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the bastion at the distance of 15 toises;having its flanks at the distance of 12toises, and a ditch measuring 5.

Large bastions have the advantage ofsmall ones, for this palpable reason; thebastion being considered the weakestpart of the body of a place, is alwaysattacked; when there is room for troops,cannon and mortars, its natural weak-ness is greatly remedied.

Gorge of a bastion is the interval be-tween the extremity of one flank andthat of the next.

Flat bastion. When a bastion upona right line is so constructed, that itsdemi-gorges do not form an angle, it iscalled a flat bastion.

Gorge of a flat bastion is a right line,which terminates the distance betweentwo flanks.

Solid bastion, ) a bastion is said to be

Full bastion , } solid or full, when thelevel ground within is even with therampart; that is, when the inside isquite level, the parapet being only moreelevated than the rest. Solid bastionshave this advantage over others, thatthey afford earth enough to make a re-trenchment, in case the enemy lodgethemselves on the top of the bastion, andthe besieged are resolved to dispute everyinch of ground.

Hollow bastion, ) is that where the

Fjnpty bastion , ) level ground withinis much lower than the rampart, orthat part next to the parapet wherethe troops are placed to defend the bas-tion. Ihe disadvantage of these kindsof bastions is the earth being so low r ,that when an enemy is once lodged onthe rampart, there is no making a re-trenchment towards the center, butwhat will be under the fire of the be-siegers.

Detached bastion is that which is se-parated, or cut off, from the body of th$place, and differs from a half moon,whose rampart and parapet are lower,and not so thick as those of the place,having the same proportion with theworks of the place. Counter-guards withflanks are sometimes called detachedbastions.

Cut bastion is that whose salient angleor point is cut off, instead of which ithas a re-entering angle, or an angle in-wards. It is used, either when theangle would, without such a contrivance,be too acute, or when water, or some

other impediment, prevents the bastionfrom being earned to its full extent.

Composed bastion is when two sides ofthe interior polygon are very unequal:which also renders the gorges unequal:it may not improperly be called a forcedbastion, being, as it were, forced into thatform.

Deformed bastion is when the irre-gularity of the lines and angles causesthe bastion to appear deformed, or out.of shape.

Demi-bastion is composed of one faceonly, has but one flank, and a demi-gorge.

Double bastion is that which is raisedon the plane of another bastion, butmuch higher; leaving 12 or 18 feet be-tween the parapet of the lower, and thefoot of the higher; and is sometimes inthe nature of a cavalier.

Regular bastion is that which lias itstrue proportion of faces, flanks, andgorges.

Irregular bastion is that wherein theabove equality of just proportion isomitted.

Berm is a little space, or path, of 0or o feet broad, between the ditch andthe talus of the parapet; it is to preventthe earth from rolling into the ditch, andserves likewise to pass and repass. Asit is in some degree advantageous to theenemy, in getting footing, most of the*modern engineers reject it.

Bonnet is a work placed before thesalient angle of the ravelin to cover it :it consists of 2 faces, parallel to theravelin, or perpendicular to those of thelunette. They are generally made 10fathom broad at the ends, with a ditchof the same breadth, the covert-way 0,and the glacis 20 fathom.

Breach is an opening or gap made ina wall or rampart, with either cannon ormines, sufficiently wide for a body' oftroops to enter the works, and drive thebesieged out of it.

Practical breach, is that where menmay mount, and make a lodgment, andshould be 15 or 20 feet wide.

Capital of a work is an imaginaryline which divides that work into twoequal parts.

Capital of a bastion, a line drawn fromthe angle of the polygon to the point ofthe bastion, or from the point of thebastion to the center of the gorge. Thesecapitals are from 35 to 40 toises iu

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