armed and fitted cap a pie (if she dares) to fight the English. They
were begun and finished in two years, but improvements were suggested,
and there is no knowing what more the Emperor intended to do.
Precautions had been taken during the bombardment to preserve the
Ships. For instance, all the decks were propped up by a number of spars,
by which means if a bomb fell it did no other mischief than forcing its
way through and carrying all before its immediate course, whereas
without the props it might have shaken the timbers and weakened the
access considerably. In every ship also were 2 cartloads of earth, to
throw over any inflammable substance which might have fallen on board.
From this mole hill of a truth was engendered a mountainous falsehood
for home consumption. I read in the English Papers of the time that the
French had scuttled their ships to the level of the water, and then
covered them over with earth, which was carefully sodded!! Sir Thos.
Graham's batteries were very near the basons, half-way between the
village of Muxham, about 2 miles from the town and the nearest French
battery. From one of the latter we had a perfect conception of the whole
business. Without saying a word about my extreme partiality and fears
for the safety of No. 1, and probable inconvenience which might ensue
from loss of said No. 1 to Nos. 2, 3 and 4, I wonder much whether my
curiosity would have allowed me to sleep quite in the back ground. The
sight must from this point have been superb, as it was the intention to
throw the bombs over this battery so as to make them fall in the bason
amongst the ducks. The top of the Cathedral would have been perfection,
but the Governor most vexatiously kept the keys....

We found abundance of British troops here, remnants of all the regiments
who had survived the storming of Bergen op Zoom, about 3 or 4,000....
They have no reason to complain of their quarters, though it is possible
many of them may be of the same opinion with a soldier of the Guards,
who, in reply to my question of "How do you like Antwerp?" said with
great earnestness, "I like St. James's Park a great deal better." I
observed several ladies with their "petits chapeaux," and I must do them
the justice to say they are much handsomer than the French, German, or
Dutch.... English Curricles, coaches, and Chariots are to be seen, and
some few English horses, which are certainly better calculated for speed
and pleasant driving than