The Nevada Democrat., 1862-03-04
The Two Observation-Disclosures and
R0cheIIe.


shut permanently the harbor OF Charleston.
by sinking in the channel leading TO 1t, old
huIks Of vessels filed with stone. is likely
to attract public attention 10 EnrOpe; and
NAV add to the serious complications that
already embarrasses our relations with Eu-
ropean powers.
We have seen il stated 10 partial justid.
cation of the closing of Charleston harbOr,
that Richelieu did the same thing under
Louis Kill, 10 order 10 render himself
master Of Rochelle. How far the cases may
be parallel ones, we leave our readers TO
infer from the following brief, but authentic
sketch Of some OF the incidents aud facts
connected with that memorable siege.
AS early as the time of Philip Al gustus,
Rochelle had sbecome distinguished as
fourishing seaport. In 1860, IL was ceded
TO Engand; but twelve years afterwards,
it passed again TO France, under Charles
", who ratified the municipal privileges it
had retained from the twelfth century.
These privileges were important; aud gave
10 the city something Of the character Ut an
independent republic. It's citizens elected
their Own governor aud other municipal
officers The city authorities coined mon
ey and issued patents Of mobility. In 1857,
Calvauism became the dominant relgiOni
and In the rel ,iOus wars that afterwards
prevailed. Rochelle became the active ceh-
tire of Protestant agitation and conspiracy.
Its merchants had amassed priucely for
tunes by systematic piracy; aud lts marine,
fostered aud sustained by The spoils won IN
buccaneering expeditions upon the ocean,
BECAME the terror Of the Portuguese aud
Spanish merchants, whose galleons were as
sailed and plundered Oh the hOmeward voy
ages irOsn the East and West Indies. The
Rochellers were regarded as cOrsairs; and
their government became as notorious aud
famous as that of Tripoli Tunis at the
beginning Of the present century. The city
was the rendezvouz for all The malcOntents
of France; the hot.brd OF sedtiou, aud the
base of all the military operations, ,underlak-
en- by foreign governments to embarrass
and weaken the power of France. Riche'
lieu, therefore, determined TO devote his
vast powers and undannted energy TO the
work of It's subugation. This was no easy
task. The city was too strong 10 be reach
ed by an attack from the land; and vast
swamp, traversed by narrow aud well.de-
Tended causeway, protected II from APP
proach by the sea. II became evident TO
Richelieu. that successful blockade.
by cutting off It's supplies. would hasten the
reduction OF the city by famine. This
blockade could be made effective only by
obtaining command Of the barnOr. To ac-
complish this end. il was necessary TO erect
batteries out of reach of the cannon Of the
city, and near enough to control the ap.
proach to the city from the sea. Richelieu,
therefore, on Suggestions derived from the
siege of Tyre by Alexander the Great. pro-
jected the plan OF finging dixie or mole,
nearly mile wide, across the entrance to
the barbOr, with all open space OF about
500 feet, to admit the ebb aud flow OF the
ocean. This great work was commenced in
December, 1921, and completed in May,
1923. Large rocks were frs heaved into
the ocean as u foundation; and upon this
was thrown immense quantities OF stone,
which, it was expected. would be compact
ed by the deposIHre of mud and debris
thrown up by the ocean. The whole struc.
ture was stayed by immense wooden piles
driven with great force into the bottom of
the sea, and manned with powerful balte-
ries by way of defence. In the open space
of the dixie, thirty five vessels were moored,
and so Joined together as to form a kind of
poilSuucs Aboluot tnio tuttuiudoiC cuNCI-
prise, the efforts of the English who attack.
ed II from without, aud the Rochelers who
assailed il from within, were alike unaval-
ing. After enduring incredible hardships,
aud after losing 1900 out Of $4,000 of its
population by famine and other casualties,
the city succumbed to the genius of Richie.
lieu aud the power of France. The articles
of capiLulatiOn were signed on the last day
of October, 1928; and on the morning of the
lst of November, at ten O'Clock, the King
of France made his triumpbal entry into
the city. Singular enough. at one O'Clock
of the same day. q terrific storm arose and
swept along the coast with incredible vic
lence. The waves dashed ruriously against
the structure which Richelieu had erected
with so much toll and expense; and in
few hours the work of demolition was 30
complete, as to render the structure almost
valueless for the object for which it had
been projected The object, however, for
tuuately for France, and for the fame of
Richalieu, had been attained; and the tri-
umphant Cardinal might Will boast, that
he bad achieved victory '.in spite of three
Kings-Philip the Nv. of Spain, who aided
the Rochellers; Of Charles l. of England,
who wasted immense sums of money TO
assist them; aud Of Louis KILL, of L rance,
who by his inquietudes and dependencies,
gave him more trouble than all the Others"
baltimore Mirror.
WRONG MPRESsION,-The impression that