BY G. A. MORELL, ESQ., C.E. 259 



from one battery to another in a few hours, if needed to dislodge 

 an enemy from any position he might occupy. 



The forts on George Head and Green Point and the batteries of 

 Middle Head and Inner South Head being fully armed with the 16 

 heavy guns I propose for them, could sustain any attack even from 

 iron-clads, and probably oblige them to retreat with great loss. 



I propose to mount the guns on traversing platforms and 

 turn-tables in order to move them from one embrasure to another 

 so as to obtain with each gun as much lateral range as if they 

 were mounted " en barbette." I recommend this arrangement 

 in preference to revolving cupolas, for with fixed forts, damage 

 to the iron walls will not affect the working of the guns, the 

 battery may be strengthened with more guns if necessary, firing 

 may be kept up in the same direction or on totally different points 

 at the same time, and accommodation can be provided for a 

 sufficient number of troops to repel the attacks of assaulting 

 parties without interfering with the artillerymen at their guns, 

 whereas with revolving cupolas, the artillerymen must neglect 

 their fire to repulse assailants, and when receiving the fire of 

 several vessels from different points simultaneously, they can only 

 respond to one at a time, thereby being exposed to have their 

 iron wall and machinery so damaged as to render the guns 

 almost useless except in the direction of their last shot. The 

 expense also of constructing and maintaining revolving cupolas 

 with all their machinery is greater than for fixed batteries with 

 guns of the same calibre. 



With a complete system of defence, iron forts or batteries would 

 be required at every position, but with obstructions in the channels, 

 the subsidiary works within the obstructions, intended to receive 

 guns only in the event of one or two vessels effecting an entrance 

 by surprise, could be masked batteries without armour plates. 



I propose to make these works " barbette batteries" sunken in 

 pits, where the guns after firing would be lowered to be re-loaded. 

 They would have to be built on the highest point of the position 

 to avoid their being taken " en defilade" ; their parapet could be 

 of any thickness and surrounded by a small ditch and glacis beyond. 

 These works would be entirely masked, the only indication of their 

 position to an enemy being the appearance of the guns for one 

 or two minutes at a time whilst firing. Their cost would not 



