699:
236:
965:
1104:
456:
383:
267:
52:
425:
Shrapnel, once fired, was not replaced, being considered less effective. In 1887 and 1888 activity stopped due to the need to rework hydraulic systems, but nevertheless these guns were considered quite reliable. Because a single shell cost as much as the daily wage of 2,600 soldiers, practice firing was limited to one shot every 3 months.
467:
Despite this, the only restoration work done to date has been the demolition of the hotel structures built on the battery, and the removal of vegetation. Amid concerns over lack of restoration, GAP Developments plc has stated that it is committed to the restoration of the battery, despite the slow
446:
Eventually, the
Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Hotel came to occupy part the site of the battery. A restaurant was built, and this was later gutted to make space for outdoor and indoor pools and other hotel facilities. Although these developments damaged the battery, a significant amount of its original
424:
Cambridge's 100-ton gun arrived on 16 September 1882, and was mounted and ready for use on 20 February 1884. The work to make the machines serviceable was so great that until 1885 there were no firing tests. The first ammunition load comprised all the models available, included 50 AP and 50 HE.
463:
In the 2000s, the area around the battery began to be developed by GAP Developments plc, as seafront apartments known as Fort
Cambridge were built close to the battery. In 2007, the developers were given 10 years to restore the battery and turn it into a tourist attraction.
442:
The gun remained at
Cambridge Battery for many years. In 1956, it was cut up and sold for scrap, as part of a programme to scrap all unnecessary ordnance in Malta's fortifications (in which hundreds of guns, both ancient and modern, were destroyed).
366:
on a wrought-iron sliding carriage and gun fired over the top of the parapet of the emplacement. This enabled the gun-crew to handle and fire the gun without exposing themselves to enemy fire. The battery was designed to engage enemy
417:
with masonry. Subsequent review of the battery's defences after its completion identified this as a weakness, and the stone revetting was removed from most of the emplacement and replaced with plain
314:(1883), which did not have Cambridge or Rinella's self-defence capabilities. The gun at Cambridge was eventually scrapped, and today only two 100-ton guns survive, at Rinella and Napier of Magdala.
486:
348:, bunkers, support machinery and the detachment of troops stationed within the fort to defend the installation. The battery could also be supported from gun fire from the nearby
1240:
1255:
329:
with 22 inches of steel armour and four 100-ton
Armstrong guns per vessel. By arming both Gibraltar and Malta, the British were seeking to ensure the vital route to
263:. Construction started on 28 August 1878, and the gate was built in 1880. The battery was completed on 27 November 1886, and construction had cost some £18,819.
675:
248:
494:
435:
The 100-ton gun was in active service for 20 years, and was last fired in 1903 or 1904, before being withdrawn from active service by 1906, without ever
371:
at ranges up to 7,000 yards. The low profile of the battery and the deeply buried machinery rooms and magazines were intended to enable it to survive
1250:
602:
573:
1260:
630:
1265:
904:
69:
1230:
703:
698:
546:
344:
The battery itself is modest in size as it was designed to operate and protect the single large gun, with its associated gun crew,
668:
1078:
324:
529:
307:
421:, presumably to better absorb the energy of incoming shellfire. The revetting was retained around the loading casemates.
969:
235:
918:
661:
1235:
1051:
880:
317:
The
British felt the need for such large guns as a response to the Italians having, in 1873, built the ironclads
311:
979:
418:
283:
1024:
1164:
899:
885:
318:
1159:
997:
852:
275:
224:
1169:
1121:
372:
345:
279:
256:
1087:
1006:
988:
866:
838:
287:
913:
857:
391:
932:
787:
732:
1198:
1069:
1033:
942:
875:
810:
764:
741:
684:
525:
204:
104:
1193:
1183:
1145:
1131:
1060:
1042:
952:
947:
937:
923:
782:
216:
192:
1245:
1188:
1174:
890:
723:
1136:
1126:
1108:
1103:
819:
773:
755:
746:
718:
713:
635:
607:
578:
551:
429:
223:), although it was never classified as a fort while in use. It originally contained an
158:
34:
436:
1224:
1015:
833:
796:
403:
353:
334:
299:
260:
252:
200:
455:
382:
266:
51:
1154:
824:
376:
291:
847:
805:
349:
240:
432:
was built close by to cover the area between
Cambridge Battery and Fort Tigné.
