3-039-008 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The 35-ton gun, called "The Woolwich Infant", 1871. 'The new Woolwich great gun...is without exception the most formidable firearm that has ever been constructed...This weapon is built up of six separate pieces, upon a system invented by Mr. Fraser, one of the chief officers of the Government factory at Woolwich...The core of the gun is of steel, and round this are fitted strong jackets of wrought iron, which, as a matter of course, increase materially the strength of the gun...The finished gun measures 16¼ ft. in length, and 50 in. at its greatest diameter...The shot projected weighs 700 lb., and this was fired with different charges of gunpowder varying from 75 lb. to 130 lb. The gun withstood the trial successfully...it was computed that, at an angle of 30 deg., the gun would be capable of projecting a shell of the same weight as the solid shot to a distance of 10,000 yards, or nearly six miles...the cylinders lying beside the gun are the shot-bolts which were afterwards used in its proof. They were east of the same weight (700 lb.) as that proposed for the pointed projectiles to be used in the service...These guns are to be mounted upon Captain R. Scott's patent turret carriages, of which a large number are in course of construction'. From "Illustrated London News", 1871.