{{Short description|Series of weapon systems}} thumb|The Canet gun aboard the {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Matsushima}} [[File:MatsushimaGunJapanesePrint.jpg|thumb|The Canet gun on ''Matsushima''. Kobayashi Kiyochika, 1894]] thumb|A Canet gun equipping the front of the {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Itsukushima}} The '''Canet guns''' were a series of weapon systems developed by Gustave Canet, who worked as an engineer from 1872 to 1881 for the London Ordnance Works, then for Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, and from 1897 to 1907 for Schneider et Cie of Le Creusot.

==320 mm naval guns== thumb|left|Gustave Canet

Canet developed a {{convert|12.6|in|cm|abbr=on}} 38 cal naval gun, an extremely powerful weapon for its time, specifically for the export market. The gun was first selected by the Spanish Navy in 1884 as part of a large naval expansion program which called for six new battleships. The Spanish armaments firm Hontoria obtained a manufacturing license to produce the weapon, but due to budgetary reasons, only one vessel, the {{ship|Spanish battleship|Pelayo||2}}, was completed.

Canet was more successful in sales to the Empire of Japan, when the gun was selected by the French military advisor and naval architect Louis-Émile Bertin as the main battery of the {{sclass|Matsushima|cruiser}}, new type of cruiser he had designed in 1887. The usage was consistent with the Jeune École philosophy, which advocated placing overwhelming firepower (strong guns, torpedoes) on relatively small ships.<ref>Roksund, ''Jeune École'' </ref> This philosophy was of great interest to the Imperial Japanese Navy, which lacked the resources at the time to purchase modern pre-dreadnought battleships.<ref> Brooke, ''Warships for Export'' pp. 58–60 </ref>

The guns supplied to Japan equipped the cruisers {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Matsushima||2}}, {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Itsukushima||2}}, and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Hashidate||2}}. Each gun weighed 67 tons, and had a barrel {{convert|12|m|ft}} long, firing a {{convert|112|cm|abbr=on|0}} long projectile with weight of {{convert|350|kg|abbr=on}} (or {{convert|449|kg|abbr=on}} high explosive) for an effective range of {{convert|8000|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNSpain_126-35_m1884.htm |title= Japanese 12.6"/38 (32 cm) Canet |date=2006-03-16 | work=navweaps.com }}</ref>

The guns proved only marginally successful during the First Sino-Japanese War, due to a slow rate of fire, and numerous mechanical problems. The guns could not be aimed abeam, as their weight would cause the ship to roll over when fired. In combat, gunners were able to fire only around one shot per hour<ref>{{Citation| last = Wright| first = Richard N. J.| year = 2000| title = The Chinese Steam Navy 1862–1945| publisher = Chatham Publishing| publication-place = London| page = 92}}</ref> due to the time it took to reload.

==Other guns== [[File:CanetM890.JPG|thumb|One surviving Canet M1890 (100&nbsp;mm) gun used by the Brazilian Army to control the Canudos uprising in 1897|175x175px]] thumb|Schneider-Canet L40 M/1902 12 cm turret gun at Høytorp fort, Norway|175x175px thumb|A Canet spherical breech on a 155&nbsp;mm gun.|175x175px Canet is also known for developing the Schneider-Canet gun system for 75&nbsp;mm iron BL mountain guns, and rapid-fire 120&nbsp;mm and 152&nbsp;mm guns.

{| class="wikitable" |+ Canet Designed Guns ! Model !! Type !! Country |- | 75mm 50 caliber Pattern 1892 || Naval gun || {{flag|Russian Empire}} |- | Canon de 75 modèle 1905 Schneider || Field gun || {{flag|France}} {{flag|Bulgaria}} |- | Canon de 75 mm Modèle 1907 Schneider-Canet<ref>[http://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/110390/Schneider-Canet-Mle-1907-75-mm-horske-delo Kosar, Franz, A pocket history of artillery: Light fieldguns], Allen Lane, London 1974, {{ISBN|0711004854}}</ref> || Mountain gun || {{flag|France}} {{flag|Ottoman Empire}}<br>{{flag|Bulgaria}} {{flag|Serbia}} |- | Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891 || Naval gun || {{flag|France}} |- | 120mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892 || Naval gun || {{flag|Russian Empire}} |- | Obusier de 120 mm C mle 1897 Schneider-Canet || Howitzer || {{flag|Serbia}} |- | 120 mm Schneider-Canet M1897 long gun|| Siege gun || {{flag|France}} |- |Peigné-Canet-Schneider mle 1897 gun carriage |Siege gun |{{Flag|France}} |- |Obusier de 15 cm TR Schneider-Canet-du-Bocage |Howitzer |{{Flag|Portugal}} |- | 152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892 || Naval gun || {{flag|Russian Empire}} |- | 203mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892 || Naval gun || {{flag|Russian Empire}} |- |}

==References==

{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==

* {{cite book |last=Brooke |first=Peter |title=Warships for export: Armstrong warships 1867–1927 |publisher=World ship society |location=Gravesend |year=1999 |isbn=0-905617-89-4 }} * {{cite book |last=Roksund |first=Arne |title=The Jeune École: The strategy of the weak |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden |year=2007 |isbn=9789004157231 }}

==External links==

* [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNSpain_126-35_m1884.htm The Canet gun]

{{Artillery of France}} {{French weapons of the 19th century}}

{{Commons category|Canet artillery}}

Category:Naval guns of France Category:Artillery of France Category:320 mm artillery