Crowe, W: Lewesdon Hill

Excerpt from Lewesdon Hill: A Poem

In the Open fea, above a league from the town and within half a mile well of a rock called L'j/[e Pe/u'e, a pier is begun, with de fign Of condueting it on to the (bore fomewhat beyond Point 110m met, about two miles wefiward Of Cherburgh. In order to this, a ¿rong frame Of timber-work, Of the fhape of a truncated cone, having been conflrueted on the beach, was buoyed out, and funk in a depth of water; which at loweft ebb is 35 feet, and where the tide rifes near 20 feet. The diameter of this cone at bottom is about 60 yards, its height 70 feet; and the area on its top large enough to receive a battery of cannon, with which it is hereafter to be fortified. Its folid contents are 2500 French toifes; which in our meafure (allowing the French foot to be to the Englifh as 144. To 135) will amount to cubic yards nearly. Several other cones, Of equal dimenfions, are funk at convenient diftances from each other; forming the line Of the pier: their number, when complete, it is faid, will be forty. As foon as any one of thefe is carried to its place, it is filled with (tones, which are dug from mount Roar/[e and Other rocks near the wait, and brought on horfes to the fhore; whence they are conveyed to the cones in wilds of forty, fixty, or eighty tons burden. In like manner, but with much greater labour and expence, the fpaces between the cones are filled up with (tones thrown loofely into the fea, till the heap is raifed above the water. On this mafs, as on a foundation, a wall Of ma fonry-work is to be erected. The length Of the whole is near five miles. On L'yle Pele'e and Point Hemmer, before-mentioned, large fortifications are con¿ru¿ed bomb-proof to defend the Haven and Pier. It is the Opinion of fome perfons that this fiupendous mole may be injured or defiroyed by what is called a ground-fea i. E. A fea when the waters are agitated to the bottom and this hap pens, when a firong wind, after having put the waves in motion, fuddenly {hifts to the Oppofite quarter. The defcription given in the Poem of this vaft undertaking clofes with an allufion to this Opinion.

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