DEFENCE OF FORTRESSES*

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12. He will examine carefully all the water-courses 0 in the interior of the place,the bridges and sluices, the rivers, canals, aqueducts, drains, &c., in order that allthe issues by which an enemy might possibly get into the place be perfectly knownto him: he will see that the gratings, or other contrivances for closing them, be keptin good order, and he will, personally, take the greatest care that none of theprecautions against surprise be ever neglected.

OF THE ARTILLERY AND AMMUNITION.

13. Of the Artillery and Ammunition .—The Commandant will draw up, inconcert with the Commanding Officers of Artillery and Engineers, the plan for

^Appendix arming the fortress, with the number of pieces of ordnance which may be necessary,and their stores. He is to verify the reports personally, to see that they actuallyagree with the state of the stores, and whether there be all the necessary com-positions and other auxiliaries (feux d’artifice) for defending the breaches, thepassages of the ditches, and for throwing light on and discovering the approachesof the besiegers.

He will concert with these Officers the various positions in which his artillerymay be placed in relation to the supposed attacks of an enemy; and he will also

See * Blindage. 1 determine on the means to be employed to cover it from their fire.

OF THE ENGINEERS, AND THE MATERIALS RELATING TO THE DEFENCE.

n. e &in ndIx 14. The Governor will examine, in concert with the Commanding Engineer, thestate of the storehouses and materials for the fortifications: he will acquaint himselfwhether there be in the fortress palisades in sufficient quantity to replace such asmay be destroyed; whether there be a sufficient quantity of gabions, fascines,hurdles, beams, planks, round timber, cordage, iron, intrenching tools, miners' andcarpenters' tools, nails, chevaux-de-frize,—in short, everything that is requisite fordefence.

OF THE PROVISIONS, AND THE OTHER MATTERS BELONGING TO THECOMMISSARIAT.

^Appendix 15. The Governor will examine into everything which may concern the sub-sistence and the health of the garrison and the inhabitants: he will cause reportsto be made to him of the grain, and liquor of every description, which he willpersonally verify: the description and state of the ovens will be inspected, to beassured that they will suffice for the garrison. 4 *

16. The quantity and quality of provisions of every description ought to be per-fectly known to him, in order that, calculating the force of the garrison and thewants of the place, he may take the necessary measures for keeping them complete,or for sparing them, in order to prolong the defence as much as possible, in casecircumstances should not have allowed him to lay in all that may be proper.

17. He will visit the magazines of provisions, that he may know whether every-thing relating to them be well regulated, and each species of provisions be stowed in

c The French fort at the Retiro (Madrid ) was supplied with water by an aqueduct, which being cutoff, the only resource of the garrison of 2000 men was a single well, with a rope and bucket; and atthe castle of St. Sebastian , the only supply of water, a spring, was exposed to the fire of one of ourbatteries on the island of Sta. Clara, to the great inconvenience of the garrison.—J. F. B.

d He will see that the supply of fresh water is such as cannot be cut off or destroyed by the enemy.—J. F. B.