in this manner: First, the turn of the rampart, towards the north-east, is defended with a half-moon before; after that, the Brail-gate, towards the east, being the fifth in our way, is defended with a small ravelin, covered with a counter-guard before it: Then there is a grand double tenaille, which, beginning upon the river, on the north-side, from thence runs east, turns south, and goes as far as beyond the Brail-gate, where it ends upon the ditch; so as to cover and defend the half-moon, the ravelin, and the counter-guard, already named, as well as all that part of the rampart, that, from the river on the north, runs east and south, as far as beyond the Brail-gate, being in length eight hundred paces. Without this tenaille, on the north-side, near the river, there is a half-moon defending it on that side; at the east-end of which is a canal, with a sluice upon it, conveighing the waters of the ditch away into the lower Scheld, the river running on the west-end of it, so that it stands between the two: And, without the tenaille, on the east-side, there is another half-moon, defending it on that side, which makes out the number of six outworks that compose this complex piece of fortification.

After this, we found a half-moon all alone, by itself, in the middle of the distance, between the Brail-gate and the next, defending the rampart. Then there is the Mortal-gate, being the sixth in our way, and defended with another great fortification of three outworks, a half-moon, a horn-work, and a ravelin, as before. After which, is another halfmoon alone, by itself, in the middle of the distance, between the Mortal-gate, and the next, defending the rampart. Then there is the Gate of the Sorrowful, the seventh in our way, defended with a large ravelin; overagainst the point of which, the small brook, that runs towards the town on that side, falls into the ditch. After that, is another half-moon alone, by itself, defending the rampart, in the middle of the distance, between the Sorrowful's-gate and the river. And, last of all, the rampart, on that side, ends upon the river, where it is defended with a large outwork, being a kind of bastion detached, and commonly called, The Bastion of Camus: It adjoins to the river, which it defends, as well as the rampart; but, especially, it defends the sluice that is there; being likewise defended on the other side, with the saillant angle of the rampart, between the river and the citadel, from whence we began our course round the place.

All these outworks are built of earth thrown up, revested and incrusted with hewn stone, and have their design and execution, their plan and profile, their terra-plains, parapets, banquets, and the rest, suitable, and in proportion, to the other parts of the fortification, especially to the defects and irregularities that are in and about the Emperor Charles the Fifth's rampart. They are founded in the ditch, which was beforehand enlarged in such and such places, so as to be capable of them; and, on the one side, where it is a moat, they are abundantly surrounded with water, it being always full from the river; on the other side, where a moat is not practicable, they are dry. They are detached from the scarp on the inside, and from the counterscarp on the outside, as well as from one another, at reasonable distances; but joined both to scarp and counter-scarp as well as to one another, with draw-bridges.

Without the ditch, there is the covered-way, seventeen feet and a half broad, guarded on the outside with its parapet and banquet, or the glacis: The one, the same with the other banquets; the other, seventy feet broad at the bottom, a foot of inward talud, six feet high on the inside; and, on the outside, it is a continued talud, or slope, from the top to the bottom: The whole tenailled all around the place, as the glacis about the citadel is. And, without all, is the explanade, a hundred and five feet broad. These works are likewise of earth, revested and incrusted with stone, and reign, along with the ditch, as the rampart does, all about the town.

Lastly, without the explanade, in the country, two hundred paces from the glacis of the town, on the high side towards the west, in the middle of the distance, between the glacis of the citadel, and that of the first horn-work, there is a ravelin, with a dry ditch about it, placed all alone, by itself, by way of a redoubt, to defend the avenue to the town there. Between the first hornwork, and the second, there is a half-moon placed in the same manner, at the same distances, and to the same purpose. Between the second horn-work and the third, there is another half-moon, the same way. And, on the low side, towards the east, at the lower end of the town, towards the north, at the same distance from the glacis of the town, there is a bridge of timber over the river, with a square fort, or redoubt, on the east-side, defending it, and defending the avenue to the town there. The other avenues to Tournay are sufficiently well defended with the numerous outworks about the town and citadel.

