Ronald van Maanen, 2010
Just like for North American navy yards, there are some descriptions of French naval yards by foreigners available. Some times made by naval officers, sometimes by travellers fore instance like Carter. One of the most interesting remarks he made was of the presence of a large amount galley-slaves, still in chains used for all kinds of work. Although not called galley-slaves, were in Great Britain convicts used for the same purposes on naval yards. (1)
“13 March 1826
p. 13
A fortunate accident, emanating from French politeness and hospitality, afforded us an opportunity of visiting, under the most favourable circumstances, the navy-yard, armories, arsenals, and other public works at this place, to which it is extremely difficult for strangers to gain admittance, even on letters of recommendation, which none of our party had taken. At the table of the hotel at Marseilles, we became acquainted with a Surgeon in the Royal Navy, who manifested as much kindness towards us, as he did coolness towards a British officer from Gibraltar, with whom he happened to come in contact while at dinner. The latter in the course of conversation several times flatly and rudely contradicted the former ; and national antipathies proceeded to such lengths, that the affair seemed likely to end in a duel. Thinking, perhaps, discretion the better part of valour, the Englishman left the table, and afterwards took his dinner in his own room. On the evening previous to his departure, the Frenchman invited us to take coffee, and a glass of liqueur with him, proposing the health of General La Fayette, the friend of our respective countries. Such a toast manifested not only the liberality but the independence of this officer in the Royal Navy, as it might cost him his commission should it come to the ears of the government. In taking leave of our circle, he invited us to visit Toulon, and politely offered any facilities that his official station afforded —a favour which was very gratefully accepted. Being notified of our arrival, this gentleman promptly called at the hotel and conducted us to his apartments, where we were requested to amuse ourselves with a new and splendid work on the ornithology of France, while he dressed himself in his sword and cocked hat, an a necessary preparation for entering the navy-yard. His uniform as Surgeon was remarkably neat, consisting of blue cloth, with trimmings of crimson velvet and gold lace. Even with his introduction, an hour was occupied in going through with the forms required before we could be admitted. Our names, residences, and other particulars were all registered at the
p. 14
Marine Department, and a written passport obtained, which was presented at the splendid arched gate leading to the naval depot, and forming the barrier between it and the rest of the town. The portals are lofty, and enriched with a profusion of ornament, consisting of sculptured devices and inscriptions. The first objects which arrested our attention, on entering the navy-yard, were the crowds of galley-slaves, yoked together like cattle, and employed in nil kinds of servile offices. Nearly all the drudgery and hard labour, such as carrying burdens, drawing carts, towing vessels, and tugging at the oar, is performed by these miserable beings, who are condemned to the most abject servitude for life. Their sunburnt, sweaty, dusty, and demoniac features ; their fantastic caps and party-coloured costumes ; and the continual clanking of their heavy iron chains, present no faint idea of a pandemonium. Although exact justice may be meted out to them, and the wretchedness of their condition may not be disproportionate to their crimes, it is a painful image constantly obtruding itself upon the observation of the visitant. The number here imprisoned is about two thousand, a large proportion of whom were convicted of murder, distinguished from the rest by their green caps. We saw a hundred of these pass in procession, with severe but dejected countenances, on the way to their stalls, to partake of a coarse and scanty allowance. Their chains are differently worn, being in some cases fastened like fetters round the ankle, and in others, hung in festoons about the waist, loading down the poor wretches with a weight of iron, independent of their other burdens. They all wear their numbers painted upon their red flannel jackets. At night they are kept under hatches, in large hulks of vessels, called Bagnes, moored in the harbour. Some of them are ingenious mechanics and artists, who beguile the tedium of life in manufacturing baskets, boxes, and other ornaments, which they are permitted to sell for their own benefit. On the whole, with the exception of their chains, I could not perceive that they are worse used than the inmates of our own penitentiaries. An officer and commissioner of the American Navy, who passed a considerable part of the last winter at Toulon, for the express purpose of making such inquiries as might be useful to our own country, remarked to me, that he considered the employment of galley-slaves the worst feature in the French
p. 15
Marine, as the government of them is vexatious, and their labours by no means effective.
