PREFACE.

...not well understood themselves what they wanted to teach to others.

These reflections are what motivated us to conduct research for more than thirty years on everything that could put us in a position to treat such an important matter. To this end, we spared neither effort nor expense, having traveled several times specifically to our main seaports, under the auspices of my Lord the Grand Admiral of France original: "Grand Amiral de France." At the time, this was Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Count of Toulouse, a high office overseeing maritime affairs., the Ministers of War and the Navy original: "Guerre & de la Marine." Under the Ancien Régime, these were two distinct administrative departments; the Navy was crucial for the hydraulic works discussed in this volume., and the Director General of Fortifications original: "Directeur Général des Fortifications." The head of the King's military engineers, responsible for both defensive walls and the hydraulic systems (moats, sluices) that supported them.. We also traveled through the Austrian Netherlands original: "Pays-Bas Autrichiens." Regions corresponding roughly to modern-day Belgium and Luxembourg, then under Habsburg rule. and Holland, in order to master for ourselves the things we wished to teach.

But since it was not enough to have seen the most remarkable works, and since it was necessary above all things to be instructed in how one had set about their execution; so much care might have been of little use, if fortune, which always plays a part in success, had not favored us by allowing us to find, through the acquaintance original: "le commerce." In the 18th century, this term often referred to social or professional interaction and the exchange of ideas rather than financial trade. of some of our most celebrated Engineers, exactly what we desired to fulfill our objective. Thus, we have gathered from all sides inestimable riches, which can only be found in the sources from which we drew them. What a loss for those in the profession, and even for the curious, if so many precious pieces had remained in oblivion! It is true that it was no small task to form them into a body of work treated methodically, and that one had to be very bold to dare undertake it: but too much timidity borders on indolence; it is permissible to follow one's genius when one sees oneself enlightened as we have been, by