Vol. III. Mifce/U^ea Curioja. 319 



Channel of the River lies very nigh the 

 Shoar ; but it is the fame as if a Fort were 

 built at Chelfey to fecure London from being 

 taken by Shipping. Befides Ships pafling up 

 the River are fecured from the Guns of the 

 Fort, till they come direftly over-againft the 

 Fort, by reafon the Fort ftands in a Vale, 

 and all the Guns directed down the River, 

 that fliould play on the Ships, as they are 

 coming up the River, will lodge their Shot 

 within Ten, Twenty, or Forty Yards in the 

 rifing Bank, which is much above the Level 

 of the Fort ^ fo that if a Ship gave but a 

 good Broad-fide, juft when fhe comes to bear 

 upon the Fort, fhe might put the Fort into 

 that confufion, as to have free Paflage enoughs 

 There was indeed an old Fort of Earth in 

 the Town, being a fort of Tetragone^ with 

 fbmething like Baftions at the four Corners, 

 as I. remember ^ but the Channel lying fur- 

 ther off to the middle of the River there, 

 they let it be demolifhed, and built that 

 new one fpoke of, of Brick, v^^hich feems lit- 

 tle better than a blind Wall, to Ihoot Wild 

 Ducks or Geefe. 



If they would build a Fort for the Security 

 of the Town and Country, I conceive it fhould 

 be on Archeir^% Hofe Pointy for that would ftop 

 the Ships from palling up the River, before 

 they came to the Town, and would fecure 

 the Town from being block'd up by Sea* 

 The Channel at Archer\ Hofe Point liesclofe 

 by the Shoar, and makes fuch an Angle there 

 Jby reafon of Hog Ijland^ that going up or 

 down the River, let the Wind be where it 

 will, they muft there bring the contrary Tack 



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