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Superguns Helped Defeat the Spanish Armada

Posted by kdawson on from the nobody-expects-the-spanish-armada dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "With the discovery last year of the first wreck of an Elizabethan fighting ship off Alderney in the Channel Islands, thought to date from around 1592, marine archaeologists are revising their ideas on how the English defeated the Spanish Armada. Replicas of two cannon recovered from the Alderney wreck were recreated in a modern foundry, and tests carried out showed that the Elizabethans were throwing shot at almost the speed of sound. Elizabeth's 'supergun,' although relatively small, could hit a target a mile away. At a ship-to-ship fighting distance of about 100 yards, the ball would have sufficient punch to penetrate the oak planks of a galleon, travel across the deck, and emerge out the other side. Tests on cannon recovered from the Alderney wreck also suggest that the ship carried guns of uniform size, firing standard ammunition. 'Elizabeth's navy created the first ever set of uniform cannon, capable of firing the same size shot in a deadly barrage,' says marine archaeologist Mensun Bound from Oxford University, adding that that navy had worked out that a lot of small guns, all the same, all firing at once, were more effective than a few big guns. '[Elizabeth's] navy made a giant leap forward in the way men fought at sea, years ahead of England's enemies, and which was still being used to devastating effect by Nelson 200 years later.'"

28 of 501 comments (clear)

  1. Expert naval tactics by D-Cypell · · Score: 5, Funny

    Speaking of a Brit I am always humbled at my nations level of mastery of naval tactics, from the early 'near supersonic' artillery mentioned in this article, to the modern... "Just ram the fuckers with a submarine" approach that we employ today... *wipes tear*

    1. Re:Expert naval tactics by _Shad0w_ · · Score: 4, Funny

      I blame the French for driving on the wrong side.

      --

      Yeah, I had a sig once; I got bored of it.

    2. Re:Expert naval tactics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right#Countries_with_left-hand_traffic
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right#Countries_with_right-hand_trafffic

      If anyone was driving on the wrong side in international waters it would be the British sub.

    3. Re:Expert naval tactics by adamchou · · Score: 5, Funny

      How rude of the french to attempt to steal the title of worst drivers from my fellow chinese.

    4. Re:Expert naval tactics by Chaoscrypt · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dont forget about "Windows for Warships"

    5. Re:Expert naval tactics by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 4, Funny

      Or IBM's new 'take a step to the right' body armor. Can you imagine putting that on sailors and watching them fall overboard when you shoot at them?

    6. Re:Expert naval tactics by Ihlosi · · Score: 4, Funny

      to the modern... "Just ram the fuckers with a submarine" approach that we employ today... *wipes tear*

      That approach was first invented by the US Navy, though. However, applying it to another submarine instead of some random fishing vessel is quite a refinement.

    7. Re:Expert naval tactics by tgd · · Score: 4, Funny

      Apparently neither of you have been to Massachusetts ...

    8. Re:Expert naval tactics by D-Cypell · · Score: 5, Funny

      I am currently living and working in India..... and I approve this message.

    9. Re:Expert naval tactics by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 4, Funny

      Driving in MA would actually be nice if we could get rid of all the drivers east of Worcester, everyone from New York, and all the Vermontards.

      --
      Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
    10. Re:Expert naval tactics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      -.-

    11. Re:Expert naval tactics by value_added · · Score: 5, Funny

      You know that "decimated" means that a tenth was taken... so it was more than decimated...

      More specifically,

      The earliest sense of decimate was 'kill one in every ten of', a reference to the ancient Roman practice of killing one in every ten of a group of soldiers as a collective punishment. This has been more or less totally superseded by the sense 'kill or destroy a large proportion of', although some traditionalists argue that this later sense is incorrect.

      Yeah, yeah, I know. But apart from the aqueduct, the sanitation, the roads and the word 'decimate', what else have the Romans ever done for us?

    12. Re:Expert naval tactics by gtall · · Score: 4, Funny

      'Protestant Wind'? Errr...so their other secret weapon was beans for dinner? Those bastards!

      Gerry

    13. Re:Expert naval tactics by squiggleslash · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah, but they're fairly predictable. They all just start their cars, put on the blinker - so it makes that clicking noise to remind them they're driving a car, and then get on the highway and steer into the left lane. Stay out of the left lane, and you're fairly safe.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    14. Re:Expert naval tactics by ErroneousBee · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Here are some places, peopled therein. The State of New York. To the south The City of New York, bounded by sea , whose influence comes ashore. To the North the land of Adirondacks, with Saratoga therin. Between, in the center, the Upstate of New York."

