The Government House Gun
Government House 'The Residency' Darwin
Government House Darwin
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The Flagstaff & Carriage Loop
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The Government House Gun
There has long been a contention that the brass cannon by the flagpole on the carriage loop at Government House in Darwin, once saw service at the sensationally abortive settlement of Palmerston at Escape Cliffs, near the mouth of the Adelaide River from 1864 & 1866.
The gun is also said to have been deployed by GW Goyder, who led the survey party to Port Darwin in 1869. It was a mystery with high stakes as there are no substantial relics in Australia from the early forts and settlements which were the intention movements in the occupation of continental Australia - which was proclaimed in 1824 - far from the confines of the remote penal colony of New South Wales.
The image below was taken at Escape Cliffs by Hamilton & Hake in 1865-66 showing the gun that was believed to have made its way to the lawns of Government House where it stands today in pride of place beside the flagstaff. The prominent 'dispart' foresight identifies the cannon as a howitzer. (3 images above courtesy of Government House)
The gun is also said to have been deployed by GW Goyder, who led the survey party to Port Darwin in 1869. It was a mystery with high stakes as there are no substantial relics in Australia from the early forts and settlements which were the intention movements in the occupation of continental Australia - which was proclaimed in 1824 - far from the confines of the remote penal colony of New South Wales.
The image below was taken at Escape Cliffs by Hamilton & Hake in 1865-66 showing the gun that was believed to have made its way to the lawns of Government House where it stands today in pride of place beside the flagstaff. The prominent 'dispart' foresight identifies the cannon as a howitzer. (3 images above courtesy of Government House)
SLSA B-7195 Man with shotgun Clement Young, clerk & accountant to the NT Survey Party 1865-66 - gun is a 24pr signalling howitzer - survives in Adelaide at Fort Glanville.
The assistance of Scott Samson of Government House was sought to get some preliminary images of the gun - appropriately it was just after the opening of Goyder Park - less apposite was the rain which accounts for the rather fetching wet-look. The image above shows a man serving the gun holding the cleaning sponge which is almost as large as his head - it is much larger than the gun beside the flagpole on the carriage loop.
The Rotunda artillery museum at Woolwich
Enquiries led to Stephen Ashford of NT Heritage Branch who has a long association with Government House and thence to Frank Garie who has, for the past 40-plus years, been privately researching the colonial defences of South Australia, including the NT.
Frank has generously provided the research upon which the following account is founded. It is drawn from his draft of a paper, including full referencing, which is included below in its entirety, along with other relevant sources & resources to demonstrate his innocence of all errors & spurious additions.
The gun was cast at the Woolwich Foundry at London in 1843.
Frank has generously provided the research upon which the following account is founded. It is drawn from his draft of a paper, including full referencing, which is included below in its entirety, along with other relevant sources & resources to demonstrate his innocence of all errors & spurious additions.
The gun was cast at the Woolwich Foundry at London in 1843.
The famous Nash Rotunda at Woolwich was built to celebrate the Napoleonic Wars & was the artillery museum for many years.
Description
Drawn by Rudi Roth (1995:127)
The Government House Gun is a 12 pound Millar's pattern Howitzer –
Overall length 50.25 inches -
Muzzle to Base Ring 45.2 inches.
Calibre 4.58 inches (10 calibres),
Shell diameter 4.43—4.47 inches.
The Base Ring bears the inscription W North 1843 –
Above the touch hole a cypher with initials and crown –
On the Reinforce Ring the numbers 6 0 24 –
The arrow mark before the trunnions on the second reinforce –
On the Trunnion Ring her number CLIX (159) & a circular cypher with a cross medallion on her Vacant Cylinder.
The muzzle has the characteristic dispart foresight that aligns to level with the top of the base ring.
Overall length 50.25 inches -
Muzzle to Base Ring 45.2 inches.
Calibre 4.58 inches (10 calibres),
Shell diameter 4.43—4.47 inches.
The Base Ring bears the inscription W North 1843 –
Above the touch hole a cypher with initials and crown –
On the Reinforce Ring the numbers 6 0 24 –
The arrow mark before the trunnions on the second reinforce –
On the Trunnion Ring her number CLIX (159) & a circular cypher with a cross medallion on her Vacant Cylinder.
The muzzle has the characteristic dispart foresight that aligns to level with the top of the base ring.
Dial Square part of the Woolwich Arsenal complex.
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The Great Crane at Woolwich built in 1876
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William North was the gun-founder at Woolwich in the year of the gun’s casting 1843, which was the year that the steam powered lathe replaced the 1770 vintage horse-powered horizontal boring machine.
The cypher & crown on the First Reinforce belong to Samuel Eccles Royal Gun-founder at the Royal Brass Foundry Woolwich.
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On the Reinforce ring the numbers 6 0 24 are the weight of the gun - being 6 hundredweight (cwt), zero quarters (qr) and 24 pounds (lb). A cwt is 112 lb, a quarter 28 lb. There were 20 cwt to an Imperial ton. The gun weighs 696 lbs = 316kg. The broad arrow mark also known as the Crows Foot is properly called the ‘pheon’. It is an heraldic symbol depicting an arrowhead and has long been the standard mark of British military hardware. |
CLIX is the gun’s Serial Number 159 in Roman numerals.
The cypher on the chase before the muzzle astragal is for Sir George Murray GCB GCH FRS Master General of the Ordnance 1834–1835. The pendant motif Star of the Military Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. The motto Tria Juncta in Uno - Three joined in one refers to the triple crown. The badge is a Maltese cross atop of an eight point star. |
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Key Dates
The Colony of South Australia was proclaimed 28th December 1836 – John McDouall Stuart crossed continent 24th July 1862 – in 1863 South Australia was granted its Northern Territory – Escape Cliffs 1864/66 – Port Darwin surveyed 1869 – The Overland Telegraph Line & Undersea Cable met at Darwin in 1871.
Escape Cliffs & HMS Beagle
Fitzmaurice & Keys dance for their lives at Escape Cliffs
Following the famous 5 year voyage around the world, Charles Darwin had been with HMS Beagle surveying Admiralty Charts of southern Australia but was no longer among the ship's company when, on 27th July 1839, Commander Wickham anchored her in a broad bay off Clarence Strait - which he named Adam Bay - at once dispersing his men to search for a great river to carry exploration into the dark interior which would not be crossed until John McDouall Stuart reached the north coast 70 Kms to the east at Chambers Bay on 24th July 1862.
"Impatient to learn the truth, Mr. Fitzmaurice was despatched to examine the head of the bay, whilst the ship was moved towards it, anchoring again one mile North-West from a very remarkable patch of low red cliffs (which from startling circumstances, hereafter to be related, were called Escape Cliffs)……On returning to the ship we found that Mr. Fitzmaurice had arrived, bringing the expected, and very gratifying intelligence, that a large river with two branches, running South-East and South, with a depth of four fathoms, emptied itself into the head of the bay." The Adelaide River.
"Impatient to learn the truth, Mr. Fitzmaurice was despatched to examine the head of the bay, whilst the ship was moved towards it, anchoring again one mile North-West from a very remarkable patch of low red cliffs (which from startling circumstances, hereafter to be related, were called Escape Cliffs)……On returning to the ship we found that Mr. Fitzmaurice had arrived, bringing the expected, and very gratifying intelligence, that a large river with two branches, running South-East and South, with a depth of four fathoms, emptied itself into the head of the bay." The Adelaide River.
The Government House Gun
HMS Beatrice AWM 302144
By 1857 Queen Victoria's Government had provided ordnance for the defence of the Colony of South Australian 'upon the proviso that the guns, carriages, ammunition and full equipments were properly stored and maintained'.
In 1864, this store of armaments furnished Lt. Col. Boyle Travers Finniss' Survey Party to Escape Cliffs with two light 6 pounders on wheeled 'field carriages' - one 24 pound howitzer, which is pictured at Escape Cliffs (above) and one 12 pound howitzer, number 159 which in 2016 stands beside the flagpole at Government House exactly 159 years later.
She is the sole surviving 12 pound howitzer of the original four placed into the care of the SA Government and her journey from Adelaide to Escape Cliffs aboard HMS Beatrice {viz Beatrice Hill} back to Adelaide and subsequent return to Port Darwin, is the subject of the following account.
In 1864, this store of armaments furnished Lt. Col. Boyle Travers Finniss' Survey Party to Escape Cliffs with two light 6 pounders on wheeled 'field carriages' - one 24 pound howitzer, which is pictured at Escape Cliffs (above) and one 12 pound howitzer, number 159 which in 2016 stands beside the flagpole at Government House exactly 159 years later.
