These Accidents Did Great Damage, And
Discouraged The French Mariners To Such A Degree, That They
Became More Afraid Of Their Own Guns Than Of Those Of The
English.
There are now at Toulon above two thousand pieces of
iron cannon unfit for service.
This is an undeniable proof of the
weakness and neglect of the French administration: but a more
suprizing proof of their imbecility, is the state of the
fortifications that defend the entrance of this very harbour. I
have some reason to think that they trusted for its security
entirely to our opinion that it must be inaccessible. Capt. E - ,
of one of our frigates, lately entered the harbour with a
contrary wind, which by obliging him to tack, afforded an
opportunity of sounding the whole breadth and length of the
passage. He came in without a pilot, and made a pretence of
buying cordage, or some other stores; but the French officers
were much chagrined at the boldness of his enterprize. They
alleged that he came for no other reason but to sound the
channel; and that he had an engineer aboard, who made drawings of
the land and the forts, their bearings and distances. In all
probability, these suspicions were communicated to the ministry;
for an order immediately arrived, that no stranger should be
admitted into the docks and arsenal.
Part of the road from hence to Marseilles lies through a vast
mountain, which resembles that of Estrelles; but is not so well
covered with wood, though it has the advantage of an agreeable
stream running through the bottom.
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