Design for a cistern of fort Nieuw Amsterdam

Title Leupe: Plan van een regenbak in het fortres Nieuw Amsterdam.

This map gives a detailed design of a cistern belonging to the Nieuw-Amsterdam fort. The foundation, supportive layer and the surface are all drawn together with a profile. The cistern was designed for the right wing of the barracks in a period of construction characterized by rectifications of designs flaws made by Pierre-Dominique Desmarestz and Dirk Hendrik de Wit when drafting the first plans for the reconstruction of the fort. The “loyal servant to the Society” who drew this design was especially concerned with the rain season, as 'in this part of the world it usually rains for eights months on end.'

At the end of 1733, an agreement between the Society of Surinam and representatives of the colonists to improve Surinam's defences was ratified by the Dutch Estates-General. This design would have been made as part of these plans shortly afterwards. The actual work began in 1736 and dragged on with numerous set-backs, conflicts and delays until 1747. Afterwards, the fort would remain problematic both in terms of maintenance and defence. (For more details on its building history, see under 'documentation', especially the book by Temminck Groll.)

Scale-bar of 40 Rhineland feet = 128 strepen.