LOUISBOURG QUAY:
A STUDY OF ITS CONSTRUCTION, UTILIZATION AND HISTORY
FROM 1716 TO 1760

BY

RODRIGUE LAVOIE

(Under the Direction of: W. Stevenson, B. Pothier)

(Maps and Plans drawn by Rodrigue Lavoie and Angela Brown)

(Assembled by Lynda Smith)

November, 1965

(Fortress of Louisbourg Report H B 5 E)

Presently, the illustrations are not included here.
For these, please consult the original report in the archives of the Fortress of Louisbourg

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PART TWO

In this second part of my report, I intend to deal with certain details concerning the quay which are of great interest but which are perhaps somewhat lost among the mass of information and descriptions in Part One.

These details fall into three categories: urban, military and commercial. In the first section, I intend to establish the relationship between the quay and the layout of the town: location, streets leading to it, location of the wharves, the contribution of the quay to the life of the town. I shall also consider the problems caused by the quay, such as the level of the houses situated behind it, etc. . . The second section deals with the relation between the quay and the fortifications, and covers the contribution made by the quay to the defense of the town. The last section concerns trade and deals with many problems: the wharves; careening, which can and must be considered as an item concerning the quay itself, trade and fishing; there is also the problem of quay maintenance and above all, there is the significant fact that the Louisbourg quay is not a deep-water quay -- this was not dealt with in Part One since it did not affect the construction of the quay itself.

There are other points, no doubt, which could be put in this outline but they escape me for the moment. It any case, my style is somewhat pitiful today and I do not feel much like writing.[sic]

There will also be an appendix to this report summarizing the principal details of the quay's construction: this will be a description giving the dimensions we have found for each part of the quay, giving the location of these parts and describing as far as possible their construction and the materials used.

The Quay and the Functions of the Town

Although the Louisbourg quay was built hastily and without great solidity, it nonetheless constitutes one of the essential parts of this French outpost on Cape Breton Island. It is more than simply a maritime facility, it forms part and parcel of the town and fortifications. It can even be said that it is one of the parts of Louisbourg which best expresses the various aspects of the life of the fortified town and its inhabitants.

Louisboug is certainly unusual among the towns of the French Régime. [1] the almost perfect symmetry of its streets, and the very small number of modifications made to the plan of the town between 1717 and 1760, [2] show, in my opinion, that Louisbourg was built according to a definite and preconceived plan and that this plan also included the quay. [3] Moreover, Louisbourg was a fortress unique of its kind in North America and the quay, which according to Franquet [4] formed "the longest front of the place", could not but form an integral part of the fortifications. The fundamental reasons for the founding of Louisbourg were above all of an economic nature. It would seem likely, although this still remains to be proved, that a desire to control the gulf's fisheries lay behind the founding of the fortified outpost near the Grand Banks, a refuge for French fishing vessels and the strategic key to the gulf. The quay of the town was to play an essential part in this connection. The history of Louisbourg covers its three aspects: that of a strictly planned town, a fortress unique on this continent and the commercial key to a rich fishing area. [I think there is a distinction to be made here between theory and practice. The plans were certainly rigidly adhered to in respect of the streets. However, within the "islands", and for the layout of the squares, etc., the plans were followed less closely. (Pothier)]

How did the quay fit in with these three aspects?

The Quay and the Town

The Louisbourg quay is situated opposite the part of the town which was first settled. The particular alignment of the houses and establishments in this area indicate beyond any doubt that this part of the town was laid out before the implementation of the general plan of the town drawn up by the engineer de Verville in 1717. [5] Moreover, it is certain that the establishments of the rue du Ouay and the adjacent streets existed in 1713, 1714 and 1716, and despite many attempts by de Verville and his successor Verrier which continued up to 1730 and beyond, [6] nothing could be done to correct this situation.

However, from the first drafting of the general plan, which became final in 1723, [7] such departures from the plan were no longer tolerated. In 1717, de Verville established the location of the projected [8] quay and fixed the amount of space which it was to occupy: no construction was to be permitted within a distance of 10 toises "from the highest tide level". This legislation was confirmed by the ordinance of 1717 and 1721, [9] and was quite closely followed ,[10] although the construction of the quay was delayed for some twenty years.

