Until the middle of the 19th century Royal Navy warships had been armed with progressively larger smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon.
ʌntˈɪl ðə mˈɪdəl ʌvðə nˈaɪntiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi ɹˈɔɪəl nˈeɪvi wˈɔːɹʃɪps hɐdbɪn ˈɑːɹmd wɪð pɹəɡɹˈɛsɪvli lˈɑːɹdʒɚ smˈuːðboːɹ mˈʌzəllˈoʊdɪŋ kˈænən.