanted to reclaim sovereignty over the place. The issue whether Spain, who
surrendered governance in 1713, should regain power has been in contention
for almost three centuries. Since Gibraltar’s northern part is open to the
Spanish borders, while its southern part to the United Kingdom, the
colonizers are given great ease in attacking the territory.
In fact, there
have been several military attempts in the past, the most unforgettable of
which was the The Great Siege that happened between July 1779 and February
1783, but British armies stood tall against the military troops of the
opposite side backed up by the firm decision made by Gibraltarians not to
compromise. Until now, the Spanish government has not yet given up laying
down offers after offers in hopes of recapturing Gibraltar to be the
country’s independent region, but as the British government and the 30,000
town population have been quite firm on their decision, the desperate
attempts remain as just that.
These occurrences, however, contributed greatly to what Gibraltar has
become in the present day. Since winning over the issue of governance, the
UK made the territory into a significant naval base that handles its
Mediterranean operations, which served an important role during the second
World War such that Gibraltar’s more popular must-see landmarks are mainly
about, or composed of, military defense and weaponry.
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The big chunk of rock standing tall like the king of Gibraltar, which
earned the place its tag The Rock, is the location of the most genius
defense tactics the army has ever thought through. Series of tunnels
has been excavated for the goal of creating a concrete vantage point
against other troops. These tunnels were subsequently named The Great
Siege Tunnels, in recognition of the specific bit of history that they
have served great purpose for. The Great Siege tunnels were painfully
labored by 18 men armed with sledgehammers, crowbars and some
gunpowder. The hard work to dig out holes in the northern face of the
rock for defense armies to operate their guns from, has obviously paid
off. Gibraltar ably earned victory over the enemies whose goal of
possessing hot property was lost and laid to rest, even shortly, the
dreams of Spanish authorities to own the place again.
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But it’s not only the tunnels that were used as base camps for the
military. The caves are also instrumental, keeping interesting tidbits
about The Rock’s rich history. Both the tunnels and the caves house
ancient cannons and guns that are not only sights to behold, but are also
considered real pieces of treasure that should be preserved well.
This exceptional artillery are certainly praise-worthy, with the
significant roles it played in history. There’s the 9.2 inch breech
loading (BL) gun that is the standard weapon for long range attacks, the 6
inch gun, considerably quick-firing, has mainly served in short range
defense while a 12 pounder armament is used for inshore strikes. Victorian
cannons of every kind are also well-featured in the walls of Gibraltar. In
fact, a Victorian 64-pounder is placed near the entrance of The Great
Siege Tunnels while the 18th century guns, used during the 14th siege in
an attempt of combined Spanish and French troops to recapture the place,
are found inside the tunnels. None of these weapons, however, can equal
the beauty and power of one of the world’s most unique creation — The 100
Tonne Gun.
The Superguns
The 100 Tonne Gun, a Victorian supergun built during the latter part of
1800s, is one of the four superguns that was originally made by Newcastle
native Sir William George Armstrong. All four were sold to the Italian
navy for their battleships. But the British government found it more
significant to place the guns in its naval bases in Gibraltar and Malta
and as a result placed two on each. The main purpose of these long-range
armaments in the bases of Brit’s Mediterranean defense is basically to
protect the area against the enemies. The British government does not want
its two main military stations in the region to be put in jeopardy, since
both regions serve as quick routes to other countries. The guns, which are
manufactured at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, are referred to then as the
17.72-inch RMLs (Ruffled Muzzle Loaders). The superguns became famous for
two reasons: one, they are the first mechanically powered guns and two,
they are up to this moment, the biggest muzzle-loading cannons ever made.
They are so huge that complete hydraulic systems are required just to
carry out their operations. At least 35 crew men usually handle the
intricate procedure of putting the gun to work, where the first three
hours are dedicated to develop the necessary steam. The three hours needed
to operate the guns may seem useless when you are at war. But at a time
when ships used to still have sails, this amount of time is quite
reasonable for reiteration. The highly sophisticated and highly complex
hydraulic system, which pumps up the motion for the guns to operate,
provides the pressure needed. Such mechanism, as discovered by Gibraltar
Museum’s Dr. Darren Fa in The 100 Tonne Gun that’s in possession of the
government, prove to be very unique, more than it was ever expected. After
putting pressure to keep the gun mobile, the army can release powerful
shots every four minutes. When well-powered, the Victorian guns are proven
to be strong weapons for the army as a single fire can reach at least 8
miles, snuffing out roughly 450lbs of gun powder packed in a 2000-pound
gun shell, which can penetrate over two feet of complex iron at that
striking distance.
The Napier of Magdala Battery
The site of The 100 Tonne Gun, easily accessible by cable cars, is built
over the course of almost six years, between December 1878 and March 1884.
It was named after the governor at that time, Lord Napier of Magdala, and
was constructed under a budget of £35,717. The 100 Tonne Gun was brought
to the picture in 1882 through the SS Stanley ship. The labor of many men
in 21 days was needed to move the huge cannon from the ship to its actual
position in the battery, a total of 400-yard distance.
