FORTIFICATIONS. 881 were the motives which induced them to put this scheme into execution, that the preservation of Louis- burg will always be considered as an object of too great importance not to sacrifice every thing to it. protects the whole French trade of , and is of equal consequence in regard to their commerce in the . If they had no settlement in this part of , their ves¬ sels returning from Domingo or Martinique, would no longer be safe on the great bank of Newfoundland , particularly in time of war; lastly, as it is situated at the entrance of the Gulf of Lawrence, it abso¬ lutely commands the river of that name. " The entrance of the harbour of is defended by a battery, level with the surface of the water. It is planted opposite the light-house, on the other side of the grande-tene, and consists of thirty- six pieces of cannon, all of them four-and-twenty pounders. The harbour is also defended by a cava¬ lier, called by the name of Maurepas, which has twelve embrasures. The royal battery, situated at the distance of a quarter of a league from the town, is mounted with thirty pieces of cannon, twenty-eight of which are thirty-six pounders, and two are eighteen pounders. It commands the sea, the town, and the bottom of the bay. The port of is at least a league in length, and upwards of a quarter of a league in its smallest breadth. There is very good holding-ground, and generally from six to ten fathoms water. They have a very safe and convenient place to careen their ships, where they may also be laid up