Upto last week I had never heard of a ‘cannon bath’.
I was very envious when JV showed me this in his garden. I have been on the lookout for disused cast iron water tanks that may be coming out of old buildings exactly for the use here – probably different plants but definite same use (beauty, eye, beholder and all that).
This cast iron tank is stamped BO (Board of Ordnance) 1836 and was found at Murphy Barracks in Ballincollig after it was sold and undergoing development.
I was very envious when JV showed me this in his garden. I have been on the lookout for disused cast iron water tanks that may be coming out of old buildings exactly for the use here – probably different plants but definite same use (beauty, eye, beholder and all that).
This cast iron tank is stamped BO (Board of Ordnance) 1836 and was found at Murphy Barracks in Ballincollig after it was sold and undergoing development.
I was told that, 180 years ago, the cannons were fired using gunpowder, which was in powder form and poured into the chamber. Some of the powder may have been blown around or may have not got into the cannon. The area adjacent to the cannon was regularly doused with water to prevent an unintended explosion. It was doused with water held in the ‘cannon bath’.
I suspect that if the army had enough horses to bring a cannon, they also had enough to bring the ‘cannon bath’.
Google does not help with the expression ‘cannon bath’.
I mentioned this to a former army officer who is trying to find out more but who suggested that the cannon would have been subject to overheating and so it may have been cooled with water.
I have posed this question to a few I know in the defence forces but their vintage does not stretch back to 1836 so it remains on the ‘To Find Out More’ list. All suggestions welcome.
I suspect that if the army had enough horses to bring a cannon, they also had enough to bring the ‘cannon bath’.
Google does not help with the expression ‘cannon bath’.
I mentioned this to a former army officer who is trying to find out more but who suggested that the cannon would have been subject to overheating and so it may have been cooled with water.
I have posed this question to a few I know in the defence forces but their vintage does not stretch back to 1836 so it remains on the ‘To Find Out More’ list. All suggestions welcome.
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