In 1731, however, the sixty foot width reserved for the quay had become appreciably smaller: the breaking of the sea, [11] plus the fact that the inhabitants used the area as a source of gravel for building purposes, [12] had gradually eroded the shore reducing it, according to Verrier, by half. This was seen as a danger to the buildings along the coast unless a dike were very soon built to prevent this continual erosion. [13]

Verrier submitted plans and estimates for a quay [14] built at half tide level parallel to the line of houses, with its wings following the coast in a straight line and joining the other parts of the fortifications. After many modifications, agreement was reached on the construction of a quay which would be functional, but which would at the same time respect the harmony of the plan of the town adding to it a certain element of beauty.

The quay was truly functional: its 15 foot wall [15] stopped the waves and prevented erosion of the shore, while its level terrenplein [16] formed a wide clear area sheltered from the force of the waves. The quay had other important functions: openings in the wall at the wharves also served to drain in the streets of the town. [17] Sloping channels were made in the terreplein starting at the ends of the streets and serving to drain the water off them. Finally, the sluice in the right face opposite the Grand Etang allowed the water to drain at low tide.[18] The quay thus formed part of the town planning. Its high wall protected the town and permitted the installation of a ten foot wide area along the whole length of the quay. Thanks to the foreseight of the engineer, the openings for the wharves could be used for insuring hvgiene and cleanliness.

The advantages were not obtained at the cost of harmony and beauty. As for the rest of the town, the original plan was carefully respected, and use was even made of the originality of layout of this part of the town. Care was taken to locate the wharves at the foot of the streets. For utilitarian purposes -- drainage of the town -- there is a close relationship between the streets and the wharves. [19] This at the same time creates a certain harmony between the town and the port facilities. The same is true of the rue Dauphine which inclines to the west just before it joins the rue du Quay. The result of this bend in the street is that it avoids the cover, comes down to the right face of the quay and leads onto the Coal Wharf in exactly the same way as the other streets. Unlike the others, however, it is not at right angles to the quay.

Finally, the quay also forms part of the town's architecture. It is, of course, a pity that rue Toulouze redan was never built. It would have formed an area for unloading the King's goods just in front of the King's Stores, and would also have constituted a site for a statue of Louis XIV erected to commemorate the founder of the fortress. [20] However, Frédéric Gate [21] was built at the entrance of Toulouze Wharf at the foot of this street. This gate was the entrance to the town from the side facing the sea. It was built of wood and probably corresponded in architectural style with the royal buildings of the town and the other gates.

Although it was functional, the quay at the same time harmonized with the plan and style of the town. Its maritime facilities also formed part of the town planning and were of use in its sanitation system. Its position, the open space which it created, its connection with the streets coming down to it, and even its architecture all contributed towards its combination of beauty and utility.

These objectives were, of course, only secondary, but it must be recognized that the result was something which was elegant and which at the same time fulfilled its functional requirements.

The Quay and the Fortifications

In the case of a fortified town which is to be the defense headquarters of a vast territory and the key to an entire economic region, the fortifications are of major concern to the engineers. It might seem that on this side, which was defended by the Island Battery, the Royal Battery and the Shore Battery, the town did not require any elaborate system of protection. However, if the enemy did penetrate into the harbor certain parts of this nearly 300 toise long front were either relatively unprotected by these guns, or else were out of range.

In the opinion of Franquet, the quay - considered as a defensive wall -- was one of the most solid constructions of the fort. Because its stonework was covered with planking, it was one of the only structures which did not fall into ruins, [22] Verrier's precaution was thus proved to be effective and in 1751 Franquet proposed that the same thing be done with all the other structures, even those on the landward side. [23] However, the quay
wall was not high enough for defense purposes. This is attested to by many statements - by Knowles in 1746, [24] Franquet in 1751, [25], and other criticisms after the siege of 1758. [26] The whole town was unprotected on this side. To remedy this situation raised the wall by means of a picket palisade. [27] Franquet submitted two projects for raising the wall to twenty feet, increasing the thickness of its parapet and for making temporary embrasures through it every 10 toises; the purpose of these projects was to improve the defenses on this side. [28]

As built in 1742 the quay only had embrasures on the flanks, with the exception of two embrasures at the end of the right face forming an extension of the Shore Battery. The three embrasures on each flank covered the front of the quay and seemed sufficient to prevent enemy approach.

