so 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
American, 
6. Most of the earlier American casemated works are constructed of 
stone (not granite), with embrasures of brick. The casemates at Tort 
Warren and Tort Independence, Boston ; at Tort Lafayette and Tort 
Hamilton, New York (Tig. 6, Plate I.), are of this construction. In some 
instances, as in Tort Adams, Newport Harbour, they are constructed with 
two embrasures of this sort in one casemate. 
Where stone was not easily procurable, the American works were built 
wholly of brick, as in the case of Tort Pulaski, Savannah, and Tort Sumter, 
Charleston. (Tig. 5, Plate I.). 
Latest American construction of casemates. 
7. During the last few years, the Americans have taken a step in advance, 
and in recent casemated Torts at the chief ports on the American coasts, 
they are constructed of two, three, and four tiers in height, with the front 
walls wholly of granite, and small pieces of iron, 8 inches thick, built in on 
either side of the embrasures. (Tig. 7, Plate II.). 
Of this construction are Tort Georges, Portland; Tort Bichmond, Tort 
Wilkins and Sandy hook Tort, New York; and a fort on the Bip Baps, 
opposite Tortress Monroe, at the mouth of the James Biver. Some of these 
works are not yet completed. 
Late Russian . 
8. Up to the present time, the Iiussians have probably done more than 
any other country in the actual adoption of iron in sea defences. They have 
lately strengthened several of the embrasures of their casemated forts at 
Cronstadt with iron, and have also re-modeled one or two of their open 
batteries for the reception of iron shields. They only allow about 14 feet, 
however, between the guns behind these shields, whilst nearly double that 
distance is considered by us to be requisite for the effective working of 
great guns. The Bussian batteries cannot be compared to ours either in 
space or in appliances to enable the artillerymen to work their guns with 
good effect. 
Late English construction . 
9. Even with the addition of iron such as the Americans introduced at 
the throats of their embrasures, the casemates above referred to could not 
afford adequate protection to guns and gunners against the fire of powerful 
rifled ordnance. This was anticipated in the designs prepared in 1861 for 
the casemates in the English sea defences (Tig. 8, Plate II.), which provided 
for greatly increasing the dimensions and strength of the mass of the 
masonry of the work, and for omitting the masonry round the embrasures, 
where, owing to the necessity of having sufficient space for the working 
of the guns, it was weak. Openings have thus been left for iron shields, 
and the construction has been arranged so that the iron (which was not 
provided for in the original estimates for the works) may be inserted in 
the openings at any time when funds are available for the purpose. We 
