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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CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX

LOUISBOURG QUAY

CHRONOLOGY

1717

• Plan of Louisbourg by Verville establishing the width of the quay as 10 toise from the highest tide level.
• Royal ordinance fixing these dimensions.

1721

• Renewal of the Royal ordinance concerning the quay.

1723

• According to Boucher, the fact that people took earth from the edge of the quay for their own construction purposes had, since 1717, reduced a certain part of the quay by 25 feet.

1729

• While awaiting a more complete construction, it was proposed that a small quay be built opposite rue Toulouze.
   

1730

• Verrier's rough estimate for the quay: 150,000 livres.

1731

• Verrier's plan and estimate for the project: 303,862 livres, 10 sols.

  - construct the quay at half tide level parallel to the line of the houses with the wings parallel to the coast.
  - build wharves.
  - Build two redans.
  - pedestrian statue of the king on the rue Toulouze redan.
  - construction of a breakwater at the end of the right wing.
  - Sluice into Grand Etang.
  - Wall: 8' thick at its base, 6' at the top, 13' high, ashlaring, 2" plank covering.
   

  1732

• Maurepas judged this estimate to be too high.

• Police ordinance concerning the quay.

• Discussions of the 1731 project.

1733

• Postponement was ordered for work on the quay.

1734

• Order to eliminate the rue Toulouze redan from the project.
• Emergency work considered because of the danger of war.
• New estimate: 157,007 livres.
  - elimination of rue Toulouze redan.
  - elimination of the breakwater.
  - elimination of the ashlaring (cut stone coping)
  - reduction in thickness of the walls.

1735

• Estimate approved, but  postponement of work ordered.
• The Dauphin Gate éperon completed: it formed the western limit of the quay.

1737

• Project for closing the town on the Rochefort Point side.

1738

• Projected sluice into large cove to permit wintering of ships.

1739

• Instructions concerning the quay and its construction:

- buttress to be built in front of rue Toulouze
- wall: 6' thick at the base, 2" plank covering instructions on the wharves, Sluice into Grand Etang not necessary.

1740

• The projected surfacing of the quay Approved.
• Expected construction time: 2 years.

1741

• Beginning of work on the quay; extension of the left face of the Shore Battery.

- was built on a lattice of wood piles; 1200 timbers were used which had been prepared for repairing the Island battery.
- The back of the wall was terraced.

• Work was stopped at the end of September so as to permit the preparation of materials for the following year.
• Work planned for 1742:

- digging of foundations for the wall along the whole length of the quay.
- construction of wall to a height of 12'
- construction of parapets
- laying of earth behind the wall
- improvement of the terreplein of the quay
- construction of sloping channels in the terreplein for the purpose of draining the streets.

• Necessary funds for this and other work: 107,529 pounds 5s. 6d.

1742

• Work performed:

- covering completed.
- masonry covered with planks
- walls: built to a hight of 10' (9' according to Duquesnel) over a length of 296 toise. Terraced.
- terreplein completed
- two wharves built
- Sluice into Grand Etang finished

• Expenses for the season: the funds requested plus 21,345 pounds 10s 8d.
• Work planned for the following year:

- construction of the parapet.
- construction of the banquettes
- improvement of the terreplein
- construction of three wharves
- installation of gates to close slip entrances.

• Funds required: 89,120 pounds.

1743

• Work perfomed:

- parapets built and covered
- banquettes completed
- Frédéric Gate completed
- piles positioned for the three wharves

• Work planned for the following year.

- improvement inside of quay
- improvement of the banquette
- completion of platforms of the three wharves for which piles had been installed.
- place gates at the wharf entrances
- make steps from the wharves to the rampart
- transport the earth necessary for making water drainage channels
- install a wooden fence at the foot of the banquettes

• Funds required (with other work): 82,620 livres.

1744

• Work performed:

- repairs to Frédéric wharf
- slip gates installed

• Work to be done: the work remaining from 1744.

1745

• Capture of Louisbourg bv the English.
• Description of the fortifications by John Eliot
• The quay: none of the flank embrasures were "mounted"

- there were 5 "landing places" with an opening for each one
- Frédéric Gate

1746

• Repairs to the quay by the English:

- 6' high palisade along the whole length.
 

• Repairs projected by Knowles:

- raise the wall by 5' and construct another one parallel to it.

1747

• Nothing.

1748

• Restitution of the town to France.
• State of the quay according to Beauharrois:

- quay enlarged by almost 3 toise
- three breakwaters or jetties on piles, leading to three gates, replace the ramp that was there before. (???)
- the retaining wall of the quay was raised by one foot
- the wall was palisaded.

1749

• State of the quay accordirg to Boucher:

- quay wall totally restored except for the right flank, the embrasures and merlons of which have crumbled.
- Frédéric Gate was repaired
- a palisade was erected along the whole length of the quay.
- Two wharves were extended.

• Repairs to the quay by the English according to Hopson and Bastide:

- repairs to the wall
- improvement of the terreplein of the quay (rubbish [gravois] spread and leveled)
- drainage channels and drains were cleaned
- the quay wall was palisaded
- the Intendant's wharf: this was extended 60' in length with a 70' long transversal portion at the end.
- The Dauphin wharf was lengthened to 100'.

• Request for funds to repair the Sluice into Grand Etang: 170 livres.

1750

• Arrival of Franquet at Louisbourg.
• Description of the fortifications:

- Improvements to be made on the quay:
- raise the wall
- make the banquettes., parapets and ramparts thicker
- pierce a few embrasures.

1751

• Projects by Franquet regarding the slips and the quay.

1752

• Necessity of repairing the slips.
• Wood order:

- 60 pieces of timber for crossbeams
- 200 piles of different lengths
- 200 3" planks

• Work performed:

- [recallement] of the Sluice into Grand Ettang

1753

• Instructions from Rouillé.

1754

• Police ordinance concerning the quay.

1755

• Nothing

1756

• The Court asks that the wharves be repaired.
• Frédéric wharf is repaired.

1757

• The coal wharf is repaired.

1758

• Capitulation of Louisbourg or July 8.
• State of the quay at the time of the English attack:

- the whole place is exposed on this side.
- the covering of planks on the quay make this wall the only one to remain intact.

• Work performed during the siege:

- three traverses along the quay
- rear entrenchment which was incomplete on July 7.

1760

• Demolition of the fortifications at Louisbourg.

• The quay seem to have been destroyed by hand and not mined.

1768

• The sea comes up to the street behind the quay.

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