Map of the fortifications near the mouths of the Suriname and Commewijne rivers

Title Leupe: Rouwplan van het fort Nieuw Amsterdam, met de nieuwe geprojecteerde linie, alsmede den mond der rivier Suriname en Bramspunt, enz.

The first step in the expansion of the fortifications at the mouth of the Surinam and Commewijne Rivers was taken in 1748-1755 with the construction of the redoubts Purmerend and Leiden, respectively on the western and eastern banks opposite Fort Nieuw Amsterdam.

This map is drawn in December 1767 ‘in a great hurry because the ships were about to sail’ and shows the extension of Nieuw Amsterdam which was then under construction with the battery (F) between the fort itself and the landing place on the Surinam River, which would be named Texierburg after 1780.

Dircks thought that in conjunction with the bastions Hollandia (A) and Gelderland (B) and the outer wall, this latest construction could make the new line of defence. Therefore the bastions Groningen (C), Utrecht (E) and Overijssel (D), which had become dilapidated in the meantime, would not have to be repaired.

He thought it extremely advisable to have a new powder magazine inside the fort and the projected new battery farther downstream on the east bank, even though according to the annotation he would have preferred the latter closer to the redoubt Leiden than to the spot allotted for it.

When the battery Friderici was erected, which would have to wait until 1794, this was indeed moved farther to the south.

By Leiden itself is mentioned that this redoubt was completely overhauled in November and December 1767.

The interesting note near the anchor symbol alongside the channel a little to the north indicates the place where ‘on arrival ships must [wait] until their passes have been shown’.

Scale-bar of een Hollandse Uur gaans = [approximately 1 : 35,000].