The Washington herald., 1920-12-28

the longest, is located the main bat
terry of heavy guns; and strategical-
ly this should be so. for this gives
absolute command of the most dan
gerous approach. that from the di-
rection of Grande Riviere. Other
guns Along the southern and west
ern sides commanded adequately all
other points Of approach Numerous
loophoies were especially prepared
for the use Of sharpshooters.
Material From the sight.
The elevation at the base of the
citadel has been variously given as
from 5000 to 5000 feet, but a care
full reading Of a compensated ane-
roid barometer records $500 feet.
To this must be added the height OF
the different walls, in order to as
certain the correct elevation to the
top of the building.
The difficulty in reaching the cit
adel is due not so much TO it's ele-
walton as to the fact that TO reach
it one is compelled to cross at least
eight miles of mountainous country.
and the approaches are all very
steep. The highest place on the
walls (measured to the ground) is
l4O feet. The highest wall. meas
ured perpendicularly. is the PROV.
which has a drop of l30 feet. Other
walls range from eighty to ll0 feet.
Although large granite. blocks
are to be found in many places
throughout the building. most of il
is built of red fircbricks of differ
ent sizes, the average hrick being
fifteen inches long. six inches wide,
and two inches thick. These brick s
apparently were manufactured on
the site of the building. The noun
tains for long distances in all di-
rections from the citadel show
traces of Titanic labor in getting
out building material. The aver
age number of floors is sour, the
longest being on the east face,
where the main battery is located.
1t has a length of go feet in one
stretch.
wsIIs 20 Feet Thick.
The main battery gallery has an
inside width of thirty feet. Each
gun compartment has wonderful
vaulted ceilings twenty feet high,
each compartment being separated
from those adjoining by thick ma
sonry walls, connected by a low
passageway. This is to minimize
the effect OF local explosions and
possible hits.
Behind each gun there are still
to be found neat piles Of cannon
balls ready for use, while in con-
,venient chambers just to the rear
of some of the guns are heaps of
decomposed black powder mingled
with the remains of the original
wooden powder cases. A vast pile
of similar debris is also to be found
in the large powder magazine.
The largest guns are IL feet 6
inches long. caliber inches (nring
a 6-inch cannon ball), foot 10
inches thick at the breech and I
foot 3S inches at the muzzle, dated
1855. They are made of bronze and
have enormous hardwood mounts of
the primitive gravity return type,
moving in train over a. large metal
arc set in the floor. and on small
wheels Of strong make.
These guns came mostly from
the English. some coming from the
captured French forts, and others,
judging from the very apparent re-
suits Of the corrosive action Of salt
water on them. came from war ves-
sells wrecked along the trescherous
coast. Similar guns are mounted
in the upper gallery on the south
ern face and in the lower gallery
to the northwest. Others are lying
in the court and along the east par
apet. At least a dozen large NOR
tars are piled up outside.