1714-1734 - H-B16: Construction Chronology for the Royal Battery: Actual and Proposed, 1714-Present, By Eric Krause

CONSTRUCTION CHRONOLOGY FOR THE ROYAL BATTERY:
ACTUAL AND PROPOSED
1714 - PRESENT

Date	P	A	PA	Description of Activity	Comment	Reference
1714	P			"Pointe A faire une batteries proposer		1714-1; 1714-6
			PA	Perhaps no buildings in the vicinity		ditto

1716		A		Three buildings in the vicinity		1716-7; 1716, C11B, Vol. 1, folios 496 - 499
	P			"Batterie avec un Fossé au tour d'ou le derriere sera deffendu par le logement qui sera percé meurtrieres pour deffendre le fossé et des Crenaux pour le Compagnie"		ditto
	P			Detailed "Avant toise de ce que poura couter la batterie K dans le port qui bat les deux parties ou peuvent mouiller les vaisseaux	- Proposal for a battery much smaller than the later built Royal Battery	ditto

1717	P			Detailed "Arrangement pour les ouvrages de fortification que le conseil ordonné au Port de Louisbourg en 1717	- Proposal for a small barbette battery much smaller than the later Royal Battery	1717 Genie, MSS 125.

1718	P			"La Batterie de Canons au nord du port se sera avant la contrescarpe et le chemin couvert du Bastion, etant necessaire d'avoir dans le port une batterie en sureté"	- Proposal for a small barbette battery much smaller than the later Royal Battery	10 June 1718, F3, Vol. 51, pp. 218-220; 1718-4.
	P			"Plan d'une batterie de canons au nord du port de Louisbourg, avec un profile par la ligne AB"	- Much smaller than the later Royal Battery	ditto

1721	P			work "cabins"	- Funds first allocated in 1721 for work on the Royal Battery	20 June 1721, C11B, Vol. 4, folio 84.

1722		A		"Plan et Profils du Terrain Destiné pour la Batterie Royale Dans Le Port de Louisbourg"	- Three non-government buildings and cultivated property within the construction zone. No others near by. Pathways are apparent. Survey of the area completed in November. The plan indicates contours but no construction activity.	1722-2

1723	P			"Devis de la Grande Batterie"	- This is the proposed construction contract. Actual construction varied from the stated specifications. See the French transcription and English translation.	8 August 1723, C11B, Vol. 6, folios 298 - 308v; 304v; 25 November 1723, C11B, Vol. 6, folios 164 - 167-167v; 14 December 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folio 146.
		A		Former hospital of the Brothers of Charité was situated on the same side as the proposed chapel		ditto
	P			"Proposition Pour l'adjudication des travaux de la batterie Royale de Louisbourg"	- This is the proposed schedule of prices which the contractor could charge for materials and work on the Royal Battery. There would be material exceptions however. See French transcription and English translation.	ditto
	P			Kilns - lime kiln construction required - brick kiln to be constructed if required		ditto
		A		Hauling flat stone unloaded at the Royal Battery to where required		ditto

1723 - 1725		A		- unload Port Dauphin lime stone at the Royal Battery and hauled to kiln area where burned - unload flat stone at the Royal Battery - amassing rubblestone - excavation and levelling of earth for the Royal Battery - excavation of earth and construction of a masonry (clay mortar) lime kiln		14 December 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folios 145 - 147v; 1 November 1738, C11B, Vol. 20, folio 214.

1724		A		- excavation nearly all completed - 300 barrels of slaked lime amassed - flatstone and rubblestone amassed - hauling flatstone unloaded at the Royal Battery to where required		22 November 1724, C11B, Vol. 7, folio 61; 14 December 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folio 146v;
	P			Charpente lodging for Engineer Boucher 1. 33 x 20 pieds wide 2. included the use of 4-5 pouces thick merisier planks	- Propose to raise them in the spring	22 November 1723, C11B, Vol. 6, folio 184; 17 November 1724, C11B, Vol. 7, folio 136v, [17241 C11B, Vol. 7, fol . 167.
		A		Engineer completes the excavation for the faces and towers of the batteries		ditto
		A		November 10 toisé reveals the following work: 1. in earth 224 cubic toise 2. in rubblestone 100 toise		[1724] C11B, Vol. 7, fol . 167

