580 
SIEGE OE MINORCA. 
Q .—Can they be procured on the Island; have they a Miner there. 
A .—I apprehend not, as to any Spanish Miners that may be there, I 
doubt whether they can be depended upon in time of Service; and if 
there are any among the Infantry, it would weaken the Garrison too 
much to take them away from the defence of the upper ground Works. 
Q .—Would not short guns in the Subterraneans to defend them 
occasionally be of great consequence. 
A .—There are six Cohorn Howitzers at Minorca, which I presume 
would be useful in defending the Subterranean Gallerys, either with 
Shells or Case Shot, if the Galleries will bear the explosion and shock; 
but I think that smoke balls would be very advantageous if fired in 
the Galleries. There are also Orgues fixed in all of them behind the 
Traverses, which make a very good Subterranean defence; all the 
Traverses in the Subterranean Galleries have ditches before them, and 
the passages of retreat round the Traverses are well secured by very 
strong and heavy falling doors. 
The Officers* Quarters have also loop holes to fire Musquetry into the 
Galleries. 
LOOSE THOUGHTS ON MINORCA. 
As all the Guns at Minorca are Iron, and there may be probably 
Carron Guns among them, it would be very necessary to have them all 
examined by General Desagulier's Instrument. 
If the Garrison of Minorca was of sufficient strength for that purpose, 
it would be of great advantage to have a Post at Fort Fornelles, as the 
harbour commanded by that Fort is the place where the Enemy's 
Transports must lie after the Troops are Disembarked, and being a 
very good harbour and directly opposite the French Coast, they will 
there keep up their communication with France, and receive there all 
their supplies of Men, Ammunition, &c. 
A small Garrison there would also procrastinate the Siege, as they 
would probably take that Fort first before they make any attack upon 
St. Philip's. 
Whether the Amusettis would not be useful in reconnoitring Partys 
and Sallys, or on the covered way when Stormed, or in the breaches. 
THOUGHTS ON MINORCA. 
Minorca if possible should be reinforced so as to make the strength 
5000 men. The half Companies of Artillery should go, and the Corps 
of Artillery should be quite complete; there should be 200 Miners sent 
with a proper proportion of Officers for the Mines and Subterranean 
defence. Carcasses and Smoke Balls should be sent, and Captain 
Tovey's Shells to fire out of Guns on the fascine batteries of the Enemy. 
Miners' tools, Carronades for Grape Shot in case of assaults and close 
attacks, and for the Flanks of Works and defence of the ditches. 
