* Soo aan 
Cavaliers. 
PLATE 
_ceLvi. 4 
Fig. 3. 
FORTIFICATION. 
Pree RRR HH eng besegie? 
rain lodging u it, the surface 
in should incline rita the town at-the 
rate of one inch-of | icular descent in every foot 
of breadth. It to be planted with rows of 
Bet ic sd Loin noeendemeee 
w ‘or : 
ie detect tha dom tis to be finished. towards the 
town by a talud or slope, not, however, so but 
that the soldiers may ascend it without being 
to go round by the ramps or- passages deasling. oP to 
the ein. Between the houses and ram- 
part, there if possible, to be a street 14, to 
20 feet wide; and if there is not space sufficient for 
this otherwise, the inner side of the rampart may be 
made more nearly perpendicular, and be su by 
a revyetement: It is always inconvenient to have houses 
ought therefore, if possible, 
Engineers have differed in opinion with regard to 
the construction of bastions, some recommending the 
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service. | 
it is 
on 
for 
i y lower. a aay depend 
said, afford facilities to the i or i 
a 
forming the escarpe of the faces of the 
bib His 9009 36 fort dissent, and GH 
coupures zm, zy are perpendicular 
and 20 to 50 feet’ distant from 
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fire. 
.. Another kind of cavalier called a barbette, is some- 
times constructed in the saliant angle of the bastion, as 
a, extending about 36 feet along the faces. The terre- 
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491 
nature of the materials, The interior of the saliant Permanent 
angle is sometimes made circular, to admit a greater 
number of men than it could otherwise do. The height 
of the parapet above. the terre-plein ought to be 7 feet 
6 inches, andthe banquette about 3 feet ; that is 4 feet 
6 inches lower than the highest inner edge of the para- 
pet... When the banquette is higher than 2 feet, it 
ought to be provided with steps for the soldiers to 
ascend, . Its breadth should be about 4 feet, to allow 
two ranks of soldiers to act. As a banquette.is not on 
all occasions useful, it may sometimes be sufficient to 
have a mound of earth behind the parapet, ready to be 
constructed should it be necessary. 
Fortifica- 
tions. 
_ In order to give the fire of the garrison a complete Plonge of 
command of every on 
works, the parapet a slope outwards. To deter. 
mine this slope; which is called the plonge, is always a 
lem of great importance. If the parapet be too 
evel, the guns of the garrison cannot be brought to 
bear on such of the enemy’s works as are very near ; 
and should the slope be very great, it weakens the up- 
wer. pesto the parapet. The plonze, that is the verti- 
cal difference between the interior and exterior edge of 
the parapet, should not therefore if possible exceed 18 
inches, but, at the same time, it ought to be so con- 
structed as that the garrison may completely command 
the coyert way and glacis. 
The guns of the garrison are fired through openings 
of the field, and the enemy’s the parapet. 
Embra- 
in the parapet, called embrasures. These openings are sures. 
not made when the pet is at first constructed, but 
are generally left Pa tp out as the position of the 
enemy’s batteries and other circumstances may require. 
The form of embrasures has undergone various change? 
but that now generally adopted is from six to nine feet 
in width towards the eld, and from 16 to 18 inches to- 
wards the place. The best method of supporting the 
sides of the embrasures is by means of saucissons or 
large. fascines. .Wood and stone are sometimes used, 
but are dangerous on account: of the splinters. The 
part of the parapet between two embrasures is called a 
merlon. Revetements should never be carried so high 
as to interfere with the embrasures ; nor should trees 
planted near them, as the roots become very trouble- 
some. When, from a scarcity of earth, it becomes ne- 
to construct the yale ay any pot of the para- 
» it ought to be from four to seven feet 
ay Rise <a 
In former times, it was usual to carry a pa 
round. the outside of the pet, on the top of the re- 
vetement, from 6 to 10 feet wide, with a wall from 
three to six feet high towards the field, in which were 
loop-holes for the soldiers to fire through. This passage; 
commonly called the passage of the rounds, is now com- 
plats abandoned, having been found to afford. consi- 
able facility to the enemy in ing an assault. 
Guerrites, or small towers before the saliant angles of 
the parapet, for centinels, have also been given up. 
As a free communication among the di 
of the fortification is of the greatest importance, it be- 
comes necessary to have ramps or slopes, by which the 
artillery, Sc. may be brought upon the rampart, If 
the bastion be full, ramps in the gorge will be sufficient; 
if sane, one wil] be required at flank, at the faces, 
and also at the curtains. The breadth of the ramp may 
be from oh feet, Peay in a may oi and 
its perpendicular ascent, from 1. inch to 24 inches 
horlzontal foot a 
Souterrains, or caserns, are places 
the rampart, for the purpose of lodging the soldiers, 
Sssage Passage of 
the rounds. 
fferent parts Ramps. 
constructed under séuterrains, 
