98 



Travels in France 



permit a bank being formed between column and column. These 

 have been called cones from their form. They are 140 feet 

 diameter at the base, 60 diameter at the top, and 60 feet vertical 

 height, being, when sunk in the sea, 30 to 34 feet immersed at 

 the low water of high tides. These enormous broad-bottomed 

 tubes being constructed of oak, with every attention to strength 

 and solidity, when finished for launching were loaded with stone 

 just sufficient for sinking, and in that state each cone weighed 

 1000 tons (of 2000 lb.). To float them, sixty empty casks, each 

 of ten pipes, were attached around by cords, and in this state 

 of buoyancy the enormous machine was floated to its destined 

 spot, towed by numberless vessels, and before innumerable 

 spectators. At a signal the cords are cut in a moment and the 

 pile sinks: it is then filled instantly with stone from vessels 

 ready attending, and capped with masonry. The contents of 

 each, filled only to within four feet of the surface, 2500 cubical 

 toises of stone. ^ A vast number of vessels are then employed to 

 form a bank of stone from cone to cone, visible at low water in 

 neap tides. Eighteen cones, by one account, but ^^ by another, 

 would complete the work, leaving only two entrances commanded 

 by two very fine new-built forts, Royale and d'Artois, thoroughly 

 well provided, it is said, for they do not show them, with an 

 apparatus for heating cannon balls. The number of cones will 

 depend on the distances at which they are placed. I found 

 eight finished, and the skeleton frames of two more in the dock- 

 yard; but all is stopped by the Archbishop of Toulouse in 

 favour of the economical plans at present in speculation. Four 

 of them, the last sunk, being most exposed, are now repairing, 

 having been found too weak to resist the fury of the storms 

 and the heavy westerly seas. The last cone is much the most 

 damaged, and, in proportion as they advance, they will be still 

 more and more exposed, which gives rise to the opinion of many 

 skilful engineers that the whole scheme will prove fruitless, 

 unless such an expense is bestowed on the remaining cones as 

 would be sufficient to exhaust the revenues of a kingdom. The 

 eight already erected have for some years given a new appearance 

 to Cherbourg; new houses, and even streets, and such a face of 

 activity and animation, that the stop to the works was received 

 with blank countenances. They say that, quarry-men included, 

 3000 were employed. The effect of the eight cones already 

 erected, and the bank of stone formed between them, has been to 

 ^give perfect security to a considerable portion of the intended 



' The toise six feet. 



