Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c51.s7.14

v4.c51.s7.14

“Sangster was a Scotchman. . . . In the work of casting cannon and manufacturing small arms, he was an expert. The cannon he turned out could compare with the best the (E.I.) Company manufactured, whilst his muskets, produced at a cost of ten rupees each, were excellent in every respect, . . . superior to anything then in the hands of the native Powers, and almost equal in finish and durability to weapons made in Europe. De Boigne at first appointed him to the charge of the arsenal at Agra. . . . In process of time other arsenals and magazines were established at Mathura, Delhi, Gwalior, Kalpi and Gohad, of all of which he had the superintendence. (Twining mentions his musket factory at Firuzabad also, and the Chambery Mémoire of De Boigne, cannon foundries at Hodal and Palwal.) The cannon-balls were cast at Gwalior, where there were very fine iron mines; and gunpowder was manufactured at Agra, the saltpetre and sulphur being imported from Bikanir.” (H. Compton, 47 and 387. Twining, 187.)