Dalmatia Albania and the Neighbouring Countries By HENRY RUSE Engineer and Captain of a Foot-Company belonging to the City of AMSTERDAM Translated out of the Low-Dutch-Copy by His Majesties Command In the Savoy Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty 1668. THE STRENGTHENING OF STRONG-HOLDS INVENTED On several Occasions and practised in the late Wars as well in Holland as in France Germany Italy Dalmatia Albania And the Neighbouring Countreys BY HENRY RVSE. AFter I had throughly considered the best Methods of Fortification practised in the Countries before mentioned I found that none of them had made better use of Situations as to the Artificial part then the Vnited Provinces Forasmuch as they have not onely very well designed and contrived their Fortresses but have also placed them so advantagiously that by the overflowing of Waters which they can by the opening of Sluces let in or out as they please they have rendred the greatest part of the Works impregnable I do not say but that in other Countries are also found very sufficient Fortresses and well contrived but there hath been a necessity in these Provinces where they have had to deal with so potent an Enemy to use greater caution and circumspection then elsewhere and to make choice of the best Fortifications and yet with no great charge being made of Earth onely which of all Materials I hold to be the best for this purpose whereas in other Countreys especially in Italy they are of opinion that the outsides of their Works ought to be altogether of Stone and afterwards cut or pared which cannot be done without excessive charge And yet notwithstanding all their endeavours they have not been able so to contrive their Strong-Holds but that the best of them if accessible are taken in a short time being hardly tenable for three Moneths to the astonishment of the World as examples do abundantly testifie This hath been the cause why many Military Architects have tryed all ways and means to supply those Defects of which I have seen many Conceits but in my judgement altogether impracticable which has encouraged me to improve my own Observations in all Occurrences and earnestly to mind each part of the Fortification of what use it might be and whether it were able to perform that for which it was ordained and intended And having discovered very many Errors especially in the Modern Flanques and Out-works I did debate my Observations very particulary with many Engineers of the greatest Practice and Renown but never met with any whose judgement I so well approved as that of a certain noble Italian who having had several Employments as well in Germany and the Low-Countreys as likewise in the French Warrs had carefully improved all opportunities and advantages of gaining Knowledge and Experience With this Gentleman I therefore made a particular Acquaintance and Friendship and we did mutually communicate and compare together our Observations till such time as we had found out and agreed upon such a Method as seemed to us to be of all other the safest and yet practicable with the least expence according to which Method almost all considerable Fortifications might without difficulty be redressed The truth is this Method is something near that which shall hereafter be discoursed of For having look'd yet more narrowly into this matter and examin'd it with greater diligence and curiosity I did onely as I found cause alter something of that our first design I do not here undertake to make Accessible places impregnable since all that is made by man may by man be again destroyed for the Attacques being carryed on upon a sure foot and the Approaches being managed with skill and judgement if in the mean time no relief come even the strongest places must at length yield up to the Besiegers My intention is onely so to contrive Works that they may resist much longer then ordinarily they do that so the Besiegers may be wasted and consumed either by ill weather or some other accidents For by lengthening of time opportunity is given to the Besieged to get relief or in the mean while to Attaque some other places in the Enemies custody and so to make him quit his design which will be a sufficient recompence for the pains and charge which I conceive to be but little more then ordinary in case the Work be managed by an experienced Artist as will sufficiently appear by what hereafter follows In the mean time I shall propound some general Rules or Principles of Fortifications approved and owned by many skilful Captains and Engineers The Maxims or general Rules which are observed in the Modern Fortifications 1. There ought to be no point of the whole Fortification undiscovered or unflanqued and that from several places of Defence 2. The Lines defending ought to be longer then the Lines defended or at least as long 3. A Regular Fortification is very much stronger then an Irregular 4. The more Bastions a Regular place hath the greater is its Strength and Defence 5. A Fortress