She is the sole surviving 12 pound howitzer of the original four placed into the care of the SA Government and her journey from Adelaide to Escape Cliffs aboard HMS Beatrice {viz Beatrice Hill} back to Adelaide and subsequent return to Port Darwin, is the subject of the following account.
The City of Palmerston at Escape Cliffs - Illustrated Sydney News 15 Sept 1866
Finniss Expedition
The First Camp on the Adelaide River
A new mounting for the 12 pound brass howitzer number 159 was loaded aboard the Admiralty coastal surveying schooner HMS Beatrice at Sydney en route to Escape Cliffs, which the fleet of three ships, Henry Ellis, Beatrice & Yatala reached on 21st June 1864.
Finniss established his City of Palmerston at Escape Cliffs and a six mile roads south joined it to the site of the Port which may have had a cannon. It was located at the mouth of the Adelaide River in a rocky choke known as the Narrows.
This site of low mangroves was marginally better suited to the unloading of animals, prefabricated buildings and stores as it lacked the reef and elevation of Escape Cliffs.
In every other respect it was severely compromised and was abandoned in August 1864. (FG refers River Camp)
Finniss established his City of Palmerston at Escape Cliffs and a six mile roads south joined it to the site of the Port which may have had a cannon. It was located at the mouth of the Adelaide River in a rocky choke known as the Narrows.
This site of low mangroves was marginally better suited to the unloading of animals, prefabricated buildings and stores as it lacked the reef and elevation of Escape Cliffs.
In every other respect it was severely compromised and was abandoned in August 1864. (FG refers River Camp)
SLSA B-31109 Survey Camp 1866 - (Hamilton & Hake or MS Guy?) - this could be the Port Camp at the Narrows where the opp. bank is 260 yards vs 6 miles at Escape Cliffs.
The 12 pr howitzer No 159 was therefore most likely still aboard the Beatrice when she collected the 24pr howitzer and other gear from Kupang after the Yatala was condemned & returned it to Escape Cliffs were it was placed on a fixed mount suitable for the low charges used in signalling & saluting. The Beatrice undertook a number important victualing voyages which enabled the expeditioners to survive. 'I stated in former despatches that the Beatrice had proceeded to Timor for supplies. She returned on the first day of this month with supplies of fresh provisions, fruit, and vegetables, greatly to my joy for her presence was much needed, and I had strained my eyes for days watching her appearance.’ - 'From the very day of the arrival of the Beatrice a change has been operating for the better in the health of the men. This morning Dr. Goldsmith only reports one sick of my party, viz. Mr. Pearson, who has been on the sick-list since his wounds. I have given the men as much fruit and fresh vegetables as they can consume. We killed our first buffalo on the morning after the arrival of the Beatrice, and we can, with the aid of fishing and kangaroo hunting, now make our supplies of fresh meat and vegetables hold out for three months.’ G. S. Walters, Agent-General. Northern Territory, South Australia, Depot Escape Cliffs, October 6.
From the Foelsche Collection - City of Palmerston at Escape Cliffs <1866
The Horsehide Boat - Tuckwell & Ryan 1866 MS Guy image SLSA B-31111
The gun may have remained aboard the Beatrice and would have been used primarily for signalling - such as during the search for the McKinlay Party which eventually made it back to Escape Cliffs in a makeshift boat made of saplings and the hides of their horses - after a 100 mile horror voyage harassed by crocodiles and flies. A journey defying those given to historical re-enactments.
The guns ashore were likewise little used except for signalling & saluting, although RH Edmunds once fired a 6-pounder over the reef immediately in front of Escape Cliffs, allegedly to test its range - one of the 6-pounders fired round shot (solid cannon balls) out to sea for practice and on one noteworthy occasion the daily tedium was relieved when a large gum tree was demolished by gunfire to “astonish” the natives.
It was largely due to Edmunds’ skill and that of ship's carpenter Ned Tuckwell that nobody perished in the horsehide boat debacle. The picture is by Michael Stewart Guy who was aboard the Beatrice (nla.pic-an11360266-25 Guy, M. S., 1840-1869.)
The guns ashore were likewise little used except for signalling & saluting, although RH Edmunds once fired a 6-pounder over the reef immediately in front of Escape Cliffs, allegedly to test its range - one of the 6-pounders fired round shot (solid cannon balls) out to sea for practice and on one noteworthy occasion the daily tedium was relieved when a large gum tree was demolished by gunfire to “astonish” the natives.
It was largely due to Edmunds’ skill and that of ship's carpenter Ned Tuckwell that nobody perished in the horsehide boat debacle. The picture is by Michael Stewart Guy who was aboard the Beatrice (nla.pic-an11360266-25 Guy, M. S., 1840-1869.)
BT Finniss
The Beatrice also undertook exploration trips including Finniss’s survey of Port Darwin in October 1854 – ‘ It was reported that on only two occasions had any of the party landed—once at Talc Head, and again at some other place: and on neither occasion proceeded a mile inland.
This is the sum total of the exploration of the coast to the south-west of our present depot, or site of the City of Palmerston, as I believe it should more properly be called.' Dr. Goldsmith, Surgeon and Protector of Aborigines &c to the Hon. the Chief Secretary, Adelaide. Camp, Escape Cliffs, Northern Territory, December, 1864.
This is the sum total of the exploration of the coast to the south-west of our present depot, or site of the City of Palmerston, as I believe it should more properly be called.' Dr. Goldsmith, Surgeon and Protector of Aborigines &c to the Hon. the Chief Secretary, Adelaide. Camp, Escape Cliffs, Northern Territory, December, 1864.
In 1865 the Government Resident, Colonel Finniss of Escape Cliffs, sent six tons of Talc Head quartz to Adelaide for gold assay aboard the Beatrice. Her log of the voyage to Escape Cliffs & Port Darwin can be read at the NT Library - 319015; Manuscript 60; NTC Not for loan. The famous naval surgeon Sir Belgrave Ninnis VOC served on the Beatrice during this voyage. In the company of WP Auld he surveyed the area between Adelaide River and Port Darwin identifying 10 species of trees. He was on HMS Discovery in the British Artic Expedition - Knight of Grace to the Venerable Order of St. John - Inspector General RN Medical Service - a prominent Freemason and father of Antarctic explorer BES Ninnis who died on the Mawson Expedition.
SLSA B-72713-5 'Escape Cliffs NT looking north east'
Despite much heroic effort the situation at Escape Cliffs proved untenable and with the abandonment of the City of Palmerston at Escape Cliffs, the 12-pr howitzer number 159 was returned into the Government store at Adelaide by the Beatrice in November 1866. The remaining guns & ammunition returned on the Eagle which sailed from Escape Cliffs on 11th January 1867. Of the 50 canister (case) and 50 shell (common) projectiles sent north in 1864 for the 12 pounders, all but 3 shells were returned into store.
Of the brass cannon known to have been at Escape Cliff with the Finniss Expedition - both of the SA Government’s 1857 stock of 24pr howitzers survive, so the one photographed by Hamilton & Hake at Escape Cliffs is either at Fort Glanville at Semaphore in Adelaide or at the Army Museum SA.
Of the four 12-pr howitzers, (serial numbers 159, 161, and 548, 555.) only 159 survives to reside beside the flagpole at Government House - aimed squarely at the NT Parliament building in a mock duel of firing blanks. Brass 24-pdr Sea Service Howitzer, ca. 1850, Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich, U.K. Weight: 12.5 cwt (1400 lbs/635.6 kg), Length: 56.6” (1.44 m). McConnell 1988: 155.
Of the four 12-pr howitzers, (serial numbers 159, 161, and 548, 555.) only 159 survives to reside beside the flagpole at Government House - aimed squarely at the NT Parliament building in a mock duel of firing blanks. Brass 24-pdr Sea Service Howitzer, ca. 1850, Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich, U.K. Weight: 12.5 cwt (1400 lbs/635.6 kg), Length: 56.6” (1.44 m). McConnell 1988: 155.
Return to the North - Goyder's Party to Port Darwin 1869
SLSA B-15373 perhaps by Goyder 1869
HMS Moonta
On the 5th February 1869 George Woodroofe Goyder’s Survey Party arrived in Port Darwin to survey the next iteration of the City of Palmerston as the capital of the Northern Territory of South Australia.
Goyder’s camp was in the saddle between Fort Hill and the point of the plateau which would soon host the 30 room Residency that would become Government House.
The camp was described by De Kelsey ‘near this hut was erected a small cannon taken from the Moonta and used as an extra defence.
