Note 56 — Chapter II · THE SMOOTH-BORE GUN

The advantages of large calibres had been appreciated in the previous century. Sir Richard Hawkins, in his Observations, printed in 1593, compares the armament of his own ships with that of his Spanish opponents, and says: “Although their artillery were larger, weightier, and many more than ours, and in truth did pierce with greater violence; yet ours being of greater bore, and carrying a weightier and greater shot, was of more importance and of better effect for sinking and spoiling.”