Two more cannons discovered at Fort Cornwallis

GEORGE TOWN: Two cannons were accidentally unearthed during restoration and upgrading work on the seawall near Fort Cornwallis here.

The Bloomfeld cannons weigh 3 tonnes each and measure about 3m to 3.6m in length.

They are the fifth and sixth cannons to be discovered since restoration work began on Fort Cornwallis in 2017.

According to National Heritage Department Heritage Commissioner, Mesran Mohd Yusop, the department and Universiti Sains Malaysia's Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR) would be cooperating in preserving the latest finds.

"For the time being, these cannons will remain here until further stages of research are completed so that we can see the context of the site as a whole," he said during a press conference at Esplanade on Friday (Jan 3).

He added that the discovery could help educate the public on the importance of history and national heritage.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) Datuk Dr Noor Zari Hamat were also present during the press conference.