Our examination of the Navy-yard commenced with a visit to a large and splendid hall, used as an extensive repository of models in naval architecture. It has been long established, and contains a valuable collection of inventions and improvements, on all subjects connected with navigation. The number of articles is between one and two hundred, consisting of the most approved models of vessels and boats of all descriptions ; docks, machines used in masting ships, and drawing them up for repairs. The American officer above alluded to examined this temple of the arts with minute attention; and if it contains any thing worthy of imitation, he will doubtless recommend it to the attention of our government. An hour was passed in glancing at a multiplicity of objects, which it would require days to examine in a satisfactory manner. The hall itself is not among the least curiosities. It is richly ornamented with bas-reliefs by Pujet, and with statues of Mars, Pallas, Bellona, and other martial divinities.
Our polite and intelligent guide next conducted us to the Rope- Walk, which is half a mile in length, consisting of three arcades, supported by massive stone pillars. The machinery for the manufacture of cordage is upon a large scale. That for twisting cables is turned by horses. A machine was observed, which was at least new to me. It traverses from one end of the rope-walk to the other nearly as fast as the men can travel, weaving the cord as it passes, and apparently saving much manual labour.
Adjacent to this establishment is the Grand Magasin, or warehouse, for the deposit of naval stores of every description. It is a new and magnificent edifice, three stories high, built of a beautiful species of granite. Its front presents one of the finest facades I have seen in the South of France, both for the grandeur of its proportions and the elegance of its workmanship. A superb stair-case, fitter for a palace than for a storehouse, winds to the upper loft. The building is not yet completed, but already contains numerous articles for the equipment of a fleet, which appeared to be of an excellent quality and in a good state of preservation. So far as our observations extended, the most rigid rules of economy are enforced, in taking care of the public property, through every department of this great national establishment. Na-
p. 16
val armaments, which would suffer by exposure to the weather, are neatly housed, and nothing is abandoned to neglect and decay.
The Armory is on a scale proportioned to the other parts of this extensive depot. Two large buildings are filled with guns, bayonets, swords, pikes, pistols, and other implements of war, fancifully arranged so as to form different figures, in the same style as was observed in the Tower of London. Along the aisles formed by fluted columns of spears and muskets, are statues clad in ancient mail, bearing shields which are embossed with various historical devices. In the centre of the group stands the bust of his present majesty, Charles X.; a tutelary genius much less fitted than some of his predecessors, to preside over the works of war.
Our tour of observation was continued through the forges of the smiths, which are inferior in extent and management to those of our country at Washington ; and thence to the shipyard, where several large vessels are upon the stocks. The timber appeared to be of a good quality, well wrought, and substantially put together; but the progress of the work is slow in comparison with the despatch of our own naval architects, who would build and equip a fleet, while the French were busy in planning one. Their ships, however, are both substantial and handsome, surpassed by none except those of the United States. The most ingenious plans have been devised for constructing dry-docks in a harbour where there are no tides. A great effort is at present making to strengthen the navy of France. Two millions of francs are annually expended in building new ships at Toulon; and corresponding appropriations are authorised by the government for Brest and other ports of the kingdom.
The number of ships of war now lying in the harbour of Toulon cannot be less than one hundred. We went on board the the largest of them, the Royal Louis (2), having three decks, and carrying 130 guns. She is a monstrous, misshapen pile ; in her best estate a clumsy, heavy, unwieldly mass, now dismantled, laid up in ordinary, and rapidly going to decay. Her cabins exhibit all the splendid decorations of a French palace.”
Sources
Nathaniel Hazeltine Carter. Letters from Europe comprising the journal of a tour through Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Italy and Switzerland in the years 1825, 26 and ’27. Vol II. New York, 1829. Digitized by Google.
http://www.agh.qc.ca/articles/?id=53
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_sail_battleships
Notes
1. See on this weblog “Costs of the British convict hulk establishment in 1848-1849”, published 3 February 2010.
2. The former L’Impérial (launched 1 December 1811 at Toulon), renamed Royal Louis in April 1814, again renamed L'Impérial in March 1815 and finally again renamed Royal Louis in July 1815, condemned 31 March 1825 at Toulon. She was built by Jacques-Noël Sané as part of the Dauphin Royal-class, Toulon, a 118-gun ship of the line 1st class, with as dimensions 196’6”x 50 x 25, armed with 32-36pdr, 34-24pdr and 34-18pdr.
