Loaded cannon found in New York City

[trent/OH]

A cannon which was on display in Central Park for over a century has been found to have been loaded. The story doesn't mention that the gun came from HMS Hussar, which grounded and sank near New York in 1780.
newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/01/11/exclusive-loaded-revolutionary-war-era-cannon-found-in-central-park/

 

[Jim Blair]

What a find and in Mr.Gun Ban's town to boot.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/0...utionary-war-era-cannon-found-in-central-park/

 

[cynthialee]

there was a cannon many many years in either Saco or Biddeford Maine that turned out to be loaded
I used to crawl all over that thing.
It was pointed at a bunch of buildings.

Makes me wonder how many canons out there are still loaded and no one knows it.

 

[Many Klatch]

I guess we all need to make up some extra extra long ramrods and check if the cannons on the town square are loaded or not. That ought to get your name in the 6:00 news. :grin:

Many Klatch

 

[Birdwatcher]

This one at old fort Niagara is loaded with a rough-winged swallow's nest most summers....

Other cannon in different times and place have been reported loaded with the nests of starlings, house sparrows, bluebirds and kestrels.

...'course, that's gonna be a lot of feathers in the air should one of these things actually go off :wink:

Birdwatcher

 

[Rifleman1776]

there was a cannon many many years in either Saco or Biddeford Maine that turned out to be loaded
I used to crawl all over that thing.
It was pointed at a bunch of buildings.

Makes me wonder how many canons out there are still loaded and no one knows it.

Make me wonder how many idiots there are out there who displayed those cannons without checking to see if they were loaded. :shocked2:

 

[trent/OH]

This one at old fort Niagara is loaded with a rough-winged swallow's nest most summers....

Birdwatcher

See that red roofed building through the gate? That's Coast Guard Station Niagara, where I used to be stationed. For a history buff, there's no better place to be assigned.

 

[rescuemike]

I am finding it hard to believe that 200+ year old powder that has been submerged, and exposed to the elements is going to do much more that fizzle and make ALOT of smoke...

Anybody got an idea??

 

[Billnpatti]

If it drys out and has a source of ignition, it will go KA-BOOM!

 

[Matt85]

I am finding it hard to believe that 200+ year old powder that has been submerged, and exposed to the elements is going to do much more that fizzle and make ALOT of smoke...

Anybody got an idea??

BP does not go bad. if it gets wet, it just needs to dry out. many civil war cannon balls have gone off cause the ill informed put them to close to the fireplace.

-matt

 

[ny griz]

:surrender: Bet they'll be checkin a lot of canons now. :rotf: Griz

 

[Rifleman1776]

:surrender: Bet they'll be checkin a lot of canons now. :rotf: Griz

I wrote to our (Arkansas) Old State House museum about this issue. They have two beautiful cannon on the front lawn. No reply.