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How did Foynâs harpoon cannon kill whales?
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whaling
Japanese factory ship hauling a minke whale through a slipway in the ship's stern, 1992.
Svend Foynâs harpoon cannon revolutionized the whaling industry by utilizing a heavy, forward-mounted, muzzle-loading gun to fire a specialized harpoon. Designed to bend without breaking upon impact, the harpoon was equipped with a time-delay grenade at its head. This explosive device was intended to damage the whaleâs vital organs or cause massive internal bleeding, effectively incapacitating the animal.1