DEFENCE OF BUILDINGS

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opportunity of arranging what you have to execute under the direction of somegeneral principles.

The principles of defence must be taken into consideration as far as they will apply,and if with a knowledge of these principles an Officer is practically acquainted withthe means that are usually employed for strengthening such posts, a very little expe-rience will enable him to arrange his plan, and set his men to work with a confidentexpectation that in a very few hours he will be able to enliven a peaceable domicileby converting it into a respectable fortress.

The objects now under consideration are churches, country-houses, factories,prisons, or other substantial buildings; and as there is but little difference in themode to be pursued for placing any of them in a state of defence, an explanation ofthe details applied to a single house will perhaps be sufficient to convey an idea on thesubject.

What has before been said of the points requiring attention in the selection of amilitary post will be applicable if a choice is to be made among buildings: thus, abuilding proper for defensive purposes should possess some or all of the followingrequisites:

First. It should command all that surrounds it.

Second. Should be substantial, and of a nature to furnish materials useful forplacing it in a state of defence.

Third. Should be of an extent proportioned to the number of defenders,and only require the time and means which can be devoted to completing it.

Fourth. Should have walls and projections that mutually flank each other.

Fifth. Should be difficult of access on the side exposed to attack, and yethave a safe retreat for the defenders ; and

Sixth. Be in a situation proper for fulfilling the object for which the detachmentis to be posted.

A church will be found more usually to unite all these good properties than anyother building.

It may be remarked, that though good strong walls are an advantage, yet theirthickness should be limited to 2 or 3 feet, from the difficulty there would be inpiercing loopholes ; unless when they are likely to be battered by artillery, inwhich case the musketry^must be confined to the windows, and the more solid thewalls are, the better. It should also be remembered that brick houses and walls arepreferable, on several accounts, to those built of stone; for when exposed to artillery,a round shot merely makes a small hole in the former, but stone is broken up in largemasses, and dangerous splinters fly from it in all directions. It is much easier also tomake loopholes through brick-work than through masonry. Wooden houses, or thosemade of plaster, are to be avoided, from the facility with which an enemy can set fireto them, and they are frequently not even musket-proof. Thatched houses areequally objectionable on account of fire, unless there is time to unroof them; andafter all it must not be forgotten that earthen works, when exposed to artillery, areto be preferred to houses, so far as affording security to the defenders is concerned.In seeking this security, however, it should be borne in mind that they are not sodefensible; for troops cannot be run into in a house, but they are not exempt fromsuch an intrusion in an earthen work of the nature under discussion. The twotogether can be made to form a more respectable post than either can be made intosingly, for the merits of both will be enhanced, and the defects be modified by theunion. A building is therefore at all times a capital base to go to work upon.The walls may be partially protected from cannon-shot by throwing up earthenparapets round it, and the house may ‘ reciprocate ’ by acting the part of a keep, and