      "Those of the Center motivate vehicles with precision unheard of in other parts."

      "Wherin two roads, i90 and i87, meet in the land of Upstate. The dwellers there, bounded by parkland and plenty, consider their blessings."

      "Not expensive wagons driven Southwards from Saratoga to labour for the Rulers, nor the dwellers of The City, proceeding away from home, consider those they find about."

      --
      **TODO** Steal someone elses sig.
    15. Re:Expert naval tactics by Gilmoure · · Score: 2, Funny

      I was the ugly American driving the wrong way up a one way street in Rome, in '93. After circling the area the car rental place was in, several times, I came to the conclusion that all roads led away from it. Took a chance and managed not to hit anyone or get stopped by the Police.

      Now, the guy on the Vespa, that was hit by the old guy gawking at the topless beach, that was my dad.

      --
      I drank what? -- Socrates
    16. Re:Expert naval tactics by wsanders · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't forget the trees in the middle of the highways, and cows walking down the fast lane.

      --
      Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he'll say "WHERE'S MY FISH, YOU IDIOT?"
  2. Re:I don't see anything special by Shin-LaC · · Score: 3, Funny

    the guns were not very special. It's the way they were used that was special.

    That's what she said.

  3. Females and the Art of Seducing by troll8901 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dude, I don't know about you but Slashdot didn't stop me doing that...

    *blushing furiously at being caught typing nonsense in Slashdot*

    Then again judging from your UID you might be a little younger than I am? ;)

    Yeah. Any tips, dude? How do I charm and seduce the mysterious species known as "females"?

    ---
    "Why do they have to travel in packs? And how are you supposed to get one alone long enough to ask them?"

  4. Re:Not surprising... by VShael · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bottom line is, if you mess with the British, they are going to shoot you a lot.

    Speaking as an Irish man, you don't even have to mess with them. Just being in their general vicinity can be enough.

  5. Oblig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Some historians believe that this notable discrepancy may well have been behind the famous rant from King Philip II, where he threw his throne at a courtier while screaming "I'll kill those fucking Dutch!"...

    With the recent EU rulings I'm guessing something very similar's happening in Seattle right now...

  6. Re:Not surprising... by Emphron · · Score: 5, Funny

    You don't even have to be in the general vicinity - India - west africa - east africa - malaysia - australia - new zealand to say nothing of invading China and burning the summer palace because they wouldn't let us sell opium. Just sharing a planet with us can be pretty challenging!

  7. Dramatic recreation of the event.. by saboola · · Score: 4, Funny

    "pew pew pew"

  8. Japanese Examples by WED+Fan · · Score: 4, Funny

    When the USA weaponizes space (I'm not sure whether to be happy or sad, but it's coming) then battleships are going to be a sad joke.

    Then we just put the battleships in space, you dolt! Strap a star drive to the Missouri to counter some other ship of the era, and launch the puppy.

    The USAF and USN are currently working on a technology to allow space-bourne Battleships and Carriers to transform into giant man shaped fighting machines as well.

    Now, if you want to decry a weaponized space, how do you think we are going to deal with extra-terrestial enemies? Oh, I know, you'll want to sing them to death with your love songs.

    Now, get off my lawn you damned dirty ape.

    --
    Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong fix.
    1. Re:Japanese Examples by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh, I know, you'll want to sing them to death with your love songs.

      The strategy was considered, but deemed too hazardous to our own troops. When I heard that shit it almost killed me and it was only a recording.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  9. Re:Not surprising... by Joe+the+Lesser · · Score: 2, Funny

    Okay, bottom line, the British are going to shoot things now and then.

    --
    "I only speak the truth"
    Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
  10. Cue Universal by blackfrancis75 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Am I the only one who sees an awesome motion picture in this? Possibly starring Liam Neeson as the English ship captain and Jude Law as his brilliant munitions engineer? Antonio Banderas can be the Spanish Admiral, and Kate winslet can be the love interest. I get 5% of the gate for casting.

  11. Re:I don't see anything special by Dr.+Photo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Some historians believe that this notable discrepancy may well have been behind the famous rant from King Philip II, where he threw his throne at a courtier while screaming "I'll kill those fucking Dutch!"...

    Steve Ballmer in a past life...