THE COAST DEFENCES OF NORTHERN TUNIS. 537 
armament of the left wing of this fort consists of 4°22 °™ B.L. guns, 
mounted “en barbette,” and of the right wing of 4-47 °™ Q.F. guns 
(provided with shields) on cone mountings. ‘he height of this battery 
must be nearly 200 feet above the sea and it is most admirably situated 
on a line of hills about 1000 yards from the sea level. The battery is 
built on land, the property of the British Consul and adjoins his 
property, which commands the fort from the rear. It is well concealed 
from the sea front, a position about 1000 yards to the east of it being 
often mistaken by ships out at sea, as the real site of the fort, owing to 
a curious configuration of the hills at this point. 
On the northern side of the canal is the important battery of Fort 
d’ Hspagne (see c sketch d) adjoining the old Spanish forts of the same 
name erected at the northern angle of the walls of the old Arab town 
of Bizerta, and now forming a barrack for the artillery garrison of one 
Field battery and a few fortress gunners. 
This battery is situated about 500 yards from and rather under 150 
feet above the sea, and well concealed, an old quarry on some neigh- 
bouring heights often being mistaken for it from the sea. Mounted 
on its left wings are 4-22  B.L. guns “en barbette.” Its right wing 
is constructed to serve as either an infantry parapet or for the 
mountings of light Q.F. guns not yet arrived. On the south side of 
this fort is an earthwork of field profile, in which are mounted four field 
M.L. guns on travelling carriages, the equivalent about of our 9-pr. 
R.M.L., 8-cwt. guns. These guns command the Arab town, and the 
banks of the canal at a range of about 900 metres and 4 mile from 
railway station. 
The garrison of Bizerta constitutes a portion of the Tunis brigade, 
and consists of $ battalion zouaves in a cantonment west of the Arab 
town, the detachment of artillery referred to and a few sappers. 
There is no permanent floating defence. The French officers stated 
that Bizerta is merely held strategically as a checkmate to the corres- 
ponding naval fortress of the Italians’ Maddalena in Sardinia (see map 0). 
There appears to be no special provision for combined action between 
the forts in an engagement but their handy heavy groups of guns of 
one calibre and consequently one nature of ammunition, compared to 
our complicated system of scattered groups of different calibres, 
intricate plans of communications, etc., inspired me, I must confess, 
with a feeling of envy. Bizerta is 60 miles by road, or three hours 
rail from Tunis, with which it is in telegraphic communication. Sup- 
plies in the neighbourhood are plentiful, but beyond water fowl the 
sportsman will not meet with much reward for his exertions. In the 
mobile land defence of their coast towns the French employ a propor- 
tion of Mountain Artillery, which seemed efficient and organised more 
like our Indian batteries than the batteries employed by them in the 
Alps. When shall we increase our small force of Mountain Artillery 
at home for expeditionary purposes, if by one battery or train section 
of our Garrison Artillery as a reserve for this service? 