ought to command all places whatsoever round about 6. Those parts of a Fortress which are nearest to the Center ought to command those that are more remote 7. Those parts of a Fortification which are at greatest distance from the Center ought always to be Commanded by those that are nearest the Center 8. The Line of Defence Fichante ought not to be much longer then 60 Rods that being the distance ordinarily allowed for the Port of a Musket 9. The larger the Flanques and Gorges are the better and stronger they are provided the other parts are not prejudiced thereby 10. Of second Flanques and Courtine-Flanques the larger is the better in case it cause no disproportion in the other parts of the Fortification 11. As for the Linea Stringens or Line of Defence Secant which is continued from the Face to the Courtine the shorter it is the better if the Flanques be not too much lessened by it 12. That opening of the Angle of a Bastion is the best which gives a right length to the Flanque second Flanque and Gorge 13. The Angle of a Bastion ought not to be less then 60 degrees nor greater then a Right Angle or 90 degrees 14. The Angle of the Poligone ought not to be less then 90 degrees 15. The Angle of the Face and Flanque ought to be at least 150 degrees 16. The Angle of the Courtine and Flanque ought to be evermore 90 degrees or a Right Angle 17. The outward Angle of Defence or Angle Flanquant cannot well be too Acute 18. The inward Angle of Defence ought not to be less then 25 degrees 19. The proportion between the Courtine and the Face ought to be as 3 to 2 or as 36 to 24. 20. The Faces should never be longer then the Courtine nor shorter then one half of the Courtine These are the Maxims and Rules for the structure of most of the Modern Fortifications
own inabilities for so great a Work If I had seen any part of Elton's Pieces before I had concluded these my minor Lines they should have been turned into oblivious dust But being commanded by some of our Chieftains and desired by others of my Friends to proceed thus far and no farther accordingly I have both granted and obeyed It is not in the least to condemn any Person that hath gone before me or to boast in the least for what is done or what I know I have observed that some are most excellent for their Pen some in their Lingue and others for execution now what I do want in either of the two first the last with my blood shall witness to all the true zeal I bear to my Sacred King and Countries good when Commands and Occasions present themselves In the mean time to him who is the great King of Kings Lord of Lords preserve to his Honour good of his People and confusion of his Enemies CHAP. I. The Original and beginning of Ensigns and Colours OF this Subject I never thought to have spoken any thing 1670. but this last Summer perceiving most Ensigns having that Honour assigned them by Commission knew but little what belonged to their Office and think it a thing of little or no difficulty but only a Rag or Mark which any man may carry so it be born up or swung about mens cars and sometimes in the teeth of such which are next unto them And for the Election of these Officers by some new Commissionated Captains It is not by the greatness of his skill but the largeness of his body not how able he is in his mind but how strong he is in his Arms not what is his Spirit Activity Dexterity but what is his wealth and how near he is allyed to the Captain in blood friendship or service or some other beholdingness to him for this piece of Honour As if this Place deserved nothing else but a meer Man or some Friend For when shall you see an Ensign almost in any Imployment more than in ordinary Marches or standing still and observing other mens Actions When shall you see either Captain or Lieutenant teach the Ensign his Postures or the Dignity of his Place his demeanour before Kings Princes and Potentates and other his subjection to his Superiours his State and Gard to his Equals and his Humanity and Courtesie to his Inferiours I am sure that some are so far from making inquiry after these discoveries that you shall see some Ensigns let fly their Colours when they should sink them and some to stoop them to Pesants or Comrades when Superiours have gone unsaluted There are a great many other absurdities but I shall hereby endeavour a Reformation although it may not be to the satisfaction of all yet I will lay open and plain what I know of these Concerns as not to puzzle him who is desirous to learn nor lull asleep with amazement the weakest capacity Therefore in the first place I shall endeavour to declare the Original and first beginnings of Ensigns or Colours in the Wars and how they have grown up by succession and continue as now they are It 's true that the Antient Historians and Heathen Writers hold divers Opinions touching the first beginning of Ensigns Some deriving of them especially the old Poets from Hercules in imitation of his Lyons skin Others take the beginning from