Rotoneau is an odtangular caiUc, having three of its angles flanked by round towers,
and furrounded by a foilc and a kind of covered-way. It was built by the Duke of Guife
in the fame century as tlic former. The extent of the ifland is one mile and a quarter,
taken according to its greateil dimenfions.
Fort Pomeguc, which is nearly of the fame iize as the two former, has only one high
tower, and fome redans. The ihips from the Levant generally perform quarantine on the
fouthem fide of this iiland.
The bay of Marfeilles is not reckoned fo fafe as that of Toulon, Ihips being more expofed
to tlie foutli and fouth-eall winds. The depth of water near the coaft is from five
to eight fathom, and towards the centre, forty-five; but there is every where a fafe bottom.
The harbour is nearly enclofed by the city, and has been entirely deepened by means of
machines called CaraqiTcs, invented by Belidor (a defcriptioii of which is given in his
Treatife on HydrauHcs). Its length is about fix hundred fathom, and wdt h one himdrcd
and nmety. The form of its bafon is a kind of oval, bounded on each fide by a Jargc and
beautiful quay of free-fl:one.
This harbour is capable of containing nearly feven himdred vefl'els of all dimenfions,
men of war excepted; the depth of the water not being fuJficient to admit of them; fo
that the largeft fize are tlie gallics.
Its enti-ance, wliich is fifty-three fathom in width, is fhut up every night by a large
chain, fupported by ftone piers, fixed at about eighteen fatliom and a half from each
other.
It is ilrengthened on tlie fouth by an excellent fortrefs, ajid on the north by Fort St.
John, which commands the city, and renders it very difficult of accefs towards the fea.
Indeed it is faid he built tliis fort in 1660, to keep the inhabitants in awe, becaufe they
pretended to be free; which gave rife to a provijicial wit to obferve, that the city was the
Horfe, but the fort was the Bridle. It is befides furrounded on eveiy fide, eitlier by tlie
buildings or the land, and is entirely Iheltcred from heavy fcas by a kind of promontory;
fo that the iliipping lie pcrfedly fecui-c.
T o Louis the Fourteenth may be atti-ibated every advantage arifuig from their extenfive
commerce and profperity; for in 1669 he gi-anted Marfeilles tlie prii'ilege of a free
port, and built thegreatcft part of the public naval edificcs ; fuch as the arfenals, fuppofed
to contain anns for forty thoufand men, magazines, yards, flocks for the conftruaion of
gallies, &c. But what nuift in fome degree endear the memoiy of Uiis monarch to every
! I ^