It was kept loaded, but instead of charging it with ball shot, dried peas were used as being not so deadly.’
“An Old Man’s Legacy”, 1938 (SLSA: D 3422), Vol.1 p.83
Goyder’s camp was in the saddle between Fort Hill and the point of the plateau which would soon host the 30 room Residency that would become Government House.
The camp was described by De Kelsey ‘near this hut was erected a small cannon taken from the Moonta and used as an extra defence.
It was kept loaded, but instead of charging it with ball shot, dried peas were used as being not so deadly.’
“An Old Man’s Legacy”, 1938 (SLSA: D 3422), Vol.1 p.83
SLSA B-1048 William Hoare 1869
Gulnare at Southport - Sweet SLSA B-840
Goyder requested a more impressive gun than the dried pea dispenser and on the 6th January 1870 Capt. Sam Sweet’s Gulnare delivered the 12 pound howitzer number 159 which at 6 hundredweight, over 4ft in length and firing a 4.43 inch diameter projectile was a serious piece of kit.
Once again its use was primarily saluting and as a signal gun to augment the rockets then in use and perhaps the belated ‘astonishment’ of the natives who had recently perforated JWO Bennett, whose lofty grave at Fort Hill, beside the negro cook Hazard, would from the 28th January enjoy the company of the 12 pounder.
The resident termites swiftly turned their attentions from the flag mast as the SA Register newspaper reported that on Queen Victoria’s birthday on 24.5.1870 ‘the howitzer on Fort Hill remained mute, although there was plenty of powder..’
Goyder’s men had been to Escape Cliffs to recover buildings and equipment including a dray and they reported seeing the remains of a wheelless gun carriage that is likely the one photographed with the 24 pounder.
Once again its use was primarily saluting and as a signal gun to augment the rockets then in use and perhaps the belated ‘astonishment’ of the natives who had recently perforated JWO Bennett, whose lofty grave at Fort Hill, beside the negro cook Hazard, would from the 28th January enjoy the company of the 12 pounder.
The resident termites swiftly turned their attentions from the flag mast as the SA Register newspaper reported that on Queen Victoria’s birthday on 24.5.1870 ‘the howitzer on Fort Hill remained mute, although there was plenty of powder..’
Goyder’s men had been to Escape Cliffs to recover buildings and equipment including a dray and they reported seeing the remains of a wheelless gun carriage that is likely the one photographed with the 24 pounder.
The Camp stitched from SLSA images by Capt. Sweet - Fort Hill Camp 1870 - Gulnare at anchor.
Foelsche - VIPs pose prior to planting of 1st OT Pole
The 12 pounder did however feature loudly at significant events such as when the first Overland Telegraph pole was planted on 15th September 1870 by Miss Harriet Douglas, daughter of the Government Resident, amidst the firing of guns and general rejoicings.
Again on the Queen’s Birthday on 24th May 1871 ‘at noon a salute of 21 guns was fired from the plot of grass in front of the Residency where the solitary cannon, which gave utterance to our loyalty, had its abode’. “Digging, Squatting and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia” 1887, Mrs Dominic Daly (nee Harriet Douglas)
The Register reported that Miss Douglas ‘could not muster sufficient strength for pulling hard enough to break (fire) the friction tube, but one of the artillerymen came to her assistance’. The Friction Tubes were the firing device of the 12pr howitzer which caused igniting by pulling an attached lanyard.
A stores list for 30th June 1871 lists 286 friction tubes – 93 shell – 78 Case shot – 105 fuses for Shell and 174 charges being 1¼lb LG gunpowder. This seems a recurrent problem as noted by Northern Territory Times & Gazette for 14/11/1873 ‘upon the arrival of Mr. Millner, on Nov.1, the SS Gothenburg fired her gun as a signal, and “We did not fire any guns…because the white ants had taken possession of our artillery (one 12-pounder).”
Again on the Queen’s Birthday on 24th May 1871 ‘at noon a salute of 21 guns was fired from the plot of grass in front of the Residency where the solitary cannon, which gave utterance to our loyalty, had its abode’. “Digging, Squatting and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia” 1887, Mrs Dominic Daly (nee Harriet Douglas)
The Register reported that Miss Douglas ‘could not muster sufficient strength for pulling hard enough to break (fire) the friction tube, but one of the artillerymen came to her assistance’. The Friction Tubes were the firing device of the 12pr howitzer which caused igniting by pulling an attached lanyard.
A stores list for 30th June 1871 lists 286 friction tubes – 93 shell – 78 Case shot – 105 fuses for Shell and 174 charges being 1¼lb LG gunpowder. This seems a recurrent problem as noted by Northern Territory Times & Gazette for 14/11/1873 ‘upon the arrival of Mr. Millner, on Nov.1, the SS Gothenburg fired her gun as a signal, and “We did not fire any guns…because the white ants had taken possession of our artillery (one 12-pounder).”
SLSA B-5066 Fort Hill c1880 Inspector Foelsche
It seems that the small iron pea shooter was relegated to the new Residence according to an ‘Observer’ in The NT Times for 22st January 1881 - “we possessed one piece of ordnance (an old, rusty gun somewhere near the residence) unfit even for a noon (time) gun”! This may infer that it was an iron gun although no reference nor image has been uncovered to date.
The fate of armaments from NT shipwrecks such as Gulnare are not known though a pair of iron swivel guns was recovered from a reef in Port Darwin in 1908 – as is the custom one went missing and the other is in the collection of the SA Maritime Museum at Port Adelaide – still with the OSL dateable sand in the barrel. This gun belonged to the Commonwealth in 1908.
The fate of armaments from NT shipwrecks such as Gulnare are not known though a pair of iron swivel guns was recovered from a reef in Port Darwin in 1908 – as is the custom one went missing and the other is in the collection of the SA Maritime Museum at Port Adelaide – still with the OSL dateable sand in the barrel. This gun belonged to the Commonwealth in 1908.
SLSA - Foelsche image B-5060
SLSA B-24187-6 1895 Foelsche
Frank Garie notes that at the time of the scheduling of obsolete military stores in SA for transfer to the Commonwealth after 1901, none of the 12-pr howitzers and only one of the 6-prs were listed, thus shutting out any official Federal ownership rights over the 12-pr howitzers. "No.159 is the only survivor of the four 12-pr howitzers known to me”.
It is not known when the 12pr was relocated to Government House though it was long before Fort Hill was demolished. Frank has compared various photos of the flagpole lawn at the State Library of SA, dated from c.1911 and a gun does not appear until 1924, on a static wooden mounting.
“Perhaps, as a sort of jest, the NT “Troubles” of 1918-1919 had something to do with the gun’s re-appearance? It is also possible that the gun played a role during the visit of the SA governor G.R. Le Hunte in 1905?”
It is not known when the 12pr was relocated to Government House though it was long before Fort Hill was demolished. Frank has compared various photos of the flagpole lawn at the State Library of SA, dated from c.1911 and a gun does not appear until 1924, on a static wooden mounting.
“Perhaps, as a sort of jest, the NT “Troubles” of 1918-1919 had something to do with the gun’s re-appearance? It is also possible that the gun played a role during the visit of the SA governor G.R. Le Hunte in 1905?”
‘The cannon was traditionally fired to commemorate the arrival of new Government Residents and at special community events. It was last fired on the departure of Administrator Dean in 1970, which was also the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first permanent Government Resident in Darwin, William Bloomfield Douglas.’ Source Government House.
Measuring the Gun
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Frank Garie - Bio Brief
Frank Garie
Born in 1943 at Kensington, Adelaide and still there. On failing to pursue university studies, Frank spent 35 years working as a clerk with the now defunct Commonwealth Dept. of Works, SA. His time then and now has been absorbed with antique guns and numerous related historical diversions emanating therefrom. These hobbies and a medical affliction have kept me in the singular, but not without the freedom to work at many non-profit making but satisfying pursuits, e.g., initiating and assisting with the restoration and interpretive use of Fort Glanville in Adelaide; rediscovering by study and empirical experimentation the accuracy of 18th and 19th century muzzle-loading and breech-loading firearms, leading, as a diversion, to founding truly national muzzle-loading competitions (rifle, pistol and shotgun). Frank contributes to the on-going HMVS Cerberus project and writes articles for ordnance-related journals (UK mostly). Much of his time has been spent in the archives and forts of several countries, the original purpose of which was to write a book on South Australia's colonial defences, something which still escapes him. He is a member of the Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia, Fort Glanville Historical Association SA, Military Historical Society of Australia, Ordnance Society UK, Fortress Study Group UK, Palmerston Forts Society UK, Society of Nautical Research UK, Crimean War Research Society UK, and the Coast Defense Study Group USA.
