Quote:
Originally Posted by Retlaw
I think wheels on the gun carriages could would be changed if transferred from ship to garrison use, rather than different carriages.
Gun decks on ships were kept swabbed with water to prevent spilt powder ignitions during drill or battle conditions.
Charges for the guns were in bags, stored in the magazines, and the powder monkeys, (young boys) would carry them from the magazines up the ladders & through hatches to the gun decks. Bags could get snagged or torn & powder spilt
Retlaw.
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HMS Victory certainly has wooden wheels on the gun deck cannons, but I have a memory of the upper deck cannons being on some sort of wooden ramp - no wheels at all. Iron wheels could have caused a spark even though the decks were watered.
A lovely photograph, don't remember ever seeing them like that, my only memory is of the wooden carriages. Thank you Retlaw