Perithouâ— Persius the Companion of Hercules in Imitation of his inchanted shield whereon was painted the head of the Monster Gorgon on which whosoever gazed was instantly transformed into a stone But these fictions are more moral than true There be others which suppose that the first Ensign was born or carried before Theseus when he went to combate with Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons whom he bravely conquered and afterward married Now as these so many other Writers suppose divers other beginners of this Mystery Some lay it upon Mercury because of his Caduceus Some upon Vulcan when he forged Mars a Shield and an Armour and some upon Jupiter whose Ensign was Thunder and Lightning But those which go much nearer the Truth ascribe the beginning of this Dignity unto Tuhalcaâ—n the Son of Lamech who painted in an Ensign the whole History of his Fathers Actions and Conquests when he conquered or rather tyrannized over his weaker Neighbours And that after him Japhet the Son of Noah did the like and caused his Actions to be painted out and born before him in an Ensign But upon the credit of these old Poets Historians and Rabbins we may not rely but must fly to the truth it self which is ever a faithful and a constant Warrant We find in holy Writ that the greatest Chieftain that ever led Army upon the Earth was Moses the great servant of the great God He was truly Dux a Duke a Leader such a Duke and such a Leader as after him Christ excepted was never the like seen in the World and the Army which he lead was the greatest strongest and most fortunate in Number Power and in all manner of hazardous Actions that ever the World saw or the Sun shined upon Now we find this Duke this Prince over Israel by the holy appointment of God himself was the first that began true Martial Discipline for as himself was General over that huge Body so for the well disposing and governing of every particular member he constituted and appointed several Colonels over the several Tribes and under every Colonel several Captains as Commanders in Chief over particular Companies who as Inferiours did execute the Commands of their Superiours and had also executed under them by others whatsoever they lawfully commanded that was for the good and benefit of the Army As thus he divided the twelve Tribes into twelve war-like Bodies so also he ordained them several Ensigns or Banners charged with twelve several Marks or Divisions under which they marched which by solemn oath and protestation they were bound to guard and follow in all places and all dangers By these Ensigns and tokens of Honour the Tribes were first of all distinguished and known one from another and by the carriage of them in the field and their waving and prospects in their several places was the dignity of place and precedency of greatness first known the Elder being distinguished by his Ensign or Mark from the younger the greater from the less and the eminent and more superiour from those of lower rank and inferiour Although we have a large Basis to superstruct our imitations upon yet there was not the general use of Ensigns then as now there is for these Ensigns were due only to the great Colonel or chief head of the Tribes not to every particular Company but to one Tribe was allowed but one Ensign and after one manner and form so as Simeon may not carry that of Levi nor Levi that of Judah but were tied to their own Colours Also if that one Tribe were
which is used by Fire-Masters For they put Sulphur Salt-Peter Charcoal all together in an Earthen Pot a certain proportion of each which proportion one to the other they have learned by experimental practice upon which they pour fair fresh water which they boyl upon the fire until all the water is evaporated and the matter become thick then they take it from the fire and dry it in the Sun or in some warm place as a Stove or the like then they pass it through a Hair Sieve and reduce it into small Grains There are others that take these Materials and grind them upon a smooth flat Stone or a smooth Earthen Dish and then having moistned it by their Skill they bring it into Grains which powder brought to this degree of perfection they serve their occasions with as much utillity and profit as if it had been made by the hand of one of the most knowing or skilful Powder-makers in the world It is in my judgment labour lost to speak more of these superficial wayes but come to the order and method which is necessary and usually observed in the preparing of Gun-Powder It shall likewise suffice me to propose in this Chapter some Compositions most excellent and best approved which are these Compositions for Cannon Powder Compositions for Musquet-Powder Compositions for Pistol-powder The first The first The first Salt Peter 100 l. Salt-Peter 100 l. Salt-Peter 100 l. Sulphur 25 Sulphur 18 Sulphur 12 Coals 25 Coals 20 Coals 15 The Second The Second The Second Salt-Peter 100 l. Salt-Peter 100 l. Salt-Peter 100 l. Sulphur 20 Sulphur 