A History of South Australia’s brass cannon in the Northern Territory during the Expedition of BT Finniss to Escape Cliffs - by Frank Garie
Immediately prior to the despatch of the Finniss Expedition to the NT in 1864 the SA Government possessed the following pieces of artillery on charge to the South Australian Military Forces:-
4 6-pr guns (light 6 pounder)
2 9-pr guns
4 12-pr howitzers, (serial numbers 159, 161, and 548, 555.)[i]
2 24-pr howitzers
2 4 2/5-inch Coehorn mortars.
All of this ordnance was made of gunmetal, commonly termed “brass”, and were given to the SA government by Her Majesty’s government during both 1847 and 1857 for defence purposes upon the proviso that the guns, carriages, ammunition and full equipments were properly stored and maintained. Excepting the two mortars, which were mounted upon “beds”, all of these guns were mounted upon horse-drawn field carriages (5 foot diameter wheels) complete with limbers. All of these mountings or carriages were largely made of hardwoods. [The source for the origin of these Ordnance stores comes from SA State Records files.]
During the planning phase of the N.T. expedition, Lt.Col. B.T. Finniss and his colleagues presumed that the threats to the enterprise were the aborigines and Malay pirates[ii], not foreign powers. Finniss was a bit of a sabre-rattler and hence, as well as a significant number of modern small arms and ammunition, it was thought that some cannon would be necessary for the safety of the settlement and vessels. It was soon found that although several iron guns, including carronades, were available for purchase; none had sufficient projectiles on hand.[iii] This was because merchant marine ships usually carried a gun or two, but not always mounted and ready on deck; they were mainly used for signalling and saluting purposes.
During the fitting out of the expedition the vessels “Henry Ellis” 464 tons (142 feet long with the 38 foot lifeboat ‘Julia’ aboard), “Yatala ” 107 tons, and “Beatrice” 84 tons (both under 100 feet long), the following guns were made available from Adelaide’s artillery gun-sheds:-
This list does not include any iron guns nor small brass guns (like McKinlay used on the Liverpool River) which these vessels would have had for signalling and saluting purposes, especially Beatrice, which was primarily an Admiralty coastal surveying schooner.
At least one 6-pr and a 3-pr were unshipped at the Adelaide River camp,[vii] the 6-pr was from the boat Julia (or it may have been from the Yatala) and the 3-pr was from the Beatrice.
Upon one occasion the 3-pr was used to frighten the natives at the Adelaide River camp, during which time two of the 6-pr gun’s handspikes were stolen, but later recovered. These guns were taken by the Yatala to Escape Cliffs after the less healthy Adelaide River camp was abandoned in late August 1864.[viii]
No guns appear to have been mounted at Escape Cliffs prior to this time. It is uncertain as to the actual emplacement of the two 6-prs and the 3-pr prior to the completion of the stockade in August 1865. The memories of witnesses vary, dates are muddled and stores (including guns) were generally deemed of little interest to record. Initially Finniss proposed that the three guns were to be placed in commanding positions so as to sweep the approaches to the stockade.[ix] In effect this would have meant defending the three sides of the administration buildings, tents and dunny.
4 6-pr guns (light 6 pounder)
2 9-pr guns
4 12-pr howitzers, (serial numbers 159, 161, and 548, 555.)[i]
2 24-pr howitzers
2 4 2/5-inch Coehorn mortars.
All of this ordnance was made of gunmetal, commonly termed “brass”, and were given to the SA government by Her Majesty’s government during both 1847 and 1857 for defence purposes upon the proviso that the guns, carriages, ammunition and full equipments were properly stored and maintained. Excepting the two mortars, which were mounted upon “beds”, all of these guns were mounted upon horse-drawn field carriages (5 foot diameter wheels) complete with limbers. All of these mountings or carriages were largely made of hardwoods. [The source for the origin of these Ordnance stores comes from SA State Records files.]
During the planning phase of the N.T. expedition, Lt.Col. B.T. Finniss and his colleagues presumed that the threats to the enterprise were the aborigines and Malay pirates[ii], not foreign powers. Finniss was a bit of a sabre-rattler and hence, as well as a significant number of modern small arms and ammunition, it was thought that some cannon would be necessary for the safety of the settlement and vessels. It was soon found that although several iron guns, including carronades, were available for purchase; none had sufficient projectiles on hand.[iii] This was because merchant marine ships usually carried a gun or two, but not always mounted and ready on deck; they were mainly used for signalling and saluting purposes.
During the fitting out of the expedition the vessels “Henry Ellis” 464 tons (142 feet long with the 38 foot lifeboat ‘Julia’ aboard), “Yatala ” 107 tons, and “Beatrice” 84 tons (both under 100 feet long), the following guns were made available from Adelaide’s artillery gun-sheds:-
- Two light (weight of 6cwt) 6-prs (pounders), with field carriages (including limbers), ammunition and equipment. A slide mounting was made for one of these guns for use aboard Julia when up river.[iv]
- One 12-pr (6 cwt) howitzer, without a field carriage. A carriage or mounting for this gun was made in Sydney when Beatrice was en-route to the NT.[v]
- One 24-pr (13 cwt) howitzer, without a field carriage, but was supplied with a locally made slide which was mounted amidships on the main hatch of Yatala.[vi]
This list does not include any iron guns nor small brass guns (like McKinlay used on the Liverpool River) which these vessels would have had for signalling and saluting purposes, especially Beatrice, which was primarily an Admiralty coastal surveying schooner.
At least one 6-pr and a 3-pr were unshipped at the Adelaide River camp,[vii] the 6-pr was from the boat Julia (or it may have been from the Yatala) and the 3-pr was from the Beatrice.
Upon one occasion the 3-pr was used to frighten the natives at the Adelaide River camp, during which time two of the 6-pr gun’s handspikes were stolen, but later recovered. These guns were taken by the Yatala to Escape Cliffs after the less healthy Adelaide River camp was abandoned in late August 1864.[viii]
No guns appear to have been mounted at Escape Cliffs prior to this time. It is uncertain as to the actual emplacement of the two 6-prs and the 3-pr prior to the completion of the stockade in August 1865. The memories of witnesses vary, dates are muddled and stores (including guns) were generally deemed of little interest to record. Initially Finniss proposed that the three guns were to be placed in commanding positions so as to sweep the approaches to the stockade.[ix] In effect this would have meant defending the three sides of the administration buildings, tents and dunny.
SLSA B-839 Pen and wash on paper sketch of the settlement of Escape Cliffs showing the deployment of cannon - perhaps not as constructed.
If the sketch of Stephen King Jun.[x] is correct, then sometime after 4.10.1865 (the date of the return of the 24-pr howitzer from Kupang, see next paragraph) the 24-pr was positioned at the north-west demi-bastion (or wing) of the stockade on its slide mounting; one of the 6-prs on field carriage at the south-west wing; the other 6-pr on field carriage at the central redan facing the bush inland, and the 3-pr within the enceinte. The latter two guns may have exchanged places at the command of Finniss. The open sea-side of the stockade was defended by ostensibly unscaleable cliffs 28 feet high, but in any case the wing guns, mounted on flat wooden platforms, could be swung around to cover the beach.
In correspondence dated 15.8.1864,[xi] Finniss enclosed a sketch of the proposed stockade (or fort) and was approx. 50 yards square, to which design the stockade assumed.
Prior to Yatala’s demise the 24-pr aboard her does not appear to have been landed at either Escape Cliffs or the river camp. Although having recently been crippled on the voyage up from SA [xii], the Yatala nevertheless continued to ship stores up and down the Adelaide River. This gun was still aboard Yatala in October 1864 when she sailed to Kupang to be surveyed, and where she was condemned. The 24-pr was retrieved by the Beatrice in September 1865 and delivered to Escape Cliffs on October 4,[xiii] where it was transferred with its slide mounting to the northern wing. It was later emplaced on the cliffs near the flagstaff. Photo B 7195 in the State Library of SA shows two men serving a brass howitzer near the Accountant/Post Master’s hut facing the sea at Escape Cliffs. The carriage appears to be a static mounting suitable only for blank-fire signalling and saluting charges.
Goyder’s diary for 18.3.1869 (GRG 35/655) said that one of the items seen at Escape Cliffs by his foraging party were the ‘remains of (a) gun carriage’. This may well have been that of the 24-pr, having succumbed either to poor construction or to the ravages of white-ants.
