The little Fort de Chamba was not finish'd, nor had upon it one Gun; nor was there the least Appearance of one, on what the Author is pleased (Page 49.) to call a Fascine Battery of twelve Guns: From same Fascines being placed in order upon the Shore, it was believed that the Enemy had Thoughts of erecting a Battery on that Place.
The Author's Description of Boca-Chica Castle, &c. seems to be tolerably exact, and I cannot omit to remark the justness of his Expression, when he mentions the Bomb Vessels being got near enough to divert the Town; for in Truth they were posted at so great a Distance, that they seem'd to be sent in with no other Intention.
That the City of Carthagena is to the Land-side, fortify'd by double Walls, and double Ditches, flank'd by strong Bastions, is an undoubted Truth; but I must dissent from what the Author alledges, of the Water at the Head of the Harbour, being shoal so far off, that Ships cannot come near enough to do Execution with their Guns. Experienced Pilots, and Masters of trading Vessels, who have been much conversant in that Harbour, do (and will when Occasion requires it) testify the contrary; but nothing can be a stronger Proof of there being sufficient depth of Water for our largest Ships, than that the Station of the Spanish Galleons, is very near the Walls, for the Convenience of taking in their Lading. It is well known, that Monsieur Ponti sent in his Men of War (amongst which was the Sceptre of eighty-four Guns) to batter the City, and with so good an Effect, as in a short Time to oblige them to surrender.
But a still more recent Proof of there being sufficient depth of Water, is the celebrated Admiral Vernon's having ordered in the Galicia, a Spanish Man of War of sixty-six Guns: This Vessel was fitted up for battering in a very extraordinary Manner: Merlons, or Cases, six Feet thick, rammed with Earth, or Sand, were formed between the Port-holes, which occasioned her drawing more Water, than any of our eighty Gun Ships; notwithstanding, with her sixteen Guns mounted, only, she did considerable damage to the City, before she could be demolished.
That the Spaniards have no great Dependance upon this supposed Shoalness of the Water, is very evident from their having lately erected a Battery of forty large Pieces of Cannon, for the defence of the Town on the Side towards the Harbour; a very unnecessary Expence, if the Water is there so shoal as to prevent the near Approach of our large Men of War.
From the Author's own Description, the Fort of St. Lazar appears to be no such trifling Redoubt, as he would insinuate; had he approached near enough to take an exact View of it (which probably he did not) he must have observed that the Hill is near double the Height he mentions, and that the Eminence opposite to it (which, if Cannon could have been convey'd thither, was certainly a very proper Place for the erecting a Battery) is pretty much upon a Level with the Ground upon which the Castle stands.
That the Enemy began their Works upon the Hill, immediately after we were in Possession of Boca-Chica (if not upon the first Appearance of the Fleet,) is a Fact well known, both to the Army and to the Navy; nor was it in the power of the Former to interrupt their Progress till the proper Materials were landed; but how far that might have been done, by sending in two or three of his Majesty's large Ships, the Gentlemen of the Sea are the most proper Judges.
That the Side of the Castle of St. Lazar, which is next the Town, could not be defenceless, must be evident to every Reader, from the Circumstance of its being next the Town, and consequently defended by all the Works on that Quarter, particularly by an Half-moon, which is erected about half Musket-Shot from it.
If the Enemy's Numbers (as the Author alledges, page 54.) amounted to 4000 Men, the Troops which were landed, and never exceeded 4350 Rank and File, could but have little Prospect of forcing them amidst their strong Fortifications; nor did the General and Principal Officers ever propose it to themselves, otherwise than by the help of the whole Force on board the Fleet, which was actually promised, as soon as a Passage should be opened for the Ships into the Harbour; how performed, the unhappy Issue but too plainly makes appear.
The Enemy's Engineers, Cannoniers, &c. acquitted themselves very well, and ours did the same, nor was there amongst them one single instance of Cowardice or Desertion; would the Author be pleased to put his Name to so base an Aspersion cast upon them, there are of the few surviving, who are well able to convince him of his Mistake.