1725		A		Ganet (chosen as contractor in 1725) marché of 24 february	- Unavailable. Ganet also referred to this marché for work on other than the Royal Battery.	3 November1738, C11B,Vol. 20, folio 209v.
		A		- cuts placed in the surrounding hills to the north for fill - deposited fill over the marsh to form the chemin couvert and the glacis		17 December1725, C11B,Vol. 7, folios 194-197v: 1725-4;1725-4a;16 December1725, C11B, Vol. 7,folio 328v
		A		western section of contrescarpe elevated to six or seven pieds, above ground level in the ditch	- No masonry work on the eastern section	ditto
		A		- main building, towers and sea wall founded - drainage ditch placed in northern ditch, eastern - portion exiting beneath the chapel into a [collector], then through the sea wall and into the harbour - two temporary workmen's "cabins" to the east - three lime pits and water pump east of "cabins" - lime kiln on small peninsula south of "cabins" - ditch east of lime pits, to bring water		ditto

1726	P			flanks with two embrasures each		1726-3; 1726-3a;1726-3b; 8 February 1740, C11B, Vol. 22, folio 27-27v; 1723-3; 16 December1725, C11B, Vol. 7, folio 334; 14 April, 1726, C11B, Vol. 8, folios 89-89v; 10 October1726, C11B, Vol. 8, folios 11v; 28 November, C11B, Vol. 8, folio 13; 11 November`1726, C11B, Vol. 8, folios 173-174; 120v; 1 December 1726, C11B, Vol. 8, folio 117; 120v-121; 172v.
		A		- the sea wall faces made from large irregular rubblestone - elevate left and right faces up to embrasure firing step level		ditto
		A		begin work on embrasures in mid-August, traced by end of November	- Salient angle and flanks incomplete	ditto
		A		merlons raised to a height of 2 1/2 pieds		ditto
		A		raise barracks on the 1725 foundations to a height sufficient to place joists (by Apri1) and ready to receive roof	- Central passageway walls incomplete	ditto
		A		complete masonry revetment of the western section of the ramparts	- Unknown whether revetment on the eastern section completed	ditto
		A		- completed lower vaults (powder magasins) by April to the beginning of the upper vaults of the towers by October - complete eastern section of the contrescarpe		ditto
	P			continue glacis work	- Unlikely any work undertaken that year	ditto
		A		- contractor has made his marché for the wood for the platforms by November - November 7 storm (waves, wind and rain) sweeps over salient angle, left face,, left flank, entire right face - 3 cubic pieds of ditch wall revetment lost - 4-5 toises of circular contrescarpe knocked down - part of masonry lime kiln wrecked: 12 pieds long x 3 pieds wide x 12 pieds high - knocked down the left tower's provisional roof that had been protecting the masonry from the elements - circular contrescarp not yet closed off by the batardeau - storm also carried off a quantity of boards and sand		ditto
	P			- lime kiln operators lodging in the area - stone cutters' lodgings made of boards, perhaps on the left face		ditto
		A		- lack of cut stone prevented completion of the embrasures - poor quality of bricks from Port Toulouse slowed down work progress - the so-called mine found in the excavations behind the Royal Battery from which he sent samples is only French chalk ("talc") and is useless.		ditto

1726 - 1727		A		- one temporary lodging for the Engineers 1. 15 square toise of board roofing 2. nails for the roof 3. rafters 4. a door 5. lock 6. window 7. shutter 8. strap hinges 9. a fireplace - lime and sand mortar 10. 14 cubic toise of timber - one temporary lodging for the masons and workers 1. 24 square toise of board roofing 2. 30 temporary bunks for sleeping 3. a back-to-back fireplace, lime and sandmortar 4. wood, table, bench, etc. - one temporary lodging for the stone cutters 1. 20 square toise of board roofing - one temporary lodging for the lime kiln operators and workers 1. 18 square toise of [board] roofing 2. 18 bunks for the workers 3. a back-to-back fireplace, lime and sand mortar 4. wood, tables, benches, locks, etc. - three temporary lodgings for the soldiers who transport sand 1. 44 square toise of [board] roofing 2. 12 bunks for sleeping 3. 3 small fireplaces - repairs and fitting out of the north shore Hospital as an officers and soldiers guardhouse 1. minor repairs to the fireplace 2. 30 square toise of board roofing in different locations where the roofing was missing 3. 100 bunks for sleeping 4. 7 square toise of unplaned pine planks forthe camp bed of the guardhouse and for repairing the partition of the guardhouse 5. repair the floor of the guardhouse 6. repair doors 7. repair shutters 8. repair strap hinges 9. supply of empty barrels, etc.		2 November 1726, C11B, Vol. 8, folios 170-171; 14 December 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folios 133-134v. 145-147v; 3 November 1738, Vol. 20, folio 212.

