On the Quarter Deck are five rather fine cannons. Three of them were probably given to the Club in October 1955 by member Mr R S Brooke-Hitching and the other two in December 1963 by Mrs Brooke-Hitching in memory of her husband. These small bore cannon were developed in order to avoid several problems inherent in using traditional cannon for the purpose of saluting. It was common for a Royal Navy ship at anchor to salute other Naval ships that passed by, with the number of salutes determined by the rank of the officers on the passing ship. Not only was saluting in this manner laborious and wasteful in terms of powder, but it could also occasionally lead to tragedy. There are surviving references in the accounts of the East India Company referring to EIC merchant ships accidentally saluting fellow vessels (the practice soon grew to encompass other forms of shipping rather than purely Naval vessels) and accidentally using loaded cannon rather than simply powder and wadding. As might be imagined, saluting in this manner could sink ships and lead to the loss of numerous lives. The EIC attempted to stamp out the practice of saluting but it had become too prevalent. The combination of all these factors led to the introduction of small guns that, even when loaded with shot, could not do serious damage to another vessel. They could, however, be used to alert other vessels to the fact that signal flags were being hoisted and messages passed or, as previously mentioned, they could be used to salute safely and economically as the amount of powder required to fire one of these cannon was scarcely more than would have been needed to fire a musket.
In the golden age of yachting, these cannon became less and less practical and more ornamental. They were a relic of the days of maritime warfare as well as being eye-catching and attractive decorative features on the deck. Cannon produced at this time would not necessarily have ever been designed to be fired. However, those that were made in the traditional way began to be used as a means of starting yacht races, or even for firing contests conducted by the crews of opposing vessels, with prizes awarded for the longest recorded shot.
Signalling cannon were produced in various metals but principally bronze, cast iron and brass. Features that increase the desirability of cannon include having a true pair rather than matched singles, heraldic or other personalised decoration that allow the provenance of the pieces to be traced and any links with specific vessels, yacht clubs or metal foundries.
The five cannon in the collection of the RTYC are particularly interesting examples of their kind. The two marks on the barrel, the crowned V and GP beneath a crown, show that they were proof tested in London by the Worshipful Company of Gun Makers during the reign of Queen Victoria.