This week in 1891

Residents of Bow and other London addresses were recently informed that surface-to-air missiles could be stationed on their rooftops as part of the ‘Olympic ring of steel’ defences for the forthcoming Games.

Clearly security is paramount at this unique event, but we can’t help thinking there must be more discreet, sophisticated methods from one of the world’s biggest arms spenders.

Something perhaps like a defence battery buried underground that can aim while hidden, quickly pop up from its dug-out, despatch its target, then retreat again.

Surprisingly, such a thing featured in the pages of The Engineer magazine in May 1891.

The article reports on a naval exhibition that featured a hydropneumatic mounting for guns upwards of five tonnes for the purposes of coastal defence against hostile foreign fleets.

The gun and crew are all given most perfect protection from fire

‘The gun with its mounting, and the crew required to work it, are all given most perfect protection from an enemy’s fire, on account of their being in a pit,’ the article reads.