The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1922-02-09

rection Of Grande Riviere. An army
with the necessary guns and equipage
successfully TO attack this stronghold,
would have TO come from that direc-
ton.
Guns in the prov commanded the
nearer and sleeper approaches, both
from the direction of Grande Riviere
and of Milot. Other guns along the
southern and western sides command
ed adequately all other points of APP
proach. Numerous loopholes were es-
pecially prepared for the use Of sharp
shooters.
The elevation at the base of the
citadel has been variously given as
from 5000 TO 5000 feet, but care
full reading of a compensated aneroid
barometer records 1900 feet. To this
must be added the height of the diff
ferent walls, in order to ascertain the
correct elevation to the top of the
building.
Approach Is Difficult.
The difficulty In reaching the cit
walton as to the fact that to reach 1t
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 40 feet. The high
est wall, measured perpendicularly is
the prov, which has a drop of 100
feet Other walls range from so to
10 feet.
Although large granite blocks are
to be found in many places through
out the building, most of ii is built
of red fire bricks Of different sizes, the
average brick being 10 inches long, 6
inches wide, and inches thick. These
bricks apparently were manufactured
on the site of the building. The noun
tains for long distances in all direc-
tons from the citadel show traces of
Titanic labor in getting out building
material. The average number Of
floors is four, the longest being on
the east face, where the main battery
is located. 1t has q length of go
feet in one stretch.
The main battery gallery has an
inside width of 30 feet. Each gun
compartment has wonderful vaulted
ceilings 20 feet high. each cOmpart-
ment being separated from those adj
joining by thick masonry walls, con-
nected by a low passageway. This is
to minimize the effect of local explo-
sions and possible hits.
Behind each gun there are still to
be found neat piles of cannon balls
ready for use, while in convenient
chambers just to the rear of some of
the guns are heaps of decomposed
black powder mingled with the re-
mains 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 6 inches (firing a 6-inch
cannon BALD, 1 foot 10 inches thick
at the breech and l foot 3% inches at
the muzzle dated 1856. They are
made of bronze and have enormous
mounts of the primitive
gravity return type, moving In train
over large metal arc set in the floor,
and on small wheels Of a strong make.
These guns came mostly from the Eng
fish, some from the captured French
forts, and others, judging from the
very apparent results OF the corrosive
action Of salt water on them, from
war vessels wrecked along the treach-
erous coast.
There are only two entrances to the
citadel One was used 10 bring In
the reserve cannon balls from the long
piles stored by sizes on the sloplng
terrace to the south; the other adj
mits TO the prov. Both entrances
we're closed by massive, bolted and
loopholed wooden doors.
The entire structure is in an excel
lent state Of preservation, except that
the floors In the prov were all shaken
down in the earthquake of 1912, which
laid the town Of Cape Haitlen in ruins.
Christophe's downfall and death
were as sudden and melodramatlc as
the rest of his career. While attend
inf mass on April 10, 1920, he suf-
fred a stroke OF apoplexy and fell
heavily TO the floor alongside the altar
I'm the chapel, paralyzed below the
waist. Rebellion soon broke out, and
the king. deserted by his army. com
mitted suicide.