Keeping Napoleon at bay

摘要

In the summer of 1803, a quarter of a million of Napoleon's troops were sunning themselves on the French beaches prior to an invasion of England. Napoleon's generals had spotted a weak spot along England's coastline, and calculated that once ashore the French army could be in London in three days. Napoleon boasted that he would 'plant the Imperial Eagle on the Tower of London'. The flat coastline in front of Romney Marsh between Hastings and Folkestone was the most vulnerable part of the coast, making it an ideal Invasion point, but probably because of the attentions of the British Navy, Napoleon did not press home his military advantage. Meanwhile the new Government under William Pitt the younger began building defences against the invading French. Bristling with cannons, 73 forts called Martello Towers were built at one-mile intervals along the coast. It is ironic that the name Martello comes from a similar tower at Torre della Martello in Napoleon's own backyard of Corsica.