407:
338:
84:
71:
414:
303:
176:
399:
368:
362:
180:
395:
295:
653:
208:
38:
688:
521:
454:
381:
330:
265:
234:
42:
302:. The British installed a second pair of 100-ton guns to defend
657:
286:, the armaments division of the British manufacturing company
251:
between 1878 and 1886 above the shore west of the mouth of
487:"Military Architecture of the 100-ton Gun Batteries"
1100:
961:
695:
413:Originally the inner faces of the emplacement were
172:
164:
154:
146:
141:
133:
123:
118:
110:
100:
63:
18:
243:like the one formerly located at Cambridge Battery
603:"Unrestored Cambridge fort branded 'a shambles'"
459:Fort Cambridge apartments with the battery below
669:
574:"Restoration of Fort Cambridge to start soon"
8:
1241:Military installations established in 1886
676:
662:
654:
631:"Concerns over Fort Cambridge restoration"
518:Fort Rinella and its Armstrong 100-Ton Gun
274:The battery was built to contain a single
15:
1256:Artillery battery fortifications in Malta
477:
341:, which had opened to traffic in 1869.
211:, Malta. It is commonly referred to as
629:Micallef, Keith (15 September 2014).
114:6,300 m (68,000 sq ft)
7:
485:Spiteri, Stephen C. (14 July 2011).
386:The dilapidated ditch of the battery
545:Pace, Simonne (20 September 2009).
247:Cambridge Battery was built by the
58:with the main entrance to the right
524:: Heritage Books. pp. 25–26.
14:
601:Cooke, Patrick (6 January 2013).
270:The main entrance with the bridge
1102:
963:
886:St. Julian's Tower & Battery
697:
547:"Giving value to the invaluable"
50:
1251:British fortifications in Malta
905:St. Mary's Battery (Marsalforn)
948:Wignacourt Tower & Battery
914:St. Thomas Tower & Battery
891:St. Lucian Tower & Battery
402:, a counter-scarp gallery and
394:; its fortifications - simply
290:. The battery was paired with
1:
1261:Limestone buildings in Malta
747:Delimara Tower & Battery
1266:19th-century fortifications
900:St. Mary's Battery (Comino)
406:- were intended mostly for
1282:
1207:
848:Qawra Tower & Battery
714:Aħrax Tower & Battery
312:Napier of Magdala Battery
49:
32:
23:
1231:Polygonal forts in Malta
980:Capuchin Convent Battery
516:Farrugia, Mario (2002).
491:MilitaryArchitecture.com
284:Elswick Ordnance Company
306:, mounting one each in
197:Batterija ta' Cambridge
26:Batterija ta' Cambridge
1137:Night Practice Battery
460:
437:firing a shot in anger
387:
271:
244:
220:
196:
85:35.909111°N 14.50972°E
881:St. Anthony's Battery
853:Qolla l-Bajda Battery
458:
447:structures remained.
385:
280:rifled muzzle-loading
276:Armstrong 100-ton gun
269:
241:100-ton Armstrong Gun
238:
225:Armstrong 100-ton gun
1170:Sliema Point Battery
1160:San Giovanni Battery
1122:Della Grazie Battery
1052:Ta' Għemmuna Battery
359:The gun was mounted
257:Sliema Point Battery
1025:St. Peter's Battery
1007:Jesuit Hill Battery
989:Corradino Batteries
867:Ramla Right Battery
839:Qalet Marku Battery
497:on 30 November 2016
468:pace of the works.
410:fire and grenades.