15 Sulphur 10 Coals 24 Coals 18 Coals 8 You must first finely powder these compositions or mixtures for Cannon or Musquet Powder and after moisten them with fair fresh water or Vinegar or with Aquavitae but if you will have your Pistol Powder stronger and more violent you ought to stir it up several times whilst t is in the Morter with this following liquor that is a water distilled from Rinds of Oranges Citrons or Lemons by an Alymbeck or any other Chymical Vessel then let all be beaten and well brayed 24. hours and then in the end reduce it into very fine small grains A Liquor for this purpose may likewise be made of twenty parts of Aquavitae and 12 parts of distilled Vinegar made of Whitewine and four parts of Spirit of Salt-Peter and two parts of water of Sal-armoniac and one part of Camphire dissolved in Brandy-wine or reduced into Powder with powdered Sulphur or reduced with Oyl of sweet Almonds To Corn Powder well you must prepare a Sieve with a bottom of thick Parchment made full of round holes then moisten the Powder that must be corned with its water and make it up in Balls as big as Eggs which put into the Sieve and with it put a wooden Bowl and when you have so done sift the Powder so as the Bowl rouling about the Sieve may break the Clods of Powder and make it pass through those little holes into Corns It is observed by Fire-Masters and Gunners that Powder when it is Corned is of much greater force and power than in Meal from hence 't is concluded that powder when 't is put into a Piece of Ordnance ought not to be pressed or beaten home too hard in the Piece for thereby it will loose its form of grains and thereby looseth a great part of its strength that it had and is therefore not able to throw out the Bullet with so great a violence as if the Powder had been gently thrust home to the Britch end CHAP. XVIII Of the several Colours which are to be given to Powder KNow first that all the blackness which you see in Gun-powder comes from the Coal not that this colour is absolutely necessary to be conjoyned to its nature or that it is absolutely necessary to be given to it for its meliorating or making it more vigorous this is not so but by contraryes you may be permitted to give unto it any such colours as you shall think fit without prejudice or hinderance of the Powder and vertue of it For if instead of Coal you take rotten dryed wood or Sawdust well dryed or white paper moistned and dryed in a Stove and powdered or indeed any other thing of a combustible nature or that is well disposed to take fire such as you read hereunder and to this you may add a colour according to your fancie and pleasure and you will infallibly have a Powder that will make the same Effect as the black powder And for this purpose I shall lay down in this Chapter certain mictions with which I served my self many times and therefore known to be experimental truths White Powder Take Salt-Peter six pounds Sulphur one pound of Sawdust of the Elder Tree well dryed and powdered one pound these mixed according to the directions in the former Chapter there will be made a Powder of a white colour Or thus Take Salt-Peter ten pounds of Sulphur one pound of the woody part when the Hemp is taken away one pound c. Or thus Salt-Peter six pounds Sulphur one pound of Tartar calcin'd until it be brought to a whiteness and the Salt extracted for use one Ounce Red Powder Take of Salt-Peter twelve Parts of Sulphur two parts of Amber one part of Red Sanders two parts c. Or Take Salt-Peter eight pounds of Sulphur one pound of dryed powdered Paper boyled up in a Water wherein is Cinaber or Brazil Wood and then again dryed one pound Yellow Powder Take Salt-Peter eight pounds Sulphur one pound Wild or Bastard Saffron boyled in Aqua Vitae after dryed and powdered two pounds c. Green Powder Salt-Peter ten pounds of Sulphur one pound dryed Wood or Saw-dust boyled in Aqua Vitae with some Verditer then dryed and powdered of this two pounds Blew Powder Salt-Peter eight pounds of Sulphur one pound of the Saw-dust of the Teil Wood boyled in Brandy Wine with Indigo and after dryed and powdered one pound CHAP. XIX Still Powder or Powder without Noise THere are several that do Write many strange things concerning this Still Powder or Powder without noise or as some do give it the name Deaf Powder whereof they have treated prolixly the which I think not convenient to do by reason I am loath to tire the Reader with any such Discourse as tends not much to Edification I shall therefore put down certain mixtures which I have known to be more excellent and best approved First way Take Common Powder two pounds Venus Borax one pound these being well powdered mingled and incorporated together must be made up into Corn Powder Second way Take common Powder two pounds Venus Borax one pound of Lapis Calaminaris half a pound of Sal-armoniack half a pound powder and mix them well and make them up into Grains Third way Take common Powder six pounds of Live Moles burnt in an Earthen Pot of Venus Borax half a pound mix them as before
