Good news for fort, but why was it built?

Its presence has puzzled me ever since I learned about it.

Because its existence simply doesn’t make sense:

“The fort was built in 1854. . . to combat potential invading forces from France” states your article (October 20).

But in 1854, France and Britain were allies!

We were fighting side-by-side against the Russians in the Crimea.

And we were building defences against them at the very same time.

Incredible!

The man who later became Napoleon III was first elected as President of France in 1848, before becoming Emperor in 1851.

What on earth we were doing building defences against him defies my understanding, because he was an out-and-out Anglophile!

After abdicating in 1870 he lived out his days in England and died in Chislehurst