The Fox of France

Chapter 27: The Fort of Calais (2)

Chapter 27: The Fort of Calais (2)

The fortress commander, Colonel Antoine de Verluf, was a tall man in his forties. He was quite pleased with Joseph's visit.

"Ah, Mr. Bonaparte, I thought you'd take a few more days to get here," Commander Verluf said. "I didn't expect you so soon. Well, do you need some rest?"

"Thank you, but I don't need it," Joseph replied. "In fact, I arrived last night. It was quite late when I got here, so I rested at the inn. I don't need more rest now."

"Youth is something to envy," Commander Verluf chuckled. "When I was your age, I never felt tired no matter how busy I was. Since you don't need rest, we can begin the work on expanding the fort. Captain Sais, why don't you take Mr. Bonaparte to settle in and then accompany him to the library for research and an on-site inspection? Mr. Bonaparte, if you need anything, feel free to ask Captain Sais."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Joseph replied.

Leaving the small building, Captain Sais asked, "Mr. Bonaparte, where is your luggage?"

"It's still at the inn," Joseph answered.

"Which inn?" Sais asked. "I can send a couple of men to bring your luggage here. We've arranged for you to stay in the officers' dormitory on that side. The conditions here can't compare to Paris, but we'll do our best to accommodate you."

"It's a small inn called 'Claude's Inn,'" Joseph replied. "By the way, you can call me Joseph."

"Ah, 'Claude's Inn'?" Sais chuckled. "Joseph, you must have chosen it for its proximity to the port and its decent appearance, not to mention the affordable price, right? Well, you probably didn't sleep well last night. That inn is known for having a lot of bedbugs!"

Seemingly concerned that Joseph might think he was mocking him, Sais added, "Well, I fell for it in the past too. The owner, Claude, is quite a character, but he doesn't put his heart into running the inn. Let's get you settled in the officers' dormitory..."

The officers' dormitory in the Calais fortress had slightly better conditions than the teachers' quarters at the Paris Military Academy, mainly because the cost of land and other things was much cheaper in this region than in Paris.

Once Joseph was settled, it was already noon. Sais took Joseph to the officers' mess for lunch. Calais, being by the sea, offered a much wider variety of fish compared to Paris, and it was much more affordable.

"If you ask me, you have a better life here than in Paris. The money we receive in Paris is no different from what you get here, but the prices in Paris are much higher," Joseph said as he took a bite of fish.

"But Paris is Paris after all," Sais replied. "The prices in Paris are indeed higher, but most people here would still prefer to go to Paris. These provinces are better suited for retirement, not particularly ideal for young people. If young folks want to achieve something, they should go to Paris. If I could go to Paris, I'd endure the higher prices. If it's just about money, there's more money to be made overseas. It's just that for people like us with no connections, going to Paris isn't easy."

Indeed, Paris offered more opportunities, and for ambitious individuals, Paris was unmatched by any provincial city.

"Maybe, uh, Sais, you're a captain of artillery, right?" Joseph suddenly asked.

"Yes, I am. What's on your mind?" Sais inquired.

"I'd like to consult with you about some matters related to the fortifications," Joseph explained. "After all, I'm just a mathematician, and there are many aspects of artillery that I'm not very familiar with."

"Oh, I thought you had some connections in Paris and could help me get to Paris," Sais joked.

"Well, to my knowledge, the Paris Military Academy has always lacked an expert in naval matters. If you're capable..." Joseph added playfully.

"Oh, I get seasick!" Sais said. "Aren't there any other places in need of people?"

"I haven't heard of any for now," Joseph shook his head. "And you're in the navy, aren't you? How can you get seasick?"

Sais's face blushed slightly. "In the navy... well, not everyone in the navy has to be on ships. The garrison here at the fortress is also part of the navy. I serve in the coastal artillery, and I don't have to board ships. I'm quite skilled in artillery, and you won't find many better gunners in the entire navy than me. If it weren't for my seasickness... By the way, doesn't your school need an artillery instructor?"

"I haven't heard of that for now," Joseph said. "And, as you know, even if there were a need, the position would most likely be filled by an army officer."

