Map of the defences along the southwest coast of Curaçao

Title Leupe: Plan van de situatie der strecking om de Zuyd van het Eyland Curaçao, met alle desselvs batteryen en baayen, van de stad af tot om den Noordhoek van 't zelve, opgemeten door D. Creefts.

Part of a larger map (VEL593.1 to VEL593.4) showing the various defenses along the southwestern coast of the island from the northernmost point to Willemstad. This is the southernmost map, showing the area around Willemstad.

At the outbreak of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, despite the (modest) extensions and improvements to forts and batteries carried out in various phases since c. 1740, the fortifications were still, or yet again, not up to the required standard. Therefore, in 1782 the WIC appointed an officer in the Engineering Corps, Captain Daniël Creefts to the newly created post of First Inspector of Buildings and Fortifications in Curaçao, with orders to compile a report on the state of the defence of the island and make recommendations for short-term improvements. In the scope of his commission, during the next two years Creefts drew various maps and project plans, including this enormous 1784 outline map of the south and west coasts of Curaçao. Besides this, in 1787, as inspector, he was also indirectly involved in a compilation of the defence plan for the Netherlands Antilles by the military engineer Hottinger and the naval lieutenant Kikkert. The large map of Curaçao was intended to supplement Creefts’ first report to the directors, which was completed in August 1783. Because of the war with Britain at that time, it could only be presented to the Estates-General, which dismissed it as completely inadequate, in September 1784.

Also see VEL594, which shows the defenses at the eastern half of the island

North is upper left.

Scale-bar of 120 Rhineland rods = [approximately 1 : 2,820].