Kirwan wrote a book consisting letters written by him to the editor or of The Times describing his visits tot the navy bases in France in 1840. At that moments the relations between France and Great-Britain were apparently somewhat troubled and in France preparations were made to equip the fleet. In his second letter dated 2 January 1841 he described the naval works at Saint Servan.
p. 280: “I mean to close this letter with a few words on St. Servan, where the naval establishments are very considerable. During the war a number of good frigates were constructed here, and the flotilla of Boulogne was hence reinforced with canonnieres and peniches. The dockyard of Solidor contains five slips, three of which are appropriated to the construction of frigates. A very considerable expenditure has lately been incurred, to group around this establishment all the means and appliances necessary for the construction and armament of ships of war. A large depot of timber has been
p. 281: established in the creek of Troquetin, and precautions have been recently taken to place the vessels in slip out of the reach of the spring-tides, from the influence of which they had been hitherto unsheltered. Three frigates and a corvette have been on the stocks for some time. You are aware that a vote of the Chambers in June 1836 sanctioned the project of establishing a floating dock between St. Malo and St. Servan, by means of a sluice dyke, which will henceforth unite the towns, giving to them a common port of greater extent than either heretofore possessed. This work is now in progress of completion, and may be finished before the end of next year. I need not say that in time of war the navy of France and the Government steamers would, by means of this basin, be enabled to afford to the coasting trade a protection which they could not always give during the late war. Nor would its use be simply defensive, for it might be made offensive too ; all the auxiliary maritime resources of the old establishment of Talard being incorporated with those of Solidor. The Baron Tupinier, Councillor of State, Member of the Council of the Admiralty, Director of the Ports of France, and Deputy of the Charente Inferieure, has exerted all his influence to infuse fresh activity into these operations. In
p. 282: his report to the Minister of the Marine he recommends, during peace, the practice of a strict economy in all the smaller ports, in order that, in the event of a war, the navy of France may be enabled to avail itself of resources augmented by a wise and prudent frugality.”
Source
Andrew Valentine Kirwan. The ports, arsenal and dockyards of France. London, 1841.