which I hold to be exceeding good and necessary all but the 16th which says That the Angle of the Flanque and Courtine must always be a Right Angle As for the reason of that Position we shall see more hereafter For I do assert the contrary and say That it ought always to exceed 90 degrees which Angle is the onely thing that makes the difference in the form of my Ground-Lines from those now in use besides that I take greater Parts and other Profiles The truth is the Flanques are the most considerable parts of a Fortification and those wherein lies its chiefest Strength and therefore the Structure of those is of so much the greater consequence But now the reasons of those who would have the Flanque evermore perpendicular to the Courtine are these that follow viz. Because all Shots coming from thence flie parallel to the Courtine and that by night all parts of the Courtine may be better defended and that when it is very dark the Souldiers holding their Musquets in a right Angle to their Breasts must needs hinder the Enemy from approaching the Courtine as may be seen in Fig. 1. These reasons being well scann'd and examin'd appear so weak that they are scarce worth the answering nevertheless I shall briefly refute them The first reason is because the Shots flie all parallel with the Courtine whereupon I say whether the Flanque be perpendicular to the Courtine or no the Shots may for all that flie parallel with the Courtine for the Souldiers know not how to make a Right Angle in setting their Musquets I do also affirm That onely one Musqueteer can with one Shot clear the whole Courtine at once and all the rest must incline to it for if they do flie parallel then those who give the Assaults must have Wings likewise that so they may be shot in the Air in case those within are to defend the upper part of the Wall or else the Shots must flie onely the height of four or five foot above the Horizon as out of the Fausse-bray that so they may keep parallel to the Horizon whereas contrariwise the Flanques in these Fortifications are eighteen or twenty foot high and all Shots go downwards and therefore hit the Horizon in one place onely The principal duty of a Musqueteer is that by night-time he turn himself with his Musquet towards the place where he heareth a noise or seeth fire or something else to which neither the Perpendicularity nor the Obliquity of Flanques can give any advantage or become the least hindrance And these parallel-shots are onely Imaginary found out upon the Ground-Lines which in the Profile come far otherwise as Fig. 1. Num. 1. sheweth The Musquetteer A standing upon the Flanque which is Perpendicular to the Courtine cleareth the upper part of it in case the Musquetteer B do the same and Shooteth parallel with A but then his Bullet flieth so far from the Wall as he himself standeth off from his fellow and so likewise all the rest that stand along in the same Line Whence it followeth That those who assault must be upon the Wing or in the Ayr or else are not to be hit by these parallel-shots but let the others without the Point A as C D c. not Shoot parallel with A then their Shots cannot hit either the Courtine or Moat or Bridge but in one place onely which in an Oblique Flanque of an equal height will be the same Now as for my Flanques I order them after another Method and therefore they are of far greater Advantage then the former or any other that were ever yet in use which any Artist may easily conceive when he vieweth onely the Figure although no Explanation or Animadversion were made upon it in case he will but declare his judgement without partiality according to right reason and the practice of War The Flanques or Defending-Lines are the chiefest part of the Fortification and ought therefore to be considered in the first place They have been altered several times already but never with any advantage comparable to what is obtained by these which advantage is distributed and has an influence upon all the parts of the Fortification The Flanques with Casematts are odious in the United Provinces because their Orillons could not stand unless they were Walled up with Stone which is too chargeable as likewise by their Cutting and Retiring of the Flanques mounted with Canon the entrance of the Bulworks came to be too little which in my Work is otherwise Those who view my Bulworks and do not understand the Profiles may also imagine that they are made with Casematts but it is very far from that and there is something else in it which hereafter shall be sufficiently declared and explained onely let no man flatter himself with an opinion that forasmuch as so many brave Captains and Engineers have employed the best of their understandings and endeavours to arrive at the utmost perfection of this Art of Fortification it cannot be but that they have attained unto it Whereas in the late Wars it hath been observed and is daily seen that the best