Historical information

This small iron cannon ball is made of iron. Cannon balls were used as ammunition for a cannon and fired at a target. This cannon is only 8 cm round, or 4.15 inches, and is likely to have been called a 4-pounder due to its weight and the gun from which it would be fired.

Six 4-powder cannons were recovered from Endeavour Reef, Queensland, in 1969. They were from Captain Cook's HMS Endeavour, thrown overboard when the ship struck a reef there in 1770. They are likely to have been mounted on deck cannon carriages on the ship. Similar 4-pounder cannons were mounted on gun carriages and used as field guns.

The cannon ball, or round shot, is made from cast iron. The molten iron is poured into the small opening of a two-piece mould. The seam between the moulds sometimes leaves a round mark on the ball, and as seen in this cannon ball, there is a flat area. These marks were often filed to make the ball smooth.

Significance

Cannons with cannon balls as ammunition were installed at Warrnambool for protection from possible invasion in the mid-to-late 19th century and early 20th century.

Physical description

Cannon ball, iron, black with a pitted shiny surface. It has three flat areas and evidence of a seam around the circumference. There are remnants of a possible inscription stamped into the iron. The cannon ball is a four-pounder ball.

Inscriptions & markings

Remnants of an indecipherable stamp and / or red text.