Verrier wished to make it into a more effective defensive structure by adding a redan opposite rue Toulouze and a breakwater entering the harbor at right angles from the angle of the right ,flank. [29] Equipped with canon, these two structures would have improved the defenses. For his part, Franquet planned to increase the height of the wall and to make embrasures along the whole length of the curtain. The main reason for the rejection of these improvements would seem to have been their cost.

In spite of all this, and although it was not primarily a defensive structure, the quay did form an integral part of the Louisbourg fortifications. It enclosed the town on the harbor side by joining the Dauphin Eperon to the Pièce  de la Grave. Its picket palisade made it more difficult to scale, and even though it was too low to provide adequate protection for the town, the same can be said of the other parts of the fortifications. [30] The quay was designed as part of tile fortifications and was built of such: its wall was surmounted by a parapet and the Banquette at the back permitted the deployment of men to defend its approaches.

The quay was an extensive structure which completed the enceinte of the town. As part of the fortifications, it formed an additional defense behind the forward posts of the Island Battery, and the warships moored in the harbor would normally be sufficient to prevent access to it. In addition, its flanks covered the part of the harbor which was out of reach of the canon of the Pièce de la Grave and the Dauphin Eperon, The quay was built in architectural harmony with the town and at the same time provided it with a capacity for resisting siege. We shall now go on to consider whether its fulfilled the requirements of trade and navigation which were its essential purpose.

The Quay and Trade

Louisbourg was planned as an important trading post, and in fact during certain years trade was very profitable and the fisheries provided the merchants of the town with an excellent income. Louisbourg's reputation as an invincible fortress made it a refuge for French fishermen in these waters. It was for this reason that an easy and safe harbor and a quay with proper facilities were essential for the prosperity of such a post.

The harbor itself was a natural one. It opened onto the sea by a narrow straits, made even narrower by the island which, in addition to providing a strategic site for the location of a battery, reduced the violence of the waves and the sea. The harbor was thus well sheltered and formed a bay protected from bad weather in which small and large ships could anchor in safety.

There could, of course, have been no question of building a deep-water quay at this spot: soundings made in the harbor indicate a maximum depth of 9 fathoms, and this depth is only found at quite a distance out from the quay. Near the quay and up to a distance of nearly 300 feet in front of it, the depth of the water does not exceed 2 fathoms. [31]

The seabed in this area is almost entirely composed of mud and sand. [32] The depth of this bed is unknown, but it might have been possible to make attempts at dredging it. However, this does not seem to have been considered, since no mention is made of it in the documents.

It was for trade reasons that the Louisbourg quay was provided with wharves for the unloading of merchandise. Small and large vessels had easy access to them throughout the navigation season. The improvements made by the English, and of which Franquet gives a general description, gave a greater number of vessels access to the quay both at low and high tide. Dauphin Wharf was the only one with a depth of only 18" at its end at low tide. All the others could be reached at all times.

The vast terreplein, which was reached by the wharf openings, provided sufficient space for the piling up of goods. In order to insure the proper use of these various facilities, ordinances were published regularly and the harbor master was in charge of seeing that they were carried out. [33]

A place also had to be prepared where damaged ships could be careened. The careening dock, therefore, formed part of this vast complex even though it was separated from the quay proper and its various facilities. The careening dock was located in the bay of the same name to the northeast of the harbor. It seems to have been built in the same way as the wharfs . i.e. on piles driven into the ground. [34] In order to install it in a sufficient depth of water for ships to be able to approach it, it was necessary to place it some 60 feet from the shore, and the water came behind it. [35] Its width had to be altered, therefore, from the 20 feet originally planned to 34 feet, since the shore was too far away for the various careening instruments to be placed on it. [36] It seems to have performed its function well, at least up to 1745.

Along the same lines, St-Ovide de Brouillan proposed that the large cove be made into a harbor for small craft. This would have provided them with shelter during bad weather and a place for docking during the winter season. [37] However. this project was never carried out.

The improved and well-maintained wharves, the large clear terreplein and the sheltered and easily accessible harbor provided Louisbourg with excellent facilities for the trans-shipment of merchandise. There was a well-equipped careening dock which could accommodate ships requiring repairs and which was ready for emergencies. These facts all illustrate the importance which was laid on fishing and navigation. It seems quite clear that the quay must have met the requirements of the merchants and sailors since there is no record of any complaint on their part. Everything leads us to the conclusion that the Louisbourg quay met the maritime objectives which were the main reason for its construction.

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