NEW SYSTEM OF FORTIFICATION. 87 



tresses of the kingdom from the beginning of monarchy, 

 from the foundation of the oldest, have not cost as much 

 as the cavalry alone of the French army during twenty- 

 six years ; and pray remark that at the time when Carnot 

 wrote this memoir, exactly twenty-six years had elapsed 

 without our cavalry having jdrawn their swords. 



Well, Gentlemen, having become a member of the 

 Legislative Assembly, this ardent advocate for fortresses 

 proposed, whatever may have been said about it, not the 

 complete destruction of the special and independent for- 

 tifications, backed by cities and called citadels, but the 

 demolition only of those ramparts that before isolated 

 them. Assuredly the certainty of there being a place of 

 safe retreat must, in a time of siege, excite the soldier to 

 prolong the defence and run the hazardous chance of 

 assaults ; but by the side of this advantage, citadels 

 appeared to the mind like real Bastilles, the garrisons 

 of which could thunder on the towns, claim ransom from 

 them, or make them submit to any of their caprices. 

 This reflection prevailed in the mind of Carnot, who was 

 an eminently good citizen. The officer of engineers 

 proscribed citadels, and, despite loud clamours, his con- 

 scientious opinion prevailed. 



This is not quite the case with the new systems of 

 fortifications, and of defence, proposed by our colleague. 

 They have only thus far made proselytes among for- 

 eigners. Is it wrong, or is it reasonable, that our clev- 

 erest officers should reject them ? God forbid that I 

 should venture to cut short this question.* All that I 



* Probably the author is alarmed at the difficulty and responsibility 

 of deciding; otherwise he ought, as a biographer, necessarily to give 

 some estimate of the value of all the works of the subject of his 

 memoir. Translator. 



