No visit to Gibraltar is complete without a visit to the 100 Ton Gun which is situated at Napier of Magdala Battery. This Victorian supergun is one of only two in the world remaining in such good condition the other being in Malta. This interpretation centre provides an excellent understanding of the manufacture, installation and operation of the gun.

Designed and manufactured in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, by Sir W.C. Armstrong in 1870 and nicknamed 'The Rock Buster' - this is the best preserved example of an early 'Supergun'. Four were originally made and sold to the Italian Navy for mounting on their battleships. The British Government, alarmed that their important Mediterranean bases might be defenceless against long range bombardment from these weapons, commissioned two guns each for Malta and Gibraltar.

The 100 Ton Gun Battery was constructed between 23rd December 1878 and 31st March 1884 on the site of the old 2nd and 3rd Rosia Batteries at a cost of £35,717 and named after the governor, Lord Napier of Magdala. Designed during a period of rapid advances in artillery technology, the 100 Ton gun was soon rendered obsolete without ever firing a shot in anger. Nevertheless, the site remained strategically important.

FACT OR FICTION
In the panorama opposite you can see the relative sizes of a man, shell and muzzel. It is said that during a visit of the Inspector-General of Artillery in 1902 the Gun was prepared to fire 5 rounds at full charge. On the first order to fire, the tube fired but that was all. After further attempts still nothing happened so the misfire drill was carried out but to no avail. At the end of the stipulated 30 minutes wait, the General asked for a volunteer to go down the bore and fasten the shell extractor to the projectile so that the Gun could be unloaded. After a long pause for consideration a small thin soldier stepped forward and volunteered for the task. Stripped to the waist, a rope round him and the extractor ready, he was himself 'loaded' into the Gun. A few moments later, to everyone's relief, he was hauled back safely, having completed his task. The gunner's reward, though not princely, was immediate, as it is said that he was promoted to the rank of Bombardier that same day. Versions differ over the identity of the volunteer who risked being scattered across the bay, but the most likely candidate to fit inside the barrel was the trumpeter, since he was only a boy. No doubt many subsequently told this tale over a pint of ale - and cast themselves as the hero.

ARMOUR PEIRCING
You can see in the panorama a representation of the shell passing through 24 inch wrought iron. In 1863 Captain William Palliser invented a method of casting shot with the point in an iron mould. This cooled the point more rapidly and produced a brittle, but extremely hard, tip - which enabled a shell from the 100 ton gun to penetrate 24.9 inches of wrought iron. A formidable prospect in an age when the best protected vessels only had armour plating 18 inches thick.

AIMED BY TELEPHONE
Information necessary to aim the gun was conveyed to a telephonist by range-finders situated higher up the Rock. Since the telephone had only recently been invented in 1876, this post of telephonist must have been one of the first in the British army. However, this use of 'new' technology contrasts vividly with the fact that commands within the battery itself were still conveyed by speaking tubes and trumpet calls.

The steps shown in the panorama lead upwards to the loading chamber. The tunnel adjacent to the steps lead to the gun via additional steps.

EXTRACT FROM GIBRALTAR CHRONICAL
Gibraltars oldest serving daily newspaper reported the instalation of the gun at the time.

The first of the 100-ton guns was successfully lowered to its carriage in the Napier of Magdala battery yesterday morning in the presence of His Excellency Lieut.-General Sir John Adye, G.C.B., attended by Lieutenant Adye, A.D.C., Sir Henry Burford-Hancock, Captain the Hon. E. Fremantle, R.N., the Colonel on the Staff C.R.A., the Colonel on the Staff C.R.E., Colonel Brackenbury, C.R.A., South District, Majors Caulter R.E., Georges, R.A., Buckle, R.A., and others. The different operation of getting the gun into position from the time of its removal from the hold of the Stanley has been carried out without misadventure, under the immediate supervision of Captain Daniell, R.A., assisted by Lieut. Sankey, R.A., on the part of the Artillery, and of Lieut. Shaw on the part of the Engineers. The following extract from a Dover paper in respect to the firing from the 81-ton gun at that place may prove of interest to our readers, inasmuch as it cannot fail to quiet the minds of those of may have had misgivings as to the effect of the practice from the 100-ton gun at this place. Some time must necessarily lapse where practice can take place, of which due notice will be given in these columns...........................