Map of Sint Michiel Bay
Geerts, S.
Title Leupe: Plan van de St. Michiels Bay.
As naval Captain Cornelis Schrijver had already argued in 1737-1738, the site chosen for the new stronghold on the headland on the eastern side of Sint Michiel Bay was unfavourable: from there the batteries could not cover the beach located a little to the west, where a possible landing might take place, but they formed an easy target from the sea themselves. Consequently, in their resolution of 9 October 1743, the States-General decided on an alternative plan, probably from a design by Jacob Ribbius, according to which a star-shaped low battery with a square central tower should be erected on a spot a little more to the west. This can be seen in an ‘unfinished state’ on this 1754 map of Sint Michiel Bay by S. Geerts, with an inset bearing a stereographic drawing with the contradictory note that the battery was ‘built Anno 1744’. In reality, work was carried out on the new stronghold at intervals in the intervening years, but it had never actually been completed. See also Geerts’ map of the comparable situation in Piscadera Bay on VEL607.
North is upper left.
Scale-bars of 60 Rhineland Rods = [approximately 1 : 590] / [inset map] 10 Rhineland Rods = [approximately 1 : 220].
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