Unlike across the sea in England, France had always been a land-based power. In the French military, the army held more influence and prestige than the navy.

"I see," Sais sounded somewhat disappointed, but he continued, "Joseph, you have a lot of connections in Paris and a lot of knowledge. If you find any opportunities, please remember me."

"I'll definitely remember," Joseph assured him.

Joseph's response wasn't just a polite gesture; he also needed to establish connections in the navy. In the coming years, the northern regions of France experienced poor harvests, while the south had no shortage of food. However, due to the country's feudal structure, there were numerous barriers to internal trade, causing the cost of transporting goods to rise. If he could use his navy connections to bring food from the south to the north and deliver it to the northern ports, he could make a substantial profit. Smuggling from across the sea in England could yield even greater profits.

"In fact, Calais is a good place," Joseph continued. "It's one of the most important ports in the north. There will be many economic opportunities here. Maybe, in the future, I'll need your assistance too. Anyway, we're friends, and if the opportunity arises, we should help each other, don't you think?"

"You're right. It's a deal," Sais said.

In the following days, Joseph discussed the plans for renovating the fort with the designer Michel and the artillery commander Sais. As the commander of the artillery on the fort, Sais was also involved.

"The primary requirement for the fort is to control the shipping lanes into and out of the harbor. Our current fort is insufficient to control the entire channel. So, we plan to build a new fort at this location, and with these two forts working together, we can control the entry and exit of ships..." Michel explained, pointing at the blueprint.

"Sounds like a good location," Joseph said as he looked at the blueprint. "Is there anything specific you need me to calculate?"

"It's mainly about the ballistics data for the cannons. We also need your input on the specific design of the entire fort," Michel replied.

"Unfortunately, with the existing cannons, and the lack of suitable high ground nearby, our cannons have a limited range. Although they can barely protect the shipping lanes, they are far from sufficient to protect the fleet when it deploys from the harbor. If the fleet is blocked in the harbor, there's no way for them to engage in combat," Joseph added.

Naval warfare required well-organized formations. This allowed for the efficient deployment of firepower and prevented friendly fire when maneuvering, as well as collisions between ships. The limited space in naval ports made it impossible for fleets to form their formations inside the harbor. If enemy ships blocked the harbor entrance before the fleet could finish forming its formation, they would launch an attack before the fleet could complete its formation. If the cannons on the harbor fortifications had sufficient range, they could provide protection for the fleet when forming its formation.

To achieve this, there were generally two methods. One was to install giant cannons on the fortifications. Fortifications had the advantage of being built on solid ground, eliminating concerns about them being sunk by heavy cannons. As a result, they could accommodate much larger cannons than those on ships, and larger cannons typically had longer ranges.

However, this approach had its drawbacks. First, the cost of producing giant cannons was high. Second, the rate of fire for these cannons was quite slow. For example, the Turkish-made Dardanelles guns of the 15th century could fire at most seven shots per day. Although technology had advanced since then, the rate of fire for giant cannons remained limited. This slow rate of fire was insufficient for the task of protecting the fleet's deployment.

The second method was to place cannons in the highest position possible. This significantly extended their range. Additionally, the stability of cannons on fortifications meant that their effective range was naturally greater. This allowed for a more open space for naval ships to deploy their formations.

However, Calais and its vicinity did not offer a natural high ground. To achieve this, they would have to build an artificial high ground by piling up earth. This required more manpower and resources, or, more plainly put, more money.

"The navy believes there won't be any need for warships to form battle lines inside Calais Harbor. So, the fortifications only need to ensure the blockage of the channel and prevent enemy attacks on the harbor," designer Michel explained. "After all, Calais is not Toulon. There will be at most one or two patrol ships here. Calais is primarily a commercial port, and commercial ships don't require battle formations. Look at Dover on the opposite side; it has natural high ground, making it easier to build fortifications, but even then, the British haven't stationed many warships there."

Because of the limited scale of the new fortifications, the project's difficulty was relatively low. For Joseph, who was getting involved in such matters for the first time, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

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