Except for signalling and saluting the four guns were little used, e.g., in March 1865 Mr RH Edmunds fired a 6-pr over the reef off Escape Cliffs to test its range with shot and canister;[xiv] in March and May 1866 one of the 6-prs fired round shot (solid cannon balls) seawards for practice, and upon another occasion at a large gum tree to “astonish” the natives.[xv]
From what I can gather the 12-pr howitzer remained aboard the Beatrice on its mounting, and was used mainly for signalling, e.g., when searching for McKinlay’s party.
With the abandonment of the Escape Cliffs settlement, the 12-pr howitzer was returned to SA by the Beatrice in November 1866;[xvi] she may well have reclaimed her 3-pr at this time. The other guns and ammunition were returned to SA via the Eagle, which left the NT on 11.1.67.[xvii]
[i] Author’s notes.
[ii] PRG 527/6/1 5.12.63 Confidential Correspondence from Finniss to Chief Secretary.
[iii] Author’s notes.
[iv] GRG 24/6/1864/382 and 391, GRG 35/643 Vol.1 21.3.64, PRG 527/6/5, Author’s notes.
[v] Author’s notes, D 3058 Journals of AC Webling 20.4.64.
[vi] GRG 35/643, Vol.1 21.3.64.
[vii] PRG 1000, p35. Diary of Ebenezer Ward.
[viii] GRG 44/49, 30.7.64 Diary of J. Davis.
[ix] PRG 527/5 15.8.64, No.22; SA Advertiser 15.10.64, p.2d.
[x] SLSA photo B 839, Escape Cliff settlement, 1865.
[xi] PRG 527/5.
[xii] SAPP 89/65 29.6.64.
[xiii] GRG 35/643 Vol.1; D 3058 Journals of AC Webling p.54.
[xiv] D 8043 Diary of NT Survey Expedition by RH Edmunds,(late of the Port Adelaide Artillery).
[xv] SAPP 80/66-67, on 24/3, 29/3, 24/5 and 1.6.66.
[xvi] GRG 24/6/1866/1896.
[xvii] GRG 24/6/1867/447.
In correspondence dated 15.8.1864,[xi] Finniss enclosed a sketch of the proposed stockade (or fort) and was approx. 50 yards square, to which design the stockade assumed.
Prior to Yatala’s demise the 24-pr aboard her does not appear to have been landed at either Escape Cliffs or the river camp. Although having recently been crippled on the voyage up from SA [xii], the Yatala nevertheless continued to ship stores up and down the Adelaide River. This gun was still aboard Yatala in October 1864 when she sailed to Kupang to be surveyed, and where she was condemned. The 24-pr was retrieved by the Beatrice in September 1865 and delivered to Escape Cliffs on October 4,[xiii] where it was transferred with its slide mounting to the northern wing. It was later emplaced on the cliffs near the flagstaff. Photo B 7195 in the State Library of SA shows two men serving a brass howitzer near the Accountant/Post Master’s hut facing the sea at Escape Cliffs. The carriage appears to be a static mounting suitable only for blank-fire signalling and saluting charges.
Goyder’s diary for 18.3.1869 (GRG 35/655) said that one of the items seen at Escape Cliffs by his foraging party were the ‘remains of (a) gun carriage’. This may well have been that of the 24-pr, having succumbed either to poor construction or to the ravages of white-ants.
Except for signalling and saluting the four guns were little used, e.g., in March 1865 Mr RH Edmunds fired a 6-pr over the reef off Escape Cliffs to test its range with shot and canister;[xiv] in March and May 1866 one of the 6-prs fired round shot (solid cannon balls) seawards for practice, and upon another occasion at a large gum tree to “astonish” the natives.[xv]
From what I can gather the 12-pr howitzer remained aboard the Beatrice on its mounting, and was used mainly for signalling, e.g., when searching for McKinlay’s party.
With the abandonment of the Escape Cliffs settlement, the 12-pr howitzer was returned to SA by the Beatrice in November 1866;[xvi] she may well have reclaimed her 3-pr at this time. The other guns and ammunition were returned to SA via the Eagle, which left the NT on 11.1.67.[xvii]
[i] Author’s notes.
[ii] PRG 527/6/1 5.12.63 Confidential Correspondence from Finniss to Chief Secretary.
[iii] Author’s notes.
[iv] GRG 24/6/1864/382 and 391, GRG 35/643 Vol.1 21.3.64, PRG 527/6/5, Author’s notes.
[v] Author’s notes, D 3058 Journals of AC Webling 20.4.64.
[vi] GRG 35/643, Vol.1 21.3.64.
[vii] PRG 1000, p35. Diary of Ebenezer Ward.
[viii] GRG 44/49, 30.7.64 Diary of J. Davis.
[ix] PRG 527/5 15.8.64, No.22; SA Advertiser 15.10.64, p.2d.
[x] SLSA photo B 839, Escape Cliff settlement, 1865.
[xi] PRG 527/5.
[xii] SAPP 89/65 29.6.64.
[xiii] GRG 35/643 Vol.1; D 3058 Journals of AC Webling p.54.
[xiv] D 8043 Diary of NT Survey Expedition by RH Edmunds,(late of the Port Adelaide Artillery).
[xv] SAPP 80/66-67, on 24/3, 29/3, 24/5 and 1.6.66.
[xvi] GRG 24/6/1866/1896.
[xvii] GRG 24/6/1867/447.
“GW Goyder’s Gun”
I have found no official record nor records of witnesses from the Goyder expedition as regards the existence of a cannon at Fort Hill, Port Darwin, prior to the arrival of the SA Government brass 12-pr Howitzer on 6.1.1870. (See the part paragraph in bold below).
Goyder may have brought a gun ashore from the ship Moonta upon his arrival on 5.2.69. Moonta left Port Darwin on 4.3.69.
DE Kelsey in his draft of “An Old Man’s Legacy”, 1938 (SLSA: D 3422),[i] Vol.1 p.83 said when describing Goyder’s Fort Hill camp that ‘near this hut was erected a small cannon taken from the Moonta and used as an extra defence. It was kept loaded, but instead of charging it with ball shot, dried peas were used as being not so deadly.’ [His sources were not notated.]
At p.111 of Vol.2 he said that upon the arrival of Captain Douglas GR (Government Resident) and family on 24.6.70 ‘seven guns were fired ( 7 shots ) from the shore, these were fired from the old obsolete cannon that Mr Goyder had erected to scare away the blacks…’
Since the howitzer had arrived before this date it appears that Kelsey has muddled history.
On 30/11/69 the SA Commissioner of Crown Lands requested the Chief Secretary to approve the sending of a 12-pr howitzer complete with ammunition to the NT as soon as possible.[ii] This gun went by the Gulnare on December 2, 1869, and which vessel arrived at Palmerston on 6.1.70. The reason why for this gun was not stated, but the correspondence occurred after Goyder’s return to SA, and may well have been due to the death of Mr JWO Bennett in May 1869, to Goyder’s upsetting of several tribes of aborigines by his claims upon their land, the need to protect the future landing point of the overseas telegraph cable, the anchorage, and the custom of new settlements to have a cannon to support the flag.
Although the gun number and mounting were not mentioned, it is more than likely that it was the same as that which had been returned 3 years before.
As at the 30th June 1871 the GR sent a List of buildings, stores, &c in the NT, to the SA Govt:
1 12-pr howitzer, complete, with sponge, rammer and scraper (worm).
93 Shell
78 Case shot (incorrectly described as grape shot)
286 Friction tubes (the firing device, for igniting by the pull of an attached lanyard)
105 Fuses for Shell
174 Charges (each charge comprised a serge bag of 1¼ lbs of LG gunpowder)
Priming rods (cartridge prickers), shell key (for removing fuse plugs).[vi]
Unfortunately like other records this list does not describe the type of carriage.
By September 19, 1871, a howitzer magazine existed at Fort Hill.[vii]
The Northern Territory Times & Gazette for 14/11/1873 p.2ef ‘Arrival and reception of the Government Resident’, said that upon the arrival of Mr. Millner, on Nov.1, the SS Gothenberg fired her gun as a signal, and “We did not fire any guns…because the white ants had taken possession of our artillery (one 12-pounder).” NB: DE Kelsey arrived on 12.7.1873 as a boy of 8.
On 30.7.1879 the GR reported to the Minister for the NT that Fort Hill, although preserved for the purposes of fortification, would be useless as a site for a fort. (GRS1/1879/391).
