Copper in Ancient India c10.s1.3

c10.s1.3

With the advance in the knowledge of the technique of gun-manufacture, the size of the guns increased enormously and the materials used were chiefly wrought iron and brass or bronze. The iron guns which were often as long as 30 ft. were chiefly made by welding together a large number of wrought iron rings placed side by side. The welding was done in many cases so perfectly as in the case of the Murshidabad gun manufactured at Dacca during Emperor Jehangir’s time, that the weld lines were completely invisible. As regards brass guns we know from Bernier’s account of his travels that early in Aurungjeb’s reign there were in the field with the emperor seventy pieces of heavy artillery mostly of brass. Many of these were so gigantic and heavy that 20 yoke of oxen were often required for drawing them.