Fort Siloso: Royal Salute Failure at Fort Canning
Failure at Fort Canning
From Our Tropical Possessions in Indian Malaya, 1865
On the Queen's birthday, some two years ago, it was determined to fire the royal salute from the big guns at Fort Canning At sunrise, the military and the volunteers were drawn up in order on the plain beneath, and they were to wait the firing from the fort to commence their evolutions. I was at the time standing with some others on the ramparts overlooking the southern battery of the fort; from the seven sixty-eight pounders mounted on which the salute was to be fired. The guns were manned by a detachment of European Artillery. At six o'clock the royal banner was unfurled, and ran up to the mast-head of the large flagstaff in the centre of the fort. This was the signal for the firing of the first gun, but unfortunately it hung fire, and would not go off — the trigger of a second was pulled with similar result; a third also failed, and only the fourth, sixth, and seventh guns of the battery could be discharged. New tubes were tried on the guns that had missed fire, but it was no use, and the salute had to be bungled through with the three guns only, much to the astonishment of the disconcerted infantry and volunteers on the plain beneath.*
* I have been told that the cause of the guns not going off was that the junk wads which had been placed in them after last drill practice were not withdrawn before loading: but I can scarcely think a detachment of Royal Artillery could neglect such a precaution, and I prefer rather to blame the guns than so seriously to call in question the efficiency of the Artillery.
NOTE: The War Diary of HQ Fixed Defences recorded about Fort Connaught, “Two boxes of tubes (Mark IV??) dated 1919 passed all electrical tests, but would not fire, It is thought due to damp”.