Fortresses made after the manner aforesaid can scarce resist so much as two Moneths and it is altogether needless to produce Examples of that which so many Histories do attest Besides all this we are to know that the bravest Captains and Engineers of this Age knew very well the imperfection of the Modern Flanques and therefore they have made it their business to think of it and the truth is many have conferred with me about it but I did not find the Inventions propounded by them practicable in all places and in this Countrey it hath not been minded because the Spanish did seldom or never Attacque any place of consequence with an industrious force but being Besieged in any of their own places did easily Surrender it without troubling themselves much with the knowledge of Engineership But I shall leave this Subject and come to my purpose which is not to teach the Grounds or first Rudiments of Fortification but onely to Instruct the Ingenious Lovers of that Art how to reform those errors which in these late furious and industrious Wars have been rightly discovered in the Modern Fortifications I stile them furious and industrious because no History gives a relation of any War that was carried on with greater fury or of any Cities that were taken with greater industry In the sequel of this Discourse I shall manifest the Errours of Modern Fortification and in order thereunto I shall begin first from the Ground-Lines and propound a part of a Regular Fortress of Eleven Bulworks according to the practice of Fryday and other Modern Mathematicians whose Method I esteem to be much better then those of former Ages But before I proceed the Enemies of Strong-Holds ought in the first place to be known which are Sappes Spades Pikes Canon Mines and Musquets managed by Souldiers and Commanded by skilfull Captains
is the Capital-Line of the Ravelin W G P H then I measure from N to L as also from G to P upon the Lines K G on th' other side L G such a distance as I need for my retired Flanques from these Points viz. from N and 4 I draw N 5 Perpendicular to L M and 4 R Perpendicular to K 5 as is clearly seen in the Figure and wanteth no further explanation as to the Delineation of it I make further upon the Line 5 R an equilateral Triangle as 5 R R which giveth a Ravelin whose Angle at the Point R is 60 degrees He who desireth the Angle to be greater may make it so without prejudice to th' other Work About this Work I draw a Parallel-Line at the distance of five Rods viz. M R G 5 2 which is the Ditch about the Counter-Guard so that the Ravelins lying before become little Islands At the brink of this Ditch I make a hidden way or Esplanade whose sloping is regulated according to the Wall of the Counter-Guard without Ditches with small cost which becomes a great benefit This I continue about the whole Fortress and all is clearly seen in the Figure how the Work must lie according to the scale and measures These are all the Outworks which I look upon as necessary for a good Defence and I make no Hornworks c. unless extream necessity do require it when perhaps there is some height and then I make them after another manner than the Modern as the nature of the place does require Of the Vertues and Defects of the Modern Outworks THe Modern Outworks are Ravelins Half-moons hidden Ways Crownworks Hornworks Tongues Kettles c. and are made about the Fortresses as Fig. 5. Num. 3. sheweth where the Figures marked with C are called Half-moons those with B Ravelins D is a Crownwork such as are laid before the Courtines before which there lieth a single Tongue E is a Crownwork lying before a Bulwork being strengthned with a double Tongue and at the side of it there is represented the form of a Hornwork This Figure is part of a Regular Seven-angled Work according to the most Modern practice as well the Outworks as the Royal Work The Vertues and Defects of the Royal Work are in part manifested already But now I shall shew those of the Outworks and first Of Ravelins THe Ravelins marked with B I count very necessary seeing they multiply very much the Defence especially of the Outworks But because they do in a manner stand instead of a Royal Work in Modern Fortresses they have this Defect that their Flanqued Angles are too small and the Points may be easily broken as also the Faces as may be seen in Fig. 5. where the Ravelin B being Attacqued from the Batteries A A is easily made useless There may be more Batteries placed to Attacque these Ravelins as it is required because it is seen from the whole Field I A L. These Works being Attacqued it is very difficult to succour them and no less difficult for the Defenders to retire when it is taken and being once taken it becomes as it were a Knife to cut the Throat of the whole Fortress Of the Modern Half-Moons THese Half-Moons marked Fig. 5. Numb 3. with C I look upon as Works of little use because they can make but poor Defence and are Defended but weakly since they have no other Flanque than from the Faces of