Link to the related website that has useful info: the Age of Nelson.

This forum is devoted to the Royal Navy during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793 - 1815).
And why not the other navies of the period?
To avoid spam, you must register to be able to post - it's free.

FAQ         Register         Profile         Search         Log in to check your private messages         Log in
24 pounder in Cuba
Post new topic   Reply to topic    www.ageofnelson.org Forum Index -> Age of Nelson
 
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
PMarione
Site Admin


Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883

Post Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 7:33 pm    Post subject: 24 pounder in Cuba Reply with quote

Here is a question from William Wiese:

I am trying to trace a bronze 24 pounder to find out how it came to itsresting place in Cuba.




I assume that one of the stampings is the weight while the other might be a serial#
Around the base is the date 23 MARS 1748 and the name Jean Maritz.
Is there a way to trace the stampings?
Is there a directory of which ship carried which guns?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
PMarione
Site Admin


Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883

Post Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

First of all, your canon is certainly French and as such most probably belonged to a French ship.
Bronze canons were very expensive stuff but as the bore between French and English canons was different (French pound was different from the English pound and so was the diameter of the canon ball) there is little chance that it was a captured canon. Bronze canon in prizes were simply remelt into new canons.

Jean Maritz is the most famous canon founder.
From the wikipedia entry:
Quote:
Jean Maritz (1680–1743), also Johan Maritz, was a Swiss inventor, born in Burgdorf, Canton of Bern, who moved to France, becoming "Commissaire des Fontes" at Strasbourg (Commissionner of the King's Foundry), and invented the vertical drilling machine, as well as the horizontal drilling machine for cannons in the 18th century. His inventions revolutionized cannon-making.


As he died in 1743, your canon is probably from his son, Jean Maritz II, who had worked with his father on the development of boring, became Inspector General of Gun Foundries in 1755.

There is an extensive article at "fonderie" (vol 4 of the plates) on the Maritz machine with a lot of plates in the "Encyclopédie" of Diderot and there are examples at the Invalides in Paris.



It was a major improvement as it allowed to prefectly center the bore.

There is plenty of info on the web (mainly in French).

As for your question about a register, you certainly can try the "Archives Nationales" at Paris http://www.archivesdefrance.culture.gouv.fr/ or the "Archives de la Marine at Vincennes http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/Archives-de-la-marine-nouveaux.html

@+P
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    www.ageofnelson.org Forum Index -> Age of Nelson All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ   Search    Register   Profile   Log in to check your private messages   Log in 

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Nun