1727	P			place cannons in the summer		28 November 1726, C11B, Vol. 8, folio 13; Nd-28, 1727-5, ND-54; 1 December 1726, C11B, Vol. 8, folios 115v, 116v-117; 17 November 1727, C11B, Vol. 9, folio 60-61, 141v; 24 November 1727, C11B, Vol. 9, folio 96; 26 November 1727, Vol. 9, lio 31v, 150v; 27 June 1728, C11B, Vol. 10, folio 126v; 7 October 1727,Vol. 9, folios 127-132; 3 November 1738, C11B, Vol. 20, folio 209v; 14 December1736, C11B, Vol 18, folio 134v.
		A		three embrasures in both flanks		Ditto
	P			Project de 3 Embrasures pour augmenter la deffence du fond du havre au Nord Est et placer deux mortiers"	- Total of six embrasures in the left flank when the proposed three embrasures are added to the existing three - Three embrasures in the right flank	ditto
	P			- "Plan de La Batterie Royalle dan le port de Louisbourg de 39 canon de 36 £ et de 2. mortiers" - to complete the battery in 1727 by finishing in this order 1. embrasures and platforms 2. the towers, the covered way and the remaining works		ditto
		A		- platforms of the cannon battery and of the towers not completed - towers elevated - glacis nearly completed or even completed by November - covered way nearly completed or even completed by November - embrasures nearly all raised, with three embrasures and breeches left open to bring in materials - lips of embrasures higher than ordinary naval gun-ports on the covered way - barracks partly roofed in slate by November - work oh entrance gate begins - magasin nearly finished - slate roof - by November - cut stone work remains to be done after the 1727 season - particularly cut stones for the embrasures		ditto
		A		Ganet Supplemental marché of 7 October 1727	- Ganet also referred to this marché for under takings other than the Royal Battery	ditto
		A		- Repairs to the winter collapse of three gable walls of the barracks - masonry fresh - Repairs to the winter collapse of part of 5 chimneys of the barracks - masonry fresh

1727 - 1728		A		- Repairs to the angles of the embrasures - Repairs to door jambs of the barracks - Repairs to window jambs of the barracks	Winter damage	14 December 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folio 134v.

1728	P			- to complete embrasures 17 November - to complete the battery in its entirety by July 1727		17 November 1727, C11B, Vol. 9, folio 141v-142; 13 November 1728, C11B, Vol. 10, folio 132-133, 141; 26 November 1727, C11B, Vol. 9, folio 31v; 20 June 1728, B, Vol. 52, folio 589; 1727-5, ND-28, 27 June 1728, C11B, Vol. 10, folio 126v; 3 November 1728, C11B, Vol. 10, folio 51; 14 November 1728, C11B, Vol. 10, folio 102.
		A		- Royal Battery completed - complete. all masonry work - complete towers and other platforms - roof slating - some work remains since no slate available - glacis perfected - covered way perfected: 8 pieds to the banquette - terreplain of covered way less than 9 pieds wide - some joinery work remaining - some rough casting remaining - excavations		ditto
		A		- use of cut white stone - use of cut sand stone - pine and oak timber work - floorilng work - partition work - palisade work - pavé work		ditto
		A		two flanks added on the covered way: 1. with three embrasures in the right flank work	- A letter suggests this was added in 1728, though it is possible the flanks were added in 1727.	ditto
			PA	2. with three embrasures in the left flank	ditto	ditto
		A		- barrack walls are crenellated - many stumps in the area - store 100 quintals of powder in the chapel which is the greatest distance away in case of fire - the powder magasins in the towers are not yet ready - still humid and still have their wooden arches		ditto