390:The battery has no
288:Armstrong Whitworth
90:35.909111; 14.50972
81: /
1165:St. Paul's Battery
858:Ramla Left Battery
704:Sovereign Military
461:
392:secondary armament
388:
282:(RML) gun made by
272:
245:
56:Cambridge Battery,
1236:Coastal artillery
1218:
1217:
1117:Cambridge Battery
1070:Tas-Samra Battery
1034:San Rocco Battery
970:National Congress
943:Wied Musa Battery
765:Elminiech Battery
742:De Guiral Battery
189:Cambridge Battery
186:
185:
105:Artillery battery
19:Cambridge Battery
1273:
1213:Demolished/ruins
1212:
1194:Wolseley Battery
1180:
1151:
1146:Pembroke Battery
1142:
1132:Lascaris Battery
1107:
1106:
1093:
1088:Żejtun Batteries
1084:
1079:Żabbar Batteries
1075:
1066:
1061:Tal-Borg Battery
1057:
1048:
1043:Sliema Batteries
1039:
1030:
1021:
1012:
1003:
998:Għargħar Battery
994:
985:
968:
967:
966:
938:Westreme Battery
929:
924:Tombrell Battery
919:Saluting Battery
910:
896:
872:
863:
844:
830:
816:
802:
793:
783:Ferretti Battery
779:
770:
761:
752:
738:
729:
702:
701:
678:
671:
664:
655:
648:
647:
645:
643:
626:
620:
619:
617:
615:
598:
592:
591:
589:
587:
570:
564:
563:
561:
559:
542:
536:
535:
513:
507:
506:
504:
502:
493:. Archived from
482:
377:capital warships
308:Victoria Battery
278:: a 450 mm
119:Site information
96:
95:
93:
92:
91:
86:
82:
79:
78:
77:
74:
54:
45:
16:
1281:
1280:
1276:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1271:
1270:
1221:
1220:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1203:
1189:Wardija Battery
1177:
1175:Spinola Battery
1155:Rinella Battery
1148:
1139:
1101:
1096:
1090:
1081:
1072:
1063:
1054:
1045:
1036:
1027:
1018:
1009:
1000:
991:
982:
971:
964:
962:
957:
933:Vendôme Battery
926:
907:
893:
869:
860:
841:
827:
813:
799:
790:
788:Għallis Battery
776:
767:
758:
749:
735:
733:Buġibba Battery
726:
724:Balbani Battery
705:
696:
691:
682:
652:
651:
641:
639:
628:
627:
623:
613:
611:
600:
599:
595:
585:
583:
572:
571:
567:
557:
555:
544:
543:
539:
532:
515:
514:
510:
500:
498:
484:
483:
479:
474:
453:
292:Rinella Battery
233:
221:Forti Cambridge
126:the public
125:
89:
87:
83:
80:
75:
72:
70:
68:
67:
59:
57:
33:
28:
12:
11:
5:
1279:
1277:
1269:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1223:
1222:
1216:
1215:
1208:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1201:
1199:Żonqor Battery
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1143:
1134:
1129:
1127:Garden Battery
1124:
1119:
1113:
1111:
1109:British Empire
1098:
1097:
1095:
1094:
1085:
1076:
1067:
1058:
1049:
1040:
1031:
1022:
1013:
1004:
995:
986:
976:
974:
959:
958:
956:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
921:
916:
911:
902:
897:
888:
883:
878:
876:Riħama Battery
873:
864:
855:
850:
845:
836:
831:
822:
820:Mistra Battery
817:
811:Maħsel Battery
808:
803:
794:
785:
780:
774:Fedeau Battery
771:
762:
756:Dellia Battery
753:
744:
739:
730:
721:
719:Arrias Battery
716:
710:
708:
706:Order of Malta
693:
692:
683:
681:
680:
673:
666:
658:
650:
649:
636:Times of Malta
621:
608:Times of Malta
593:
579:Times of Malta
565:
552:Times of Malta
537:
530:
508:
476:
475:
473:
470:
452:
449:
430:Garden Battery
326:Enrico Dandolo
232:
229:
213:Fort Cambridge
184:
183:
174:
170:
169:
166:
162:
161:
159:British Empire
156:
152:
151:
148:
144:
143:
139:
138:
135:
131:
130:
127:
121:
120:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
102:
98:
97:
65:
61:
60:
55:
47:
46:
30:
29:
24:
21:
20:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1278:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1228:
1226:
1211:
1206:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1184:Tarġa Battery