An ‘Observer’ in The NT Times for 22/1/81 p.2d, said that “we possessed one piece of ordnance (an old, rusty gun somewhere near the residence) unfit even for a noon (time) gun”! If this was the brass gun, then I presume that the correspondent was vaguely referring to the iron carriage fittings of the brass gun.
Perhaps other muzzle-loading cannon survive in the NT, e.g., when the Gulnare (151 tons) became a wreck at Fort Point. Sometime prior to this (1873 approx.) her gun/s would have been unshipped, but to where? This situation might apply to other NT shipwrecks.
If the 12-pr howitzer then remained in the NT (and failing any later record of the movement of a 12-pr gun), then I would like to know the details of the correspondence regarding the present flagpole gun, which according to Government House NT records, dates their acquisition of the gun as 19/6/1903.
At the time of the scheduling of obsolete military stores in SA for transfer to the Commonwealth after 1901, none of the 12-pr howitzers and only one of the 6-prs were listed, thus shutting out any official Federal ownership rights over the 12-pr howitzers.[viii] No.159 is the only survivor of the four 12-pr howitzers known to me. The 6-pr was subsequently removed from the transfer.[ix] The two 9-prs listed above were at one time at Government House, Adelaide, where they graced the front entrance and then later the side entrance.
I have not found any reference to the transfer of obsolete guns to the NT in 20th century correspondence of the SA Governor, nor in surviving Australian Defence Department papers.
From comparing various photos of the flagpole lawn at the SLSA, dated from C.1911, a gun does not appear in them until 1924, on a static wooden mounting. Perhaps, as a sort of jest, the NT “Troubles” of 1918-1919 had something to do with the gun’s re-appearance? It is also possible that the gun played a role during the visit of the SA governor G.R. Le Hunte in 1905?
[i] Published as ‘The Shackle..’ edited by Ira Nesdale, Lynton Publications SA 1975.
[ii] GRG 35/25/909; SA Observer 4.12.69, p.3d.
[iii] GRG 35/307 Diary of Hugh L McCallum (appended to the diary of Dr Peel).
[iv] SA Register10.7.1871 p.5e.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] GRS1/1871/293
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] GRG 24/6/1903/828 Stores on Charge of Military Dept. SA 1.3.1901.
[ix] GRG 24/6/1905/774 Guns at Yatala Labour Prison; Report of the Military Committee of Inquiry 1901, Part IV, chapter 4 (SA):-Inspection of the Armament and Works of the Commonwealth 1901.
Goyder may have brought a gun ashore from the ship Moonta upon his arrival on 5.2.69. Moonta left Port Darwin on 4.3.69.
DE Kelsey in his draft of “An Old Man’s Legacy”, 1938 (SLSA: D 3422),[i] Vol.1 p.83 said when describing Goyder’s Fort Hill camp that ‘near this hut was erected a small cannon taken from the Moonta and used as an extra defence. It was kept loaded, but instead of charging it with ball shot, dried peas were used as being not so deadly.’ [His sources were not notated.]
At p.111 of Vol.2 he said that upon the arrival of Captain Douglas GR (Government Resident) and family on 24.6.70 ‘seven guns were fired ( 7 shots ) from the shore, these were fired from the old obsolete cannon that Mr Goyder had erected to scare away the blacks…’
Since the howitzer had arrived before this date it appears that Kelsey has muddled history.
On 30/11/69 the SA Commissioner of Crown Lands requested the Chief Secretary to approve the sending of a 12-pr howitzer complete with ammunition to the NT as soon as possible.[ii] This gun went by the Gulnare on December 2, 1869, and which vessel arrived at Palmerston on 6.1.70. The reason why for this gun was not stated, but the correspondence occurred after Goyder’s return to SA, and may well have been due to the death of Mr JWO Bennett in May 1869, to Goyder’s upsetting of several tribes of aborigines by his claims upon their land, the need to protect the future landing point of the overseas telegraph cable, the anchorage, and the custom of new settlements to have a cannon to support the flag.
Although the gun number and mounting were not mentioned, it is more than likely that it was the same as that which had been returned 3 years before.
- On 28.1.1870 Hugh McCallum noted in his diary that the ‘howitzer was mounted and taken on to Fort Hill.’[iii]
- On 1.4.1870 the GR reported that a ‘copper cap’ was made for the howitzer. (GRS1/1870/80). This would have meant a vent cover. (to protect the .222 inch vent from debris).
- On 24.5.1870 Queen Victoria’s birthday, the SA Register newspaper reported that...
- ‘the howitzer on Fort Hill remained mute, although there was plenty of powder..’[iv]
- A letter from the Government Resident to the Commissioner of Crown Lands dated August 16, 1870, identified a 12-pr howitzer as being located at Fort Hill. (GRS1/1870/87)
- A Return of Ordnance & Ordnance Stores in SA, dated 30/9/70, reported that all guns were in store, except one 12-pr howitzer which was in the NT. (GRG 24/6/1870/1347).
- At pages 124-5 of her book “Digging, Squatting and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia” 1887, Mrs Dominic Daly (nee Harriet Douglas) said of Her Majesty’s birthday on 24.5.71—‘at noon a salute of 21 guns was fired from the plot of grass in front of the Residency where the solitary cannon, which gave utterance to our loyalty, had its abode’.
- The Register newspaper said that Miss Douglas ‘could not muster sufficient strength for pulling hard enough to break (fire) the friction tube, but one of the artillerymen came to her assistance’. The Royal salute from the ships in Port Darwin and Fort Hill took 20 minutes to complete.[v]
As at the 30th June 1871 the GR sent a List of buildings, stores, &c in the NT, to the SA Govt:
1 12-pr howitzer, complete, with sponge, rammer and scraper (worm).
93 Shell
78 Case shot (incorrectly described as grape shot)
286 Friction tubes (the firing device, for igniting by the pull of an attached lanyard)
105 Fuses for Shell
174 Charges (each charge comprised a serge bag of 1¼ lbs of LG gunpowder)
Priming rods (cartridge prickers), shell key (for removing fuse plugs).[vi]
Unfortunately like other records this list does not describe the type of carriage.
By September 19, 1871, a howitzer magazine existed at Fort Hill.[vii]
The Northern Territory Times & Gazette for 14/11/1873 p.2ef ‘Arrival and reception of the Government Resident’, said that upon the arrival of Mr. Millner, on Nov.1, the SS Gothenberg fired her gun as a signal, and “We did not fire any guns…because the white ants had taken possession of our artillery (one 12-pounder).” NB: DE Kelsey arrived on 12.7.1873 as a boy of 8.
On 30.7.1879 the GR reported to the Minister for the NT that Fort Hill, although preserved for the purposes of fortification, would be useless as a site for a fort. (GRS1/1879/391).
An ‘Observer’ in The NT Times for 22/1/81 p.2d, said that “we possessed one piece of ordnance (an old, rusty gun somewhere near the residence) unfit even for a noon (time) gun”! If this was the brass gun, then I presume that the correspondent was vaguely referring to the iron carriage fittings of the brass gun.
Perhaps other muzzle-loading cannon survive in the NT, e.g., when the Gulnare (151 tons) became a wreck at Fort Point. Sometime prior to this (1873 approx.) her gun/s would have been unshipped, but to where? This situation might apply to other NT shipwrecks.
If the 12-pr howitzer then remained in the NT (and failing any later record of the movement of a 12-pr gun), then I would like to know the details of the correspondence regarding the present flagpole gun, which according to Government House NT records, dates their acquisition of the gun as 19/6/1903.
At the time of the scheduling of obsolete military stores in SA for transfer to the Commonwealth after 1901, none of the 12-pr howitzers and only one of the 6-prs were listed, thus shutting out any official Federal ownership rights over the 12-pr howitzers.[viii] No.159 is the only survivor of the four 12-pr howitzers known to me. The 6-pr was subsequently removed from the transfer.[ix] The two 9-prs listed above were at one time at Government House, Adelaide, where they graced the front entrance and then later the side entrance.
I have not found any reference to the transfer of obsolete guns to the NT in 20th century correspondence of the SA Governor, nor in surviving Australian Defence Department papers.
From comparing various photos of the flagpole lawn at the SLSA, dated from C.1911, a gun does not appear in them until 1924, on a static wooden mounting. Perhaps, as a sort of jest, the NT “Troubles” of 1918-1919 had something to do with the gun’s re-appearance? It is also possible that the gun played a role during the visit of the SA governor G.R. Le Hunte in 1905?
[i] Published as ‘The Shackle..’ edited by Ira Nesdale, Lynton Publications SA 1975.
[ii] GRG 35/25/909; SA Observer 4.12.69, p.3d.
