NAVAL ATTACK – ARMAMENT OF ATTACKING FORCE

 

4 Orlandos and 2 Marathons

 

9 –inch BL                                8

6 –inch BL                                52

QF guns (various)                      74

Machine guns                            36  

 

Amount of ammunition and number of counter-mines carried unknown

 

 

ARMAMENT ESTABLISHMENT OF FORTS AT PORT PHILLIP HEADS 1892

 

Number of guns at each Fort (shown by its initials)

Q         = Fort Queenscliff

CN       = Crows Nest Battery

N         = Nepean

EN       = Eagles Nest Battery

F          = Fort Franklin

SC        = South Channel Fort

SI         = Swan Island

 

BL       = Breech loading

RML    = Rifled muzzle-loading

ML       = Muzzle-loading

QF       = Quick-firing

SB        = Smooth-bore

 

 

Calibre and weight                     Outer defences                                     Inner defences

 

                                                Q         CN       N         EN                   F          SC        SI

BL guns

10 –inch 26 tons                        -           -           -           1 Hp                 -           -           -

9.2 –inch 20 tons                       1 Hp     -           2 Hp     -                       -           -           -

9.2 –inch 20 tons                       1          -           -           -                       -           -           -

8 –inch 12 tons                          -           1 Hp-                -                       -           2 Hp     -

6 –inch 5 tons                            2 Hp     -           2 Hp     -                       -           -           -

5 –inch 3 tons                            -           -           -           -                       2 Hp     -           4Hp

5 –inch 2 tons                            -           -           -           -                       -           2 Hp     -

10 –inch 25 tons                        -           -           -           -                       1          -           -

6 –inch 5 tons                            1          -           1          -                       -           -           -

6 –inch 4 tons                            -           -           -           -                       -           -           1

4.724 –inch QF                         -           -           1          -                       1          1          -

14 pdr QF                                 2          -           1          1                      -           -           -

6 pdr QF (on Balance Pillar)      1          1          -           -                       -           2          2

6 pdr QF (field gun)                   2          -           -           -                       -           -           -

 

RML guns

9 –inch 12 tons                          2          -           -           -                       -           -           1

80 pdr 81 cwt                            1 Hp     -           -           -                       -           -           2

 

ML

32 pdr 32 cwt (SB field gun)      1          -           -           -                       -           -           -

           

Machine guns

5 barrel Nordenfeldt                  2          -           2          -                       -           2          2

2 barrel Nordenfeldt                  -           -           -           -                       -           2          -

10 barrl Nordenfeldt (field gun)  4          -           -           -                       -           -           2

5 barrel Nordenfeldt (field gun)  -           -           -           -                       1          -           -

 

 

 

AMMUNITION (Shot and shell)

Rounds per gun irrespective of location excluding QF and machine guns

Common iron shell                     100

Shrapnel shell                            20

Case shot                                  10

Palliser shot                              70

 

 

 

PROBABLE RANGES CONSIDERED EFFECTIVE IN CLEAR WEATHER DAYLIGHT

(Approximate estimates compiled from a chart by Major F. R. Reynolds RE, 1894, WO78 2529)

 

BL guns

10 –inch 26 tons                        12,500 yds

9.2 –inch 20 tons                       11,000 yds

8 –inch 12 tons                          8,000 yds

6 –inch 5 tons                            7,000 yds

6 –inch 4 tons                            6,500 yds

5 –inch 3 tons                            5,000 yds

4.7 –inch QF                             9,500 yds

14 pdr QF                                 7,000 yds

6 pdr                                         4,000 yds

 

RML guns

9 –inch 12 tons                          5,500 yds

80 pdr 81 cwt                            3,000 yds

 

 

 

NOTES ON RANGES (Full charge)

 

8 –inch                at 12 degrees    = 8,500 yds

8 –inch                at 15 degrees    = 9,500 yds

4.7 –inch at 15 degrees    = 10,000 yds

 

 

Heavy guns were capable of armour penetration as follows:

10 –inch BL        12.4 –inch iron armour   under 5,000 yds,

9.2 –inch BL       12.6 –inch iron armour   under 4,000 yds,

8 –inch BL          12 –inch iron armour                  under 1,000 yds,

  & 10 –inch iron armour            under 2,000 yds,

6 –inch BL          10.4 –inch iron armour   under 1,000 yds.

 

HMS Orlando’s protection could be penetrated by:

10 –inch guns    at ranges           under 4,500 yds,

9.2 –inch guns               under 3,000 yds,

8 –inch guns                              under 2,000 yds,

and (possibly) by 6 –inch guns    under 1,000 yds.

 

 

 

DEFENCE ELECTRIC LIGHTS IN 1892

 

In this first phase of their development DELs worked in groups comprised of one Fixed (or sentry) beam and one, or more, Wandering (or search) lights, and were mounted at Fort Nepean, Fort Queenscliff, Swan Island Fort and South Channel Fort.

Targets crossing a fixed beam were to be held and followed by the wandering light. At this stage bombproof emplacements had not yet been provided for the lights and their generators were powered by steam.

These were probably ‘dispersed’ lights with a beam spread laterally by 16^o, or 30^o, and their effective range in good weather was considered to be 2,000 yards. Their effectiveness was severely limited by gun smoke, by rain, and even by mist.

In addition to the lights located at the Forts searchlights were carried by vessels of the Victorian Navy acting as guard ships for the minefields at night.

 

 

NAVAL DEFENCE

PROBABLE ARMAMENT OF VICTORIAN NAVAL DEFENCE VESSELS IN 1892

 

In the case of Victorian Naval Defences it is difficult to establish improvements and changes made between 1887 and 1892 and for this reason this table must be considered provisional.