“The result of our operations has been the perfect destruction of the whole, the foundations being completely torn up. The length of time occupied in effecting the above object has, I regret, far exceeded what had been anticipated, owing to many circumstances over which no human being could have any control. Your Excellency, I believe, is aware that on the morning of the 16th December, 1855, after a very heavy and continuous fall of rain, all the shafts which had been sunk behind the revetment walls of the docks were found to have 20 feet of water in them, the shafts being 30 feet deep; and the shafts along the bottoms of the docks, which had been sunk to a depth of 12 feet, were not only quite full of water, but had two feet six inches of water above the floors of the docks themselves.
“A very large party was employed day and night endeavouring to reduce the water, and effected this object but slowly, as the water continued to find its way in by percolation. At this stage of the work the wet weather was suddenly succeeded by intense frost, which for some days rendered our pumps useless, thus causing a further delay, and obliging us to bale the water out of the shafts, resuming the pumping as soon as the pumps would work again, which has been continued to the very last.
“It was the intention to have destroyed one entire dock at a time, but owing to the influx of water such an arrangement was obliged to be abandoned, and such charges only as could from time to time be prepared were fired, the pumping in many cases being kept up day and night until the last moment. The bottoms and sites were blown up before the sides were destroyed, which enabled us to be satisfied that the former were thoroughly demolished.
“I must observe that, as the demolition of the northern portion was carried out by the French, it is incumbent on me to explain why their operations were not subjected to as many difficulties as fell to our lot. Their docks were four feet higher in level than ours, and in no instance had they, I understand, any water to contend against, or, at least, so small a quantity as to be scarcely appreciable. Their charges in the bottoms were not more than six feet deep, whereas ours averaged ten feet six inches in depth.
“Though the external effect of some of our explosions may not appear great, I am happy to say that every portion of the masonry is either absolutely torn down or left in so dangerous a condition that it will very much add to the difficulties of rebuilding.
“I was extremely anxious that the facilities afforded by Her Majesty’s Government for the employment of voltaic batteries on a large scale, as sent out by the Admiralty under Mr. Deane, should be fairly tested under the most favourable circumstances. I applied to Vice-Admiral Sir E. Lyons, who kindly offered the services of Mr. Deane, submarine engineer, to carry out the voltaic operations; and this gentleman had every assistance in skilled labour afforded him from the royal sappers and miners.
“Many failures having taken place in firing the charges of electricity, owing to different causes, I am inclined to doubt its advantages as applicable generally to military purposes.
“The pair of dock-gates ordered to be taken down and sent as trophies to England were removed with considerable difficulty, being very massive and strongly put together with bolts, nuts, &c., which had become rusty.
“I cannot say too much in praise of the exertions both of officers and men, including a party of 350 of the 18th and 48th regiments, in addition to the royal sappers and miners, amounting to 85,[[207]] in the destruction of the docks, though they had to work, for the greater part of the time, day and night during the severest weather; and in having brought this service to a successful issue, after so many drawbacks, which, instead of causing despair and dispiriting those employed, only stimulated them to renewed exertions.
“I should be remiss in my duty were I to omit acknowledging the very valuable assistance I have received throughout from Colonel Gordon, C.B., the executive officer, Major Nicholson, who was the resident engineer, and Lieutenants Cumberland, Graham, and C. Gordon, royal engineers; their unremitting zeal, attention, and devotion to the work, in accomplishing this troublesome task under difficulties of no ordinary nature, claim my warmest thanks. I am also much indebted to Mr. Deane, submarine engineer, whose valuable services in preparing and firing most of the mines by voltaic action were kindly placed at my disposal by his Excellency Vice-Admiral Sir E. Lyons.