Monarch carried four twelve-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns. A barrel length of about 145 inches, or 3.7 metres, made reloading a problem of space as well as effort. The estimated withdrawal and muzzle clearance required roughly 4.5 to five metres before the gun returned to its firing position. Without sufficient space inside, loading would require work outside the turret. These demands help explain the bulky turrets and slow firing cycle of early heavy muzzle-loading weapons.
Notable Point · 7:53-9:21
Why twelve-inch muzzle-loaders needed such large turrets
The length of Monarch's twelve-inch guns and the clearance needed at their muzzles explain why early turrets were bulky and slow to reload.