[iii] GRG 35/307 Diary of Hugh L McCallum (appended to the diary of Dr Peel).
[iv] SA Register10.7.1871 p.5e.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] GRS1/1871/293
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] GRG 24/6/1903/828 Stores on Charge of Military Dept. SA 1.3.1901.
[ix] GRG 24/6/1905/774 Guns at Yatala Labour Prison; Report of the Military Committee of Inquiry 1901, Part IV, chapter 4 (SA):-Inspection of the Armament and Works of the Commonwealth 1901.
Escape Cliffs and relics. (Djukbinj NP / Litchfield Shire)
Instructions to acting-GR Manton on 6.11.1866 the Chief Secretary [i]
Escape Cliffs was abandoned in mid-January 1867. In 1884 J. Langdon Parsons GR reported that he saw a good many cannon balls and empty shells lying about.[ii] Some years later Alfred Searcy found ‘a heap of bombshells’ on-site.[iii] Much of the iron work and nails had been scrounged by Goyder’s men in 1869, but I have not found a reference to a built powder magazine at Escape Cliffs nor its location, other than in one of the angles of the stockade, but in any case subterranean remnants might still exist, not forgetting at least one unexcavated well on-site. Copper Magazines, shaped like the Milk cans of yesteryear, but smaller, were taken to the NT for the safe storage of cannon cartridges.
In 1864 the projectiles despatched to the NT for the 6, 12 and 24 pounders comprised:-
6-prs 200 cannister (case) and 150 shot (solid). The amount returned to SA is unknown.
12-pr 50 cannister (case) and 50 shell (common). All but 3 shells were returned to SA.[iv]
24-pr 100 cannister (case) and 50 shell (common). The amount returned to SA is unknown.
Although exposed cast iron cannon balls may defoliate over time, the following were the official diameters, which should guide their identification:-
24-pr howitzer, calibre 5.72 inches, shell diameter 5.57—5.62 inches.
12-pr howitzer, calibre 4.58 inches, shell diameter 4.43—4.47 inches.
12-pr carronade, calibre 4.52 inches, same shell as howitzer. (Imperial Service pattern)
6-pr light gun, calibre 3.66 inches, shot & shell diameter 3.53—3.56 inches.
3-pr gun calibre 2.91 inches, shot diameter 2.8—2.83 inches. (Service calibre)
NB: The weight of shot and shell were nominal, i.e., not precisely 24, 12 pounds, &c.
Shell can be discerned from shot by having a threaded fuse hole in them, which can be either open and therefore empty, or stopped with a brass plug and possibly alive or dead.[v]
The lengths of the 12-prs were: [vi] muzzle to base ring total overall
Howitzer (Millar’s pattern) 45.2” 50.25”
Carronade (service pattern) 32.36” 43”
Carronades were maritime guns, the naval pattern versions of which generally varied significantly from those of the merchant service and between different manufacturers and countries. Real Carronades have a reduced muzzle diameter, a recessed muzzle and have a central carriage loop under their belly. Merchant equivalents, whether similar or not, generally have conventional trunnions and a large bore like howitzers. Ordinary merchant cannon had proportionally smaller bores like the 3-pr. Most of this ordnance was marked with the manufacturer’s trademark, &c.
As a matter of interest the following South Australian brass guns still survive in government hands, the others were either scrapped, or hopefully survive in private domains:-
1 12-pr howitzer Government House, Darwin.
2 24-pr howitzers One at Fort Glanville, one at Army Museum SA.
2 9-pr guns Both at Fort Glanville.
1 6-pr gun At Cadell Prison, SA.
1 4 2/5” Coehorn mortar Last seen by myself in private hands in SA in 1976.
[i] SAPP 133/66-67 Recall of NT party.
[ii] SAPP 53A/84 Quarterly Report on the NT, p.4.
[iii] Alfred Searcy “In Australian Tropics” 1909, p.283.
[iv] Author’s notes.
[v] Griffiths. Major FA, “The Artillerist’s Manual and British Soldiers Compendium”, London 1856.
[vi] Capt Boxer RA, “Treatise on Artillery—Diagrams of Guns”, Woolwich 1853.
A considerable number of other documents, diaries, newspapers, &c., including the recent “Great Central State” by Jack Cross, were searched for this project at the State Library of SA and State Records SA, but most were, as usual, vague and dismissive about the nitty-gritty.
Abbreviations used in footnotes:-
SLSA = State Library of SA. [Hint—when keying in these numbers leave a space after the letter].
PRG = Private Record Group
D = Donated personal record
SAPP = SA Parliamentary Paper
B = Photograph
SR = State Records of SA (nee SA State Archives)
GRG = Government Record Group. GRG24/6 = Chief Secretary’s Office. In letters.
GRG35/25= Commsr.Crown Lands. Out ditto.
GRG35/643= Finniss Papers.
GRG44/49 = Auditor-General: NT Expedition.
GRS = Government Record Series GRS1 = In-letters of the Minister for the NT (i.e., Commissioner of Crown Lands, SA)
Some extra words on the Flagpole cannon : Normally, around the world, when brass guns are left exposed to the elements for a long period of time they go green, usually with irreversible pitting of the surface. Your website shows the gun with a smooth black finish.
I presume it has been chemically treated, or lacquered, not painted. This is a good idea and helps protect it from vandals with Brasso, visitors with greedy eyes, and moreover, omits the fact that it is of expensive “brass” on the interpretation sign.
[Sorry, I do not really know if the sign omits this, as I cannot read it off the website].
Your 12-pr howitzer is a very valuable survivor, and is certainly rare and irreplaceable.
I respectfully suggest that it should be housed in a museum.
Antique brass cannon should not be fired, even with blank charges, owing to changes in the bonding of copper and tin (the metals which comprise gunmetal), a problem of crystallization which varies from one brass gun to another, gradually weakening over the centuries.
I presume it has been chemically treated, or lacquered, not painted. This is a good idea and helps protect it from vandals with Brasso, visitors with greedy eyes, and moreover, omits the fact that it is of expensive “brass” on the interpretation sign.
[Sorry, I do not really know if the sign omits this, as I cannot read it off the website].
Your 12-pr howitzer is a very valuable survivor, and is certainly rare and irreplaceable.
I respectfully suggest that it should be housed in a museum.
Antique brass cannon should not be fired, even with blank charges, owing to changes in the bonding of copper and tin (the metals which comprise gunmetal), a problem of crystallization which varies from one brass gun to another, gradually weakening over the centuries.
End Notes
- Author’s notes.
- PRG 527/6/1 5.12.63 Confidential Correspondence from Finniss to Chief Secretary.
- Author’s notes.
- GRG 24/6/1864/382 and 391, GRG 35/643 Vol.1 21.3.64, PRG 527/6/5, Author’s notes.
- Author’s notes, D 3058 Journals of AC Webling 20.4.64.
- GRG 35/643, Vol.1 21.3.64.
- PRG 1000, p35. Diary of Ebenezer Ward.
- GRG 44/49, 30.7.64 Diary of J.Davis.
- PRG 527/5 15.8.64, No.22; SA Advertiser 15.10.64, p.2d.
- SLSA photo B 839, Escape Cliff settlement, 1865.
- PRG 527/5.
- SAPP 89/65 29.6.64.
- GRG 35/643 Vol.1; D 3058 Journals of AC Webling p.54.
- D 8043 Diary of NT Survey Expedition by RH Edmunds,(late of the Port Adelaide Artillery).
- SAPP 80/66-67, on 24/3, 29/3, 24/5 and 1.6.66.
- GRG 24/6/1866/1896.
- GRG 24/6/1867/447.
- Published as ‘The Shackle..’ edited by Ira Nesdale, Lynton Publications SA 1975.
- GRG 35/25/909; SA Observer 4.12.69, p.3d.
- GRG 35/307 Diary of Hugh L McCallum (appended to the diary of Dr Peel).
- SA Register10.7.1871 p.5e.
- Ibid.
- GRS1/1871/293
- Ibid.
- GRG 24/6/1903/828 Stores on Charge of Military Dept. SA 1.3.1901.
- GRG 24/6/1905/774 Guns at Yatala Labour Prison; Report of the Military Committee of Inquiry 1901, Part IV, chapter 4 (SA):-Inspection of the Armament and Works of the Commonwealth 1901.
- SAPP 133/66-67 Recall of NT party.
