Mysterious Cannon

Found In Tahiti

A mysterious cannon bearing the date 1831 and weighing more than half a ton was found by skindivers recently in Tahiti's Papeete Pass.

After a week of effort, the cannon was raised and carried ashore.

The cannon has been identified as a carronade —a piece of artillery which was mounted on wheels and which fired cast iron balls.

The general opinion is that it must have belonged to a warship of some importance as five other cannon were seen on the bottom at the spot where it was found.

It is thought that the ship may have gone aground on one of the many coral heads and that the arma ment was thrown overboard to get free.

A visiting American archaeologist, Professor Carlyle Smith, has ex pressed the opinion that the cannon is probably of French origin.