Engineer Leandro Badarán’s project to safeguard the fortresses of Alicante in 1794

After the construction of the San Carlos bastion in Alicante in the final decade of the seventeenth century, and the great trench which the English built around the district of San Francisco during their years of dominance in the War of Succession, the waters of the San Blas gully caused serious damage to these fortifications of the city and to the trade buildings of the port. In 1772, the diversion canal was built. It was designed to divert the riverbed of the gully and send the waters directly to the sea. The project had been initially designed by the Engineer General, Jorge Próspero de Verboom in 1721. This unique work of engineering had some defects, principally in the breakwater which prevented the waters from flowing down the former river course. On several occasions, the water returned to its original riverbed due to the weakness of the breakwater, the narrowness of the channel’s bed and its lack of regularisation, causing serious damage to the bastion, the Babel-facing façade, the traders’ warehouses and other buildings. This study describes the project that the military engineer Leandro Badarán carried out in 1794 in order to technically improve this canal and examines his report on the state of the fortifications. Similar works built in Spain are also explained. It also analyses the repeated disputes between the war department and the port throughout these years over finding a technical solution to the problem.

Letter from William Croswell to George Richards, 1794 September 1

One-page letter from Croswell to George Richards, the Pastor of the Universal Society in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, requesting information about teaching opportunities in the area.

Letter from George Richards to William Croswell, 1794 September 5

One leaf containing the response of Pastor George Richards to Croswell's September 1, 1794, request for information on teaching opportunities.

Payment order for Theodore Dehon, 1794 September 26

Handwritten order to John Sale to pay scholarship funds to Theodore Dehon for use by his son Theodore Dehon (Harvard AB 1795), signed by John Clarke, David Tilden, and James Morrill.

Common trees / by J. Francis Macbride, Asst. Curator, Taxonomy, Dept. of Botany.

no.11(1936)

Letter from Francis Dana to Samuel Langdon, 1780 January 19

This one-page letter from Harvard alumnus Francis Dana (1743-1811; Harvard AB 1762), in Bilbao, Spain, to Harvard President Samuel Langdon concerns the donation of a Spanish book by Dana to the College Library.

Quarter bills for Samuel Stearns signed by Steward Caleb Gannett, 1793-1794

Six printed quarter bills for Samuel Stearns (Harvard AB 1794) with Steward and Commons, Sizings, Study and Cellar Rent, Instruction, Library, French Instruction, Medical Instruction, Books, Sweepers, Catalogues and Commencement Dinner, Repairs, Wood, and Punishment totals. Bills signed by Steward Caleb Gannett.

II. Butler bills, 1788-1794

The Butler's bills are printed quarterly bill forms that the Butler completed with his name, the name of the student, the specific quarter and its ending date, and the total owed for "permitted articles." In some years the form included a space to input the amount for "Wines and other permitted Liquors."

VII. Calculations, [1794]

One sheet of paper arranged by columns for the years 1792, 1793, 1794 with currency amounts and final sums below. "Papers & notes of Thomas Adams" written on verso.

[Admittatur of Henry Gardner (Harvard AB 1798)], 1794 August 13

Published copy of the 1790 College Laws, in a modern hardcover binding, with the admittatur of undergraduate Henry Gardner signed by President Joseph Willard on August 13, 1794.

[Form of Admission of Francis Oliver (Harvard AB 1795)], 1791 August 19-20

Printed certificate of admission for undergraduate Francis J. Oliver certified by Steward Caleb Gannett on August 19, 1791 and signed by President Joseph Willard on August 20, 1791.