Additional Material
Sir George Murray, GCB, GCH, FRS 6 February 1772 - 28 July 1846
Sir George Murray, the second son of Sir William Murray of Ochtertyre, 5th Baronet, was born in Perth, Scotland. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and in 1789, he obtained a commission into the 71st Foot, reaching the rank of Captain in 1794, and seeing service in Flanders (1794–95), the West Indies, England and Ireland. In 1799 he was made a Lieutenant-Colonel, entering the Quartermaster General's Department and making his considerable reputation as Quartermaster General (1808–11) during the Peninsular War, under the Duke of Wellington, and receiving promotion to Colonel in 1809.
After a brief period as Quartermaster General in Ireland, Murray returned to the Peninsular Campaign as Major-General (1813-14), and was invested with the Order of the Bath in 1813. He was briefly in Canada from December 1814 to May 1815 where he was appointed provisional Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and reviewed the defences of Canada. He quickly returned to Europe following Napoleon's escape from Elba, but arrived too late to take part in the Battle of Waterloo.
He was appointed Governor of the Royal Military College (1819). He was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Oxford in 1820 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1824. In 1825 he married Lady Louisa Erskine, widow of Sir James Erskine of Torrie. Subsequently he was made Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, but in 1828 he resigned as Commander-in-Chief of the Army in Ireland and became Colonial Secretary. He was the Master-General of the Ordnance between 1834 to 1835 and between 1841 and 1846.
The Murray River and Mount Murray in Australia are named in honour of him. He was Member of Parliament for Perthshire in Scotland, and the city of Perth, Western Australia is also (indirectly) named in his honour, as it was his birthplace.
Murray was also President of the Royal Geographical Society (1833–5) and Governor of Edinburgh Castle.
Sir George Murray, the second son of Sir William Murray of Ochtertyre, 5th Baronet, was born in Perth, Scotland. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and in 1789, he obtained a commission into the 71st Foot, reaching the rank of Captain in 1794, and seeing service in Flanders (1794–95), the West Indies, England and Ireland. In 1799 he was made a Lieutenant-Colonel, entering the Quartermaster General's Department and making his considerable reputation as Quartermaster General (1808–11) during the Peninsular War, under the Duke of Wellington, and receiving promotion to Colonel in 1809.
After a brief period as Quartermaster General in Ireland, Murray returned to the Peninsular Campaign as Major-General (1813-14), and was invested with the Order of the Bath in 1813. He was briefly in Canada from December 1814 to May 1815 where he was appointed provisional Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and reviewed the defences of Canada. He quickly returned to Europe following Napoleon's escape from Elba, but arrived too late to take part in the Battle of Waterloo.
He was appointed Governor of the Royal Military College (1819). He was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Oxford in 1820 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1824. In 1825 he married Lady Louisa Erskine, widow of Sir James Erskine of Torrie. Subsequently he was made Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, but in 1828 he resigned as Commander-in-Chief of the Army in Ireland and became Colonial Secretary. He was the Master-General of the Ordnance between 1834 to 1835 and between 1841 and 1846.
The Murray River and Mount Murray in Australia are named in honour of him. He was Member of Parliament for Perthshire in Scotland, and the city of Perth, Western Australia is also (indirectly) named in his honour, as it was his birthplace.
Murray was also President of the Royal Geographical Society (1833–5) and Governor of Edinburgh Castle.
https://sha.org/assets/documents/British%20Smooth-Bore%20Artillery%20-%20English.pdf
Page 152 HOWITZERS
12-Pounder
The 12-pounder brass howitzer was introduced into the service in 1820 or 1822 although there are records of it being used in experiments and practice in 1819.56 It was to be used in batteries with the 6-pounder brass gun, replacing the 4-2/5-inch Coehorn howitzer.57 Its length was 45.2 inches (that is, 10 calibres) throughout its career and its weight was usually stated at 6-1/2 hundredweight, although there are examples extant weighing slightly less at a little more than 6 hundredweight.58 Initially its calibre was 4.52 inches, the same as the Coehorn which it was replacing, but, probably in the 1830s, it was increased to 4.58 inches.59 The bore of the 12pounder terminated in a Gomer chamber, 6.8 inches long tapering to a hemisphere of 3.4 inches in diameter.60 The cascable had been simplified in design and a loop had been cast under the button to take the elevating screw. (The earliest design seems not to have had the loop. See Fig. 113.) There was a vent patch on the first reinforce, a dispart sight on the muzzle; four plain rings and a vent astragal and fillets separated its parts. It was last cast in 1859, being replaced by the Armstrong gun in the 1860s.61 At the Rotunda there is an example extant, cast in 1853, which precisely illustrates the design (Fig. 115).62 There were also two 12-pounder howitzers designed for sea service. One was identical to the land service pattern, except that it was cast with a breeching loop and the second reinforce ring had been turned off. It could be used on boat service or landed on a field carriage; two were put on board first to sixth rates and one on board brigs and smaller vessels.63 There is a sea service howitzer of this pattern, cast in 1858, at the Rotunda, Woolwich (Fig. 116). It was manufactured without the loop for attaching the elevating screw.64 A heavier 12-pounder was designed by Colonel Dundas and introduced into the service probably in the early 1840s. It was 4 feet 7 inches long and weighed 10 hundredweight. Its use was restricted to fourth and fifth rates.65 Other than these facts, little else is known about this howitzer.66
J;2 POIHJDi;{
Figure 114. Brass 12-pounder Howitzer (Millar), weight: 6.5 hundredweight, length: 3 feet 9.2 inches, circa 1850. (Boxer, Diagrams of Guns, Plate XXVIII.)
HOWITZERS page 153
Figure 115. Brass 12-pounder Howitzer (Millar), cast in 1853 by S. Eccles, weight: 6 hundredweight 2 quarters, length: 3 feet 9 inches. (The Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich, U.K., The Rotunda, II/85.)
Figure 116. Brass 12-pounder Sea Service Howitzer (Millar), cast in 1858 by F.M. Eardley-Wilmot, weight: 6 hundredweight 26 pounds, total length: 50.25 inches. (The Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich, U.K., The Rotunda, II/?l.)
Page 152 HOWITZERS
12-Pounder
The 12-pounder brass howitzer was introduced into the service in 1820 or 1822 although there are records of it being used in experiments and practice in 1819.56 It was to be used in batteries with the 6-pounder brass gun, replacing the 4-2/5-inch Coehorn howitzer.57 Its length was 45.2 inches (that is, 10 calibres) throughout its career and its weight was usually stated at 6-1/2 hundredweight, although there are examples extant weighing slightly less at a little more than 6 hundredweight.58 Initially its calibre was 4.52 inches, the same as the Coehorn which it was replacing, but, probably in the 1830s, it was increased to 4.58 inches.59 The bore of the 12pounder terminated in a Gomer chamber, 6.8 inches long tapering to a hemisphere of 3.4 inches in diameter.60 The cascable had been simplified in design and a loop had been cast under the button to take the elevating screw. (The earliest design seems not to have had the loop. See Fig. 113.) There was a vent patch on the first reinforce, a dispart sight on the muzzle; four plain rings and a vent astragal and fillets separated its parts. It was last cast in 1859, being replaced by the Armstrong gun in the 1860s.61 At the Rotunda there is an example extant, cast in 1853, which precisely illustrates the design (Fig. 115).62 There were also two 12-pounder howitzers designed for sea service. One was identical to the land service pattern, except that it was cast with a breeching loop and the second reinforce ring had been turned off. It could be used on boat service or landed on a field carriage; two were put on board first to sixth rates and one on board brigs and smaller vessels.63 There is a sea service howitzer of this pattern, cast in 1858, at the Rotunda, Woolwich (Fig. 116). It was manufactured without the loop for attaching the elevating screw.64 A heavier 12-pounder was designed by Colonel Dundas and introduced into the service probably in the early 1840s. It was 4 feet 7 inches long and weighed 10 hundredweight. Its use was restricted to fourth and fifth rates.65 Other than these facts, little else is known about this howitzer.66
J;2 POIHJDi;{
Figure 114. Brass 12-pounder Howitzer (Millar), weight: 6.5 hundredweight, length: 3 feet 9.2 inches, circa 1850. (Boxer, Diagrams of Guns, Plate XXVIII.)
HOWITZERS page 153
Figure 115. Brass 12-pounder Howitzer (Millar), cast in 1853 by S. Eccles, weight: 6 hundredweight 2 quarters, length: 3 feet 9 inches. (The Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich, U.K., The Rotunda, II/85.)
Figure 116. Brass 12-pounder Sea Service Howitzer (Millar), cast in 1858 by F.M. Eardley-Wilmot, weight: 6 hundredweight 26 pounds, total length: 50.25 inches. (The Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich, U.K., The Rotunda, II/?l.)