the next situated Ravelins which Defence being broken which is easily done as I have shewed by the Ravelins and appeareth by the Figure they remain to the use of the Enemy to make in it the Battery H whereby the opposite Flanques of the Bulworks are ruined and the Galleries are brought over with surety all which is clearly shewed N. B. The Faces of the Half-Moons cannot be seen from the Flanque of the great Wall the Ravelins being in the way ergo they cannot be Flanqued from thence c. Of the Modern hidden Way or Counter-scarp as they call it THese hidden Ways are very advantagious before Fortresses for lying low by the Horizon they make all the Shots that come from thence to Mow and Clear the Horizon neither can they well be broken by the Canon but must for the most part be taken by storm and they are commanded from the great Wall This is a work which covereth much the defects of the Modern Fortifications They favour also the Sallying out when they have no Ditches but here in these United Provinces they have almost all of them their Ditches which fault being discovered it hath been remedied by another hidden Way running about the Ditch of the first and being cut in part of it according to the nature of the ground under the Horizon and the surface of the Parapet of this hidden Way loseth it self sloping into the Field without a Ditch Of Crown-works and Horn-works IT is many times necessary to make these or the like Works to take in any heights or suburbs according as the place requireth it They are made after the manner and practice of the great Fortresses and according to the same proportion excepting onely that their parts are smaller and they have but half-Bulworks on either side which are very weak and yet their strength may be much increased by an understanding Engineer They ought in my judgement to be made so that they need not to relie upon the Defence of the great Wall but that they be sufficient to defend themselves especially those that lie before the Courtines as in Fig. 5. may be seen by the Crown-work D whose Wings have a very weak and oblique defence from the Faces of the Bulworks and being Attacqued by night the Lines E E cannot be well defended from the Faces of the Bulworks Yea in such occasions the Defence of the great Wall is but troublesome to these or the like Works for the Musqueteers of the great Wall shooting by night onely upon the Alarm of the Assaulters of the Outworks do hit as well within as without and wound as well the Defenders as the Adversaries They ought nevertheless to lie open towards the City and to be made so that being taken they may be little able to hurt it Of single and double Tongues THese are very slight Works and never ought to have other Profiles then those of ordinary Trenches for else if the Wall should be high they were not able to defend their own Front Neither are they but seldom made otherwise than Trenches or to hinder the Approaches as also the Kettels marked with H. Hence it may be seen wherein the strength of the Outworks now in use doth consist which the Modern Engineers make such boast of Let us now examine the Outworks according to my Practice OF OUTWORKS ACCORDING To the latest METHOD and PRACTICE First of the Counter-Guard OF these Outworks it might be said That they take in much place which is a truth but when we shall have shewed what benefit cometh
by them I doubt not but that will outweigh any inconvenience that shall be occasioned be the great space and place which these Works take in more than other Works usually do Neither is the difference so very great For admit that about the Modern Seven-angled Work Fig. 5. Numb III. there should be made another hidden Way about that which is there already or that it should be strengthened with two hidden ways the Semi-diameter of my Heptagone Fig. 4. is but five Rod longer then that of th' other In recompence whereof it is to be considered That my exterior Polygones of the Heptagone are 80 Rods whereas those of th' other or Modern Heptagone are but 70 Rod long which in the whole maketh 70 Rod difference which is an entire Polygone Wherefore to include the place of my Heptagone after the Modern manner there would be required eight Bulworks so that I do include and Fortifie more place with fewer Bulworks than now is usual which understanding men will easily conceive by comparing the one with th' other To shew then what good this Counter-guard doth let us suppose That the Fortress Fig. 4. is also Attacqued by the Approaches O O. Now skilful Artists know That it is best for the Enemy to Attacque the Point D and after he hath gained the Counter-scarp to pass the Ditch of the Counter-guards of 5 Rods. To do this it is needful for him to render first the Flanque of this Work D and the Face of the Ravelin F uncapable of Defence but if he would break the Flanque of the Counter-guard D he findeth no other place for his Battery than by the letter C where but five Pieces can be placed Fig 4 Fig 5 to Dismount the