1182:
1179:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1150:
1147:
1144:
1141:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1114:
1112:
1110:
1105:
1099:
1092:
1089:
1086:
1083:
1080:
1077:
1074:
1071:
1068:
1065:
1062:
1059:
1056:
1053:
1050:
1047:
1044:
1041:
1038:
1035:
1032:
1029:
1026:
1023:
1020:
1017:
1016:Marsa Battery
1014:
1011:
1008:
1005:
1002:
999:
996:
993:
990:
987:
984:
981:
978:
977:
975:
973:
960:
954:
953:Wilġa Battery
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
928:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
909:
906:
903:
901:
898:
895:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
871:
868:
865:
862:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
843:
840:
837:
835:
834:Pinto Battery
832:
829:
826:
823:
821:
818:
815:
812:
809:
807:
804:
801:
798:
797:Lembi Battery
795:
792:
789:
786:
784:
781:
778:
775:
772:
769:
766:
763:
760:
757:
754:
751:
748:
745:
743:
740:
737:
734:
731:
728:
725:
722:
720:
717:
715:
712:
711:
709:
707:
700:
694:
690:
686:
679:
674:
672:
667:
665:
660:
659:
656:
638:
637:
632:
625:
622:
610:
609:
604:
597:
594:
582:. 25 May 2011
581:
580:
575:
569:
566:
554:
553:
548:
541:
538:
533:
527:
523:
519:
512:
509:
496:
492:
488:
481:
478:
471:
469:
465:
457:
450:
448:
444:
440:
438:
433:
431:
426:
422:
420:
416:
411:
409:
405:
404:firing points
401:
397:
393:
384:
380:
378:
374:
370:
365:
364:
357:
355:
351:
347:
342:
340:
336:
335:Mediterranean
332:
328:
327:
322:
321:
315:
313:
309:
305:
301:
300:Grand Harbour
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
268:
264:
262:
258:
254:
253:Grand Harbour
250:
242:
237:
230:
228:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
182:
178:
175:
171:
167:
163:
160:
157:
155:Built by
153:
149:
145:
140:
136:
132:
128:
122:
117:
113:
109:
106:
103:
99:
94:
66:
62:
53:
48:
44:
40:
36:
31:
27:
22:
17:
1210:
1178:
1149:
1140:
1116:
1091:
1082:
1073:
1064:
1055:
1046:
1037:
1028:
1019:
1010:
1001:
992:
983:
927:
908:
894:
870:
861:
842:
828:
825:Orsi Battery
814:
800:
791:
777:
768:
759:
750:
736:
727:
640:. Retrieved
634:
624:
612:. Retrieved
606:
596:
584:. Retrieved
577:
568:
556:. Retrieved
550:
540:
517:
511:
499:. Retrieved
495:the original
490:
480:
466:
462:
445:
441:
434:
427:
423:
412:
389:
360:
358:
343:
333:through the
325:
319:
316:
273:
246:
212:
188:
187:
142:Site history
124:Open to
73:35°54′32.8″N
25:
806:Low Battery
451:Present day
373:counterfire
350:Fort Manoel
310:(1879) and
165:In use
88: /
64:Coordinates
35:Tigné Point
1225:Categories
972:Battalions
642:23 January
614:23 January
586:23 January
558:23 January
531:9993239054
522:Vittoriosa
501:23 January
472:References
419:earthworks
408:small arms
354:Fort Tigné
339:Suez Canal
298:, east of
261:Fort Tigné
255:, between
76:14°30′35″E
685:Batteries
428:In 1889,
400:caponiers
346:magazines
304:Gibraltar
201:Victorian
177:Limestone
173:Materials
168:1884–1906
150:1878–1886
134:Condition
415:revetted
369:warships
363:barbette
337:and the
181:concrete
396:ditches
296:Kalkara
249:British
231:History
217:Maltese
205:battery
199:) is a
193:Maltese
1246:Sliema
528:
320:Duilio
209:Sliema
137:Intact
39:Sliema
689:Malta
375:from
331:India
294:near
203:-era
147:Built
43:Malta
644:2015
616:2015
588:2015
560:2015
526:ISBN
503:2015
352:and
323:and
259:and
179:and
111:Area
101:Type
687:in
361:en
207:in
1227::
633:.
605:.
576:.
549:.
520:.
489:.
439:.
398:,
379:.
356:.
239:A
227:.
219::
195::
129:No
41:,
37:,
677:e
670:t
663:v
646:.
618:.
590:.
562:.
534:.
505:.
215:(
191:(
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