GEORGE TOWN: Two more cannons, believed to date back to the late 1790s and early 1800s, were dug out during works to reconstruct the seawall along the Esplanade last month.
The two “bloom field” cannons, weighing about three tonnes each, and measuring between 3m and 3.6m, are the fifth and sixth cannons to be discovered since 2017.
While the earlier four cannons were found around Fort Cornwallis during conservation works, the two cannons were found nearer to the coast, opposite Fort Cornwallis.
They are believed to have been used for coastal defence.
Chief Secretary to the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry Datuk Dr Noor Zari Hamat said the two cannons were believed to be the largest and oldest found to date.
He said the inscription “1757” was found on the cannons.
“Research will have to be conducted to determine the meaning of the number, whether it was the year of manufacture.
“But, we have reasons to believe that the two cannons are even older than when Francis Light, the British explorer, founded the British colony of Penang and its capital city of George Town in 1786,” he told newsmen at the seawall site this morning.
Zari said the discovery of the cannons was an important contribution to the state’s rich history.
Works to strengthen the Esplanade seawall by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) are ongoing and are expected to be completed by next year.
The state government through Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI) and Think City as well as Aga Khan Cultural Services are now undertaking a north seafront project to restore the moat around the fort and upgrade the whole seafront.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the cannons would be restored and placed within Fort Cornwallis with the others.
He said MBPP would fund the cost of relocating the cannons, while the state government would fund the conservation costs estimated at RM80,000.
“The first two cannons, discovered in 2017, have been fully restored and are being exhibited within Fort Cornwallis,” said Chow.
“The other two, one found in late 2018 and the other in early 2019, are still being restored.
“We believe there may be more cannons buried in this area.
“My suggestion is for those responsible to engage the use of technology to locate them as it would not be possible for us to excavate the whole area.”
Fort Cornwallis, a bastion fort located in the heart of the city and built by the British East India Company in the late 18th century, is the largest standing fort in Malaysia.