lowest Flanque and further in the Field about G there might be planted 3 or 4 to throw down the uppermost Parapets of the Retired Flanques so that nine Pieces of Canon may be used whereas those of the Retired Flanques may bring 17 or 18 Pieces in Counter-battery and from the part H 4 or 5 Pieces for the Defence of the Face of the Counter-guard therefore the Defenders are able with more ease to break the Battery of the Assaulters than they to break the Flanques of the Defenders That which hinders that no greater place is found for the Battery of the Assaulters is the Ravelin F and the Angle of the Flanque of the Counter-guard I. Let us see whether there be no where else a place to make a Battery to break the Retired Flanques withall and to Dismount the Canon standing upon the same Suppose there be a Battery by B from thence with the Line B one might boar in between the Ravelin F and the Angle I but not so as to touch the lowest and first Flanque yet this shot which cannot be done by more than one Piece of Canon would come obliquely against the last Shooting-hole of the second Retired Flanque and cannot Dismount the Canon that standeth there because the shot hitteth the Parapet obliquely in the forepart No more can it be done from the Battery A against which Batteries upon the Line D E every where Counter-batteries may be made Put the case That the Enemy not regarding all these difficulties do with great loss pass the Ditch by D and undermine the Point of the Counter-guard which would also be very hard to do seeing the Walls are made so that one cannot well put a Spade into the Ground without being discovered and make a Breach In this case I can first with small labour cut off this Point by the Retrenchments 1 and 2 till the great Retrenchments by 3 and 4 be finish't which are duly defended from the Flanques 6 and 7 as also from the Bulworks-point 8 besides that they succour and defend one another And in case the Besiegers mean to pass between the Retrenchments towards the Bulworks-point without gaining before the two Lines marked with 3 and 4 they will find hot work But suppose they force one of these Lines then there is within two or three Rods after them another ready and those that lie before are Undermined which Mines are blown up when the Enemy once thinks to lodge there and this is a thing that may be done with great advantage There needs not one Rod of ground be lost but what is gained with abundance of bloud and also with great toile and labour Being forced we have alway a free retirement into the Ravelins marked with K and L. And in case there be but men within a Fortification made after my Method who understand the Work it seems impossible to gain it any other way than by length of time and with the loss of many men This Work helpeth it self nothing being in the way that hindereth and all parts are so contrived that they are provided against all inconveniencies Hence the understanding Reader may easily conceive what advantage these Outworks have before the Modern They are Flanqued within and without with Canon and Musquets from the great Wall there may be made in haste and with small pains as many Retrenchments as is desired which are all enfiled within and without from the great Wall and the more obstacles are cast in the way the more the strength of these Works is discovered This is enough as to the form and advantage of my Outworks which each according to his judgement and place may apply In my opinion it would be needless to propound these things in a plainer manner seeing all particularities may be observed by the Figures It might be said That these Outworks would cost more than those that are now in use the contrary of which is true for the Parapet of the Modern hidden Way having a Base of 60 or 70 Foot costeth as much as my Counter-guards-wall whose Profile I do make so that it is just Canon-proof I shall not add here the charges of the Modern Crownworks Hornworks c. but I put my two Ravelins against the Modern Half-moon and Ravelin the Counter-guard against the Counter-scarp now in use my outward hidden Way without Ditches which is made with small charges against the Modern second hidden Way being also without Ditches And although this Work should cost much more yet the charge is sufficiently balanced by the benefit that is had thereby For the Fortresses made after this manner have quite another Defence and are besides their Out and In-works provided against all Occurrences with 2 3 a 4 double Flanques made as well for Canon as for Musquets If any body thinketh that I propound new and strange things as doubtless those will do who are possessed with the Modern practice of Fortifying and never did search after more convenient means or examine the strength of every part of it distinctly or what may be the cause why Strong-Holds are lost so soon neither understand the force of the Maxims of War now in use To those I reply That if they will consider these new things judiciously they will find