These are the French fortifications about Tournay, and this is the length they came, under the care and direction of Monsieur De Vauban; who, when he had brought them thus far, reckoned it a town compleatly fortified, and as strong as the situation of the place would allow ; and, certainly, it is so. As for beauty and regularity, it is, without dispute, that there is a variety of forts, or outworks, an excellency of design and execution, and an exactness in plan and profile, so great about Tournay, that the like is not to be seen about any other town in Europe, except it be at Bergen-op-Zoom, fortified by Coehorn; but, as to this matter, one may say, that though Monsieur De Coehorn has a great many very pretty inventions, that are all his own, and a great deal of very pretty reasoning, upon these inventions of his own, yet, after all, if his works were tried as much as we see Vauban's are daily, it is a question how they would prove.

And this is what they call New Tournay; that is, that part of the town which is included between King Chilperick the First of France's wall, and the Emperor Charles the Fifth of Germany's rampart, as it was begun by the French and Burgundians, and other foreigners, continued by King Henry the Eighth of England, and the English, inclosed by the Emperor, Charles the Fifth, first fortified by King Philip the Second of Spain, and compleatly fortified by King Lewis the Fourteenth of France.

The new town is of the same figure with the old one, that is, an oblong round, or parabolick, but stretched the contrary way; for whereas the old town lies cross the river, on both sides, and stretches itself out,

from east to west, the river running from south to north, the new one lies along the river, on both sides, and stretches itself out, from south to north, the river running the same way. It has in length, taking it from the one sluice upon the river, at the upper end of the town towards the south, to the other sluice at the lower end towards the north, along the river, just two thousand common paces, that is a thousand geometrical paces, or two third parts of a British mile; in breadth, reckoning from St. Martin's-gate, on the west-side, to the Mortal-gate, on the east, cross the river, it is fifteen hundred common paces, or seven hundred and fifty geometrical paces, or half a British mile; and in circumference, going round within, on the inside the rampart, there are exactly six thousand common paces, that is, three thousand geometrical paces, or two British miles; but measuring it without, on the outside the ditch, we found it to be as good as twelve thousand common paces, or six thousand geometrical paces, or four British miles.

The citadel is a pentagon, or figure, having five sides, adjoining to the town, on the south side, and approaching to the river, on the west, within the distance of four hundred paces. Its length, take it which way you will, is just five hundred and sixty-four common paces, that is, two hundred and eighty-two geometrical paces, or near a fifth part of a British mile; its breadth, being equal to its length, the same; and its circumference within, on the inside the rampart, is exactly a thousand six hundred and eighteen common paces, that is, eight hundred and nine geometrical paces, or some more than half a British mile; but without, on the outside the ditch, it will be as good as three thousand seven hundred and fifty common paces, or a thousand eight hundred and seventy-five geometrical paces, or a British mile and a quarter.

In fine it has continued in the same state, and in the same hands, without any further alteration or change, from the year of our Lord 1667, when the French took it last, till this present year 1709, when they are like to lose it again. For the present King Lewis the Fourteenth of France, having sharp and violent war just now on foot, with Charles the Third, the present King of Spain, upon the account of the succession to the Spanish monarchy, and King Charles being powerfully assisted by the other princes in confederacy with him, the ambition of King Lewis and the power of France seem to be reduced to a very low ebb. The last year they took Lisle from him; and now they are before Tournay And the confederate generals having catched an occasion to besiege it, when the French had drawn out a part of the garison, to reinforce their grand army, the garison being weak within, it is like to fall into their hands.

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A

LETTER TO A NEW MEMBER

OF THE

HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS;

Touching the rise of all the embezzlements and mismanagements of the kingdom's treasure, from the beginning of the revolution unto this present parliament. With an account, from time to time, of the many oppositions the House of Commons met with about redressing the said publick-grievances. And, lastly, a proposal humbly offered to their consideration, how to prevent the like miscarriages for the future. To which is added, a parallel account of the national expences, from November 3, 1640, to November 1659; and from November 5, 1688, to Michaelmas 1700.

