Conservation of an incredibly rare cannon from the legendary HMS Victory 1744 wreck

Diana Davis - Senior Conservator - National Museum of the Royal Navy, talks about the conservation of the 42-Pounder cannon from HMS Victory 1744 shipwreck.
Since her discovery ten years ago, the wreck of HMS Victory 1744, the predecessor to Nelson’s famous flagship, has captured the imagination of naval enthusiasts and maritime archaeologists.
Her sinking is one of the Royal Navy’s worst naval disasters. Commanded by Admiral Sir John Balchin, all 1100 crew were lost when she sank during a storm off the coast near Plymouth in 1744.
After 250 years on the bottom of the English Channel, West Dean College of Arts and Conservation were presented with a 3.3 tonnes bronze cannon and began conservation, a treatment that would take 10 years to finish.
42- Pounder cannon is on display at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Find out more: bit.ly/2x8JVzn

[@davidrasch3082]

Beautiful. The metalsmith's art.

[@garethjudd5840]

Wonderful Irish, American and British accent.

[@fruitella196]

Cannon was loaded, pretty cool

[@lutzderlurch7877]

Pretty much standard practice at the time, to carry the guns aboard loaded. The muzzle would have been plugged with a turned wood tompion, often with a greased rope gasket. The touchhole often covered with a shaped lead cover. This made sure the ship was ready for action reasonably fast, since the reloading, especially of these 42 pounders, was rather time consuming

[@oml81mm]

And this was why, before entering a port of a friendly nation, the guns would be fired to prove that they were then unloaded and that no harm was intended. This firing of guns, over time, became a form of salute and is still done to this day.
That, folks, is tradition. Long may it continue !