tions, trifling is out of place. An ultimatum
was at once sent to the Mexican Government, a brief time only being
allowed for a reply, because the claims of the French cabinet were
already clearly understood. On the 25th of November the last of his
squadron, two bomb-vessels, arrived. On the 21st he had given notice
that he would wait till noon of the 27th for the final decision. On the
28th the attack was made.

The castle of San Juan de Ulloa lies half a mile east and to seaward of
the city of Vera Cruz, which it commands, and from which it is separated
by water averaging from fifteen to twenty feet deep. It is built on the
inner extremity of a reef that extends from it a little over a mile to
the eastward, in the general prolongation of the line connecting the
castle and the town. This shoal being covered by a foot or two of water,
the builders of the fort counted upon it for protection in that
direction against ships, and against attack, either by regular
approaches or by escalade. The work itself was in general outline a
parallelogram, with bastions at the four angles. The longer sides
fronted the east and west; and of these the former, facing the shoal and
the open gulf, contained the gate of the fortress and was covered by a
demi-lune and line of water batteries. There were mounted in the castle
and dependent works, at the time of the French attacks, one hundred and
eighty-six cannon. The strength of the fortifications, the number of the
guns, and the character of the surroundings, had all contributed to
bestow upon San Juan de Ulloa the reputation of being the strongest
position in Spanish America. It was, indeed, considered impregnable to
naval attack, for the best hope of ships under such circumstances is to
approach closely and drive the defenders from their guns by the superior
number and weight of the pieces opposed to them; but in San Juan this
was forbidden by the extent and formation of the reef. Like most coral
banks, this rises sheer from the bottom, making the approach very
dangerous to vessels dependent only upon sail-power; and the ground
about it, though not too deep for anchorage, is rocky and foul.

Admiral Baudin, however, was thoroughly acquainted with the weak points
of the fortress, through information obtained from Madrid; where plans
of the works, dating from the times of the Spanish occupancy, were on
file. He possessed also two steamers, the first to cross the Atlantic
under the French f