THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
19 
larger one; it is however possible that the bottom may have become 
stopped up with some hard substance/* 
“ The exterior of both guns is very rough and irregular. This is doubt¬ 
less caused to a great extent by the rust; but I think the surface must 
originally have been far from smooth and even. 
“ I cannot find any trace of a vent-hole in either gun. 
“ I estimate the present weight of the guns as follows 
“ Large gun, about 5 J tons. 
“Small „ „ 3J „ 
“ The granite ball for the large gun would probably weigh about 300 lbs. 
“The Mont St Michel is about 1 to 1J mile from the nearest coast, and 
the intervening sands are overflowed at high water, except at neap tides. 
The besiegers cannot, I should think, have used the guns on the shore, but, 
as they succeeded in breaching the walls, they must have either fired them 
afloat, or mounted them in battery on the sands. Tradition says the latter; 
and adds that on the repulse of the English, the knights of St Michel took 
possession of the guns, and hoisted them high up on the rock, where they 
remained till 1793. In this turbulent year, it is said, the Revolutionists 
threw them down upon the sands again, and they lay there, washed by the 
sea, till about 20 or 25 years ago, when they were placed in their present 
position. 
“I have been indebted to M. Marquet, the Director of the *Maison 
Centrale’ at Mont St Michel, for the facilities given me for the examination 
of the guns. 
“ (Signed) 
“WILLIAM POLE.” 
“ 3, Storey’s Gate, Westminster, S.W., 
“ 3rd October, 1863.” 
It is needless to say that M. le Maire must have been indulging his wit 
at the expense of the Englishman when he hinted that the guns were to be 
purchased. If any doubt could exist on this subject, the following letter 
from M. Marquet, would completely remove it: and it is agreeable to 
terminate this short notice with a communication which reflects so much 
credit on the enlightenment and good feeling of that gentleman. The guns 
will doubtless continue to adorn the gate of the castle, and long tell their 
tale to the peasants of Brittany and Normandy of the days when St Michel’s 
Mont alone of Norman castles maintained the oriflamme, of the heroic struggles 
of their ancestors, and of the Anglo-Norman defeat. 
