h, were, Charles duke of Marlborough, lieutenant-general,
major-generals lord George Sackville and John Waldegrave. To judge of
the practicability of executing his majesty's orders, it was necessary
to inquire into the nature of the intelligence upon which the expedition
was projected. The first and most important was a letter sent to sir
John, afterwards lord Ligonier, by lieutenant-colonel Clark.. This
letter had been frequently examined in the privy-council, and contained,
in substance, that colonel Clark, in returning from Gibraltar, in the
year one thousand-seven hundred and fifty four, had travelled along the
western coast of France, to observe the condition of the fortifications,
and judge how far a descent would be practicable, in case of a rupture
between Great Britain and France. On his coming to Rochefort, where he
was attended by an engineer, he was surprised to find the greatest
part of a good rampart, with a revetment, flanked only with redans;
no outworks, no covered-way, and in many places no ditch, so that the
bottom of the wall was seen at a distance. He remembered, that in other
places, where the earth had been taken out to form the rampart, there
was left around them a considerable height of ground, whence an enemy
might draw a great advantage; that for above the length of a front, or
two or three hundred yards, there was no rampart, or even intrenchment,
but only small ditches, in the low and marshy grounds next the river,
which, however, were dry at low water, yet the bottom remained muddy
and slimy. Towards the river, no rampart, no batteries, no parapet, on
either side appeared, and on the land-side he observed some high ground
within the distance of one hundred and fifty or two hundred yards of
the town; in which condition, the colonel was told by the engineer, the
place had remained for above seventy years. To prevent giving umbrage,
he drew no plan of the place, and even burnt the few sketches he had
by him: however, as to utility, the colonel declared himself as much
satisfied as if he had taken a plan. He could not ascertain the direct
height of the rampart, but thought it could not exceed twenty-five feet,
including the parapet. The river might be about one hundred and thirty
feet broad, and the entrance defended by two or three small redoubts. As
to forces, none are ever garrisoned at Eochefort, except marines, which
at the time the colonel was on the spot amounted to about one thousand.
Thi