1729		A		- Verrier stock piles - materials for extending the left flank 30 or 40 feet to make room for three additional embrasures and emplacements for two mortars - Lack of slate in the colony slows progress - Slate roofing completed for all lodgings - Some joinery work undertaken		31 August 1729, C11B, Vol. 10, folio 241; 18 December 1729, C11B, Vol. 1V, folio 242v-243; 13 November 1728, Vol. 10, folio 133; 1727-5; 22 May 1729, B, Vol. 53, folio 602v.

1730 - 1735			PA	Reduit des suisses qui bat le Fond du haure par 7 pieces de canon et 4 mortiers		ND-86

1730		A		joinery work completed		2 December 1730, C11B, Vol. 11, folio 75; 3 November 1738, C11B, Vol. 20, folio 209v; 26 March 1730, C11B, Vol. 11, folio 80-81.
		A		Ganet Marché of 17 April, 1730	Unavailable. Ganet also referred to this Marché for undertakings other than the Royal Battery	ditto
	P			Estimation for extending the left retour in order to establish two mortar platforms and 4 embrasures 1. 45 cubic toise of earth 2. 70 cubic toise of rubblestone for the embrasures, parados and profile 3. 60 square toise of planks for the platforms 4. 700 cubic pieds of joists for the platforms 5. 412 square pieds of cut stone for the embrasures 6. 64 square toise of double flooring for the powder storehouses 7. 400 cubic pieds for the joists for the double flooring 8. 10 square toise of window sashes 9. 8 square toise of doors 10. 380 square pieds of glass panes 11. 5000 livres of iron for the crampons of the embrasures and other spots 12. 500 livres of lead for the crampons 13. hardware		ditto
	P			"Partie de La Batterie Royalle ou on a representé en couleur jaune le prolongement a faire pendant lannde 1731 du retour qui donne dans le fond du port pour y etablir 4 embrazures et 2 mortiers"	- The proposed 4 embrasures added to the existing three embrasures, makes for 7 embrasures in total	1730-4; 1730-7; 23 May 1731, C11B, Vol. 12, folio 103; 29 November 1731, C11B, Vol. 12, folio 104v; 3 December 1730, C11B, Vol. 11, folio 19.
		A		Left flank - four additional embrasures and epaulement for three mortars 1. excavations completed by 23 May 2. all work including masonry work completed by 29 November	- Left flank now has seven 29 embrasures	ditto
	P			Remove arch-supports from the vaults of the towers	- Not removed until 1734	ditto
	P			Establish masons workshops for completing the new embrasures		ditto

1732		A		- 55 glass panes replacements in the commanders rooms - panes glazed with glue and paper - the battery makes use of gargoyles - regular garrison beginning this year		1 May 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folio 184v; H-F5, p. 78; 29 November 1731, C11B, Vol. 12, folio 104v.
	P			to place the "tableau de St. Jean" (altar piece) in the chapel

1733		A		- shovels used to clean platforms - shovels used to clean rooms - 53 glass panes replaced - fireplace in the commanders room - oven floor repaired - new left flank ready to receive 7 cannons and 3 mortars		1 May 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folio 186v-187; 22 October 1733, C11B, Vol. 14, folio 165; 19 October 1733, C11B, Vol. 14, folio 225v.

1734		A		- removed arch supports from the towers - towers not yet roofed, with the environment causing damage to its summits and platforms - brick stove with an iron door in the commander's room - oven makes use of two shovels - Description of the property set aside for the Royal Battery 1. 275 toise on the harbour side, running North, North-East and South, South-West; 2. Property of Judic de la Bretonniere to the S.S.W. 3. Francois Clermont dte La Rose to the N.N.E.	- Removal proposed for 1731	25 April 1735, B, Vol. 63, folio 544; 1 May 1736, C11B, Vol. 18, folio 188v; 3 November 1734, C11B, Vol. 15, folio 21v.