| Description | [Carronades were short-range, smoothbore, cast-iron cannon, first produced by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland. The guns were used from c. 1779 to mid 19th century. They allowed a lighter gun using less gunpowder to be effective. The invention is ascribed either to General Robert Melville in 1759 or or to Charles Gascoigne, manager of the Carron Company from 1769 - 1779. They went out of fashion as longer range gunfire was developed.] |