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 first letter dated 18 December 1840 Kirwan wrote the following passages.
p. 262: “As far as my observation extends, however, it seems to me a mistake to say, “that the marine resources of the place have not been restored or improved,” as I read in a leading article of The Times of the 14th instant. The government of the Restoration, and especially the government of Charles X., spent considerable sums in the improvement of the port and harbour : and under the direction of M. Cordier, chief engineer of the department, sluices were constructed with a view to clear away the shifting
p. 263: sands at the mouth of the harbour, forming as they did a bar, preventing the entrance of vessels of the smallest tonnage. This useful work was supposed to be accomplished so long back as September 1827, when Charles X. was present at the opening of the sluices; but the sand has since considerably accumulated. So much for French sluice-makers. They order these matters better in Holland. Workmen have, however, been engaged since 1832 in the improvement of the port, and in the finishing of a dock commenced by Napoleon; but there is still, no doubt, much to accomplish in reference to both these operations.”
In his second letter dated 2 January 1841 he continued his description of this harbour.
p. 274: “The establishments at Dunkirk are on an extensive scale. They consist in a sluice dock, a slip for building ships, houses wherein the workmen are lodged, and workshops sufficiently extensive for the building and arming of ships of war. Formerly Dunkirk was the chef lieu of a maritime prefecture, and frigates were built there as well as at L’Orient or Rochefort, but the difficulty of the navigation of the channel which communicates with the sea has induced the French government to confine the building operations to corvettes, brigs, and smaller craft. In a former letter I informed you of the sums which had been recently laid out in repairing the bassin a flot and its sluices. These are now in a good state, and so long as the paix armee continues, you may rest assured that they will be kept in perfect repair. The merchants and marines are also talking of taking immediate measures to render the commercial port easier of access as well as deeper, and I have no doubt, that in the present temper of men's minds, this work will soon be set about in right earnest. From either of the
p. 275: wooden jetties there is an excellent view of the roadstead. Beyond it is a sand-bank, in the middle of which a canal has been perfected. This canal is in reality the port, which is filled at high tide, but becomes considerably more shallow at ebb. It would easily contain thirty ships of war. Both the jetties are defended by batteries — the one called Fort Risbau, and the other Le Levirs. They are advantageously placed, and have recently undergone the inspection of a celebrated engineer. During the continuance of peace, the military marine (as the French navy is absurdly called) has made but little use of the port of Dunkirk; but I hesitate not to state, that if war should break out it would become a formidable station of steam-boats and privateers. During the ministry, of that mischievous and dwarfish demagogue Thiers, several applications were made to the Minister of the Marine for letters of marque ; and all these applications, if I am rightly informed, met with prompt attention.”
Source
Andrew Valentine Kirwan. The ports, arsenal and dockyards of France. London, 1841.
p. 262: “As far as my observation extends, however, it seems to me a mistake to say, “that the marine resources of the place have not been restored or improved,” as I read in a leading article of The Times of the 14th instant. The government of the Restoration, and especially the government of Charles X., spent considerable sums in the improvement of the port and harbour : and under the direction of M. Cordier, chief engineer of the department, sluices were constructed with a view to clear away the shifting
p. 263: sands at the mouth of the harbour, forming as they did a bar, preventing the entrance of vessels of the smallest tonnage. This useful work was supposed to be accomplished so long back as September 1827, when Charles X. was present at the opening of the sluices; but the sand has since considerably accumulated. So much for French sluice-makers. They order these matters better in Holland. Workmen have, however, been engaged since 1832 in the improvement of the port, and in the finishing of a dock commenced by Napoleon; but there is still, no doubt, much to accomplish in reference to both these operations.”
In his second letter dated 2 January 1841 he continued his description of this harbour.
p. 274: “The establishments at Dunkirk are on an extensive scale. They consist in a sluice dock, a slip for building ships, houses wherein the workmen are lodged, and workshops sufficiently extensive for the building and arming of ships of war. Formerly Dunkirk was the chef lieu of a maritime prefecture, and frigates were built there as well as at L’Orient or Rochefort, but the difficulty of the navigation of the channel which communicates with the sea has induced the French government to confine the building operations to corvettes, brigs, and smaller craft. In a former letter I informed you of the sums which had been recently laid out in repairing the bassin a flot and its sluices. These are now in a good state, and so long as the paix armee continues, you may rest assured that they will be kept in perfect repair. The merchants and marines are also talking of taking immediate measures to render the commercial port easier of access as well as deeper, and I have no doubt, that in the present temper of men's minds, this work will soon be set about in right earnest. From either of the
p. 275: wooden jetties there is an excellent view of the roadstead. Beyond it is a sand-bank, in the middle of which a canal has been perfected. This canal is in reality the port, which is filled at high tide, but becomes considerably more shallow at ebb. It would easily contain thirty ships of war. Both the jetties are defended by batteries — the one called Fort Risbau, and the other Le Levirs. They are advantageously placed, and have recently undergone the inspection of a celebrated engineer. During the continuance of peace, the military marine (as the French navy is absurdly called) has made but little use of the port of Dunkirk; but I hesitate not to state, that if war should break out it would become a formidable station of steam-boats and privateers. During the ministry, of that mischievous and dwarfish demagogue Thiers, several applications were made to the Minister of the Marine for letters of marque ; and all these applications, if I am rightly informed, met with prompt attention.”
Source
Andrew Valentine Kirwan. The ports, arsenal and dockyards of France. London, 1841.
