2-982-029 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Artillery Practice before the Prince of Wales at Malta, 1876. '...exhibition of practice with the powerful batteries of artillery mounted at Fort St. Elmo...firing at targets placed some distance from shore...The pieces of artillery used were 11-inch guns, 110 lb. breechloading Armstrong's, 80 lb. and 61 lb. Palliser's converted guns. The Prince was at St. Elmo, on the concrete roof of the magazine below the lighthouse, attended by the Governor and Lady Van Straubenzee...The shot practice was fair, and the time-fuse shell practice was good; that of the Maltese Artillery was very good. Windows were smashed...all over St. Elmo, and fears had been expressed that the lighthouse might come down...all the targets presented a very battered appearance when the practice ceased...In the distance Fort Tigne is seen firing, and the smoke of the lower batteries...is rising behind the...Royal standard'. From "Illustrated London News", 1876.