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Project plan for the fortification of Willemstad

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Project plan for the fortification of Willemstad

Hertell, Christiaan Frederik

Title Leupe: Plan van de Willemstad en het fort Amsterdam op het Eyland Curaçao, met de nieuwe geprojecteerde werken enz.

Due to reports about the state of the defences in Curaçao by the naval captain Cornelis Schrijver in 1737-1738, in plans were made in the Republic for a number of variants to extend the fortifications. This proposal by Hertell dates to late 1738. As well as strengthening the eastern side of the town by constructing a fore

or mantelet wall with big new bastions (N) and the enlargement of the existing ‘forts’ Schrikkenburg (Fright Fort, C, L) and Bloedfort (Blood Fort, B, K), Hertell suggested that the bulwark Halve Maan (Half Moon) on the southern side of Fort Amsterdam be radically enlarged (F, O) and a redoubt be constructed on the point (P). Also mentioned in the plan are the existing bastions Oranje (Orange, A), De Kat (The Cat, D), Vlaggestok (Flagstaff, E), the Nieuwe Batterij (New Battery, G), the Waterfort or Low Battery (Water Fort, H), and the bastion De Klok (The Clock, I, incorrectly indicated as Bloedfort).

Scale-bars of 700 Rhineland feet = [approximately 1 : 1,350] / [profile] 50 Rhineland feet = [approximately 1 : 75].

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Sources and literature

Heijer, H. den, Grote Atlas van de West-Indische Compagnie = Comprehensive Atlas of the Dutch West India Company, II, de nieuwe WIC 1674-1791 = the new WIC 1674-1791 (2012)