In 1902, the Inspector-General of Artillery paid a meaningful visit to the
Battery for a fire drill. However, several attempts return negative
results so a volunteer is ‘loaded’ to the gun in order to extract the
shell.
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This story have different versions attached to it
but the only thing certain is that a man, whether it was the slim
soldier or the trumpeter boy, was loaded into the gun risking his body
to be scattered in the bay.
The Loading Chamber
The hugeness of The 100 Tonne Gun required two loading chambers, both
are roughly 8 feet in diameter, placed on either sides. To load, the
barrel is first turned to the chamber with gunpowder and then to the
other side to collect the shell. The gunpowder used in the supergun is
basically characterized in black prism while the shell comes in three
different forms — the Common, the Shrapnel, and the Case Shot. |
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Through the command of Lieutenant Colonel Ogilvie, a detachment army tried
to reduce the interval of four minutes in between firing to two and one
half, resulting in the destruction of The 100 Tonne Gun’s barrel. When the
barrel split in two during a firing practice, it was replaced by the one
from the other gun that previously seated at the present location of
Gibraltar’s fire station. This obviously shows that of the two superguns
dispersed through Gibraltar, The 100 Tonne Gun in the Napier of Magdala
Battery is far more significant than the other one and in effect, was
preserved to perform better even centuries after it was made.
The 100 Tonne Gun
The 100 Tonne Gun in Gibraltar, also known as The Rock Buster, is
interestingly, never fired out of anger. Its strength was put to test a
couple of times, the most recent of which was in early 2000s, a first
shooting in nearly a century, however it was mainly for exhibition and/or
training purposes only. It has subsequently played a major role during
army trainings, but never in an actual war. Every time test firing are
being held, the public is well-informed. Gibraltarians are given
particular warnings about leaving their windows open and securing the
place of breakable items in the household. This is to prevent
destruction,which can be caused by the huge impact that the huge gun is
capable of spreading.
Cautious on the hazards that may arise during a firing drill, officials
make sure that the bay is empty of snorkeling people in dangerous distance
below the supergun itself. Onlookers on the nearby spots like the old
Rosia Club are also asked to relocate. An arc of 150 degrees is freed of
elements that may be affected of the wide range that the shot can cover.
The most recent firing was meant to coincide with the significance of
firing its counterpart in Malta, but failed to do so due to the
precautionary measures done around the area. It was charged by a ten-pound
shell, quite very far from the capacity when fired during its day. Still
the government took security measures all over the place, removing people
within the dangerous arc. To look over the sea, both the customs and the
police force are dispersed.
This incident of practice firing also gave the experts an idea that the
mechanical components of The 100 Tonne Gun is really special, eventually
leading to suspicions that until now, the underground elements might still
be proven intact. Although it is already known that The Rock Buster is far
in better working condition than its counterpart in Fort Rinella, Malta,
factors pointing out that it is far more different than its sibling is
news. If proven, The 100 Tonne Gun will be held up as the first mechanized
weaponry in world history that is until now, operational. Such milestone
is important not only to the Victorian period, but more importantly to the
industrial revolution period. After all, The 100 Tonne Gun is constructed
during the time when rapid advances in weaponry technology are undergoing.
Taking a Tour
For people who are privy about the whole army and weaponry
thing, Gibraltar’s Napier of Magdala Battery is no doubt a nice place to
visit. True, the Rock houses more weapons other than The 100 Tonne Gun,
some are even remarkable players in history. But the unique qualities of
The Rock Buster are reasons enough to put it first in the itinerary.
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Imagine, through Gibraltar, people are given a window to peek through
the artillery advancement displayed by genius men of war. It should
not be forgotten that there are only two of this kind left for the
world to marvel and that the other one that is being preserved by the
Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna is of weaker quality. The 100 Tonne Gun of
Gibraltar is far more complete than the one housed in Fort Rinella.
Although an experience of the actual firing drill seems too
attractive, the impossibility of it from happening at the distant
future may leave tourists contented marveling the engineering of the
gun in all its entirety. After all, this wondrous weapon will never
fail to impress starting from its huge size down to the mechanical
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To get to the 100 Tonne Gun via the Napier of Magdala Battery, cable cars,
which run from the ground level up to the top of the rock are widely
available. This form of transport, mainly used by tourists who have
specific destinations in mind because it basically traces The Rock in all
its beauty. It has an intermediate stop at the Apes Den, where Apes, of
course, are freely scattered through. From the Apes Den, several other
landmarks like the previously stated Great Siege Tunnels are easily
accessible. Ascending The Rock through this form of transport makes for a
more interesting trip mainly because through the cable cars, a clear view
of what Gibraltar is all about — luscious walls of stone, rich vegetation,
preserved portion of military history.
On the Battery, the entrance fee is at a minimum cost, which can also be
awarded free for those who carry a full-priced ticket of the cable car
ride. If only for the low-cost treat that The 100 Tonne Gun as an
attraction can offer, there is no reason for anybody to leave out this
place on schedule.
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