2-982-285 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Toulon, 1858. 'Toulon is the Plymouth of France, the seat of her naval power in the Mediterranean, and one of her chief naval arsenals...It is a strongly fortified town, situated at the bottom of a deep double bay, which forms the roads. Behind it runs an amphitheatre of hills rising on the north into the heights of Mount Pharon...which stretch their arms as it were round the bay, so as nearly to landlock it, rendering it a safe anchorage, except from the south and east, where it is somewhat unprotected. Six forts on the land side defend the town, while the mouth of the harbour and hills commanding it are studded with forts and redoubts. The port is divided into the old and new, separated from the roadstead by moles, hollow and bombproof, begun in the reign of Henri IV., formed externally into batteries on a level with the water's edge - very formidable against ships. The Port du Commerce, or Darse Vieille, on the E., is appropriated to merchant-vessels, and is bordered by a quay. The Darse Neuve, on the west, is surrounded by the dockyard, slips, the arsenal, the storehouses for provisions, &c., equipments, cannon-foundry, park of artillery, etc. The town itself contains upwards of 40,000 inhabitants, exclusive of the garrison'. From "Illustrated London News", 1858.