Amsterdam: Printed in the year 1710. Quarto, containing twenty-eight pages.

Sir,

OU

You being a new member of this honourable house, I presume, you are not so well acquainted with the transactions of several former parliaments, in relation to the miscarriages and embezzlements of the publick monies of this kingdom; because I perceive you are somewhat surprised at her Majesty's speech touching that paragraph, wherein she complains to your House, 'That she cannot, without great concern, mention to you, That the navy and other offices are burthened with heavy debts;' which so far affect the publick service, that she most earnestly desires you to find some way to answer those demands, and to prevent the like, for the time to come; the justice of parliament, in satisfying former engagements, being the certain way for preserving and establishing credit.

I say, being a new member, you are utterly at a loss in this matter, and want thoroughly to be instructed in mismanagements of the ministry. For you are earnestly desired by the Queen to find out now some way to answer those demands, and to prevent the like embezzlements and misapplications, for the time to come; it being but justice of the parliament, in satisfying former engagements, and it is the most certain way for preserving and establishing of credit.

Is this the way of establishing and preserving of future credit? Then it is plain, that, by her Majesty's confession, the credit of the nation begins now to flag; and, if so, the question will be, Whether it is occasioned by the funds not answering the intended end, they were raised for? Or, Whether the credit of the nation is sunk by crafty ministers, that have licked themselves into fair estates, and so have embezzled and misapplied the kingdom's publick treasure? Now, if you can find out

but where this shoe pinches, you have done your work; for her Majesty's desire is, to prevent the like practices for the time to come.

In order to. which, give me leave to inform you, That the RH the H-- of P-, in their address to her Majesty, do as frankly complain of mismanagements and embezzlements in several of the Queen's offices heretofore committed, as well as her Majesty; which, your leisure, you may read, in their address to the queen, printed in the year 1705.

at

And I must beg your patience to shew also, That the honourable the House of Commons have formerly made as hearty and heavy complaints, as most have done, and publickly declared, That common justice was refused to be done this honourable house, when so often desired, to redress the publick grievances of the nation, especially touching the mismanagements and embezzlements of the publick monies of the kingdom. Vide their votes of March 24, 1701.

Since they have had every one their turn of complaining, Do not you admire where the fault lies all this while, and that there is no remedy as yet found out? That is to say, from the year 1701, to this present year 1710, being full nine years.

One would think, at first dash, that the queen, the lords, and the commons were all at a loss, and willing, hearty, and ready to embrace any expedient, and listen to any proposal, that could be found out to put a stop to, and prevent the like mismanagements and embezzlements of the kingdom's money for the future, or else they would never, certainly, make their complaints so often. But, alas! Sir, there lies the mystery.

Now, sir, to unriddle this grand secret is to let you into our former miscarriages, and the way, that was then taken to stop and redress those grand grievances, and the many obstructions former parliaments met with, though they heartily espoused, and designed to go thorough stitch with the remedy; and then you will find where this great fault has lain all the while, and perceive who are blame-worthy, such as complained, or those very persons, that refused to punish the transgressors, when they were first catched offending. And give me leave to add, That all mismanagements and losses, that have since happened to this kingdom, are owing to such, as refused to do common justice, when so often importuned thereto.

The great mismanagements of the kingdom's publick treasure, and the misapplications thereof, fell out in the reign of the late King William ; which was then observed, for several years together, to be a growing evil upon the government; and at last it did produce several annual commissions, by act of parliament, for taking, examining, and stating the publick accounts of the kingdom; but what success these commissions had, will be worth our time to examine.

Though it has been publickly objected, That by these commissions little was done towards the adjusting the accounts of the nation, and inferences have been thence drawn, That such commissions are of little or no use; yet, certainly, it is the duty of our representatives (especially since desired from the throne) to make it their earnest endeavour to find out proper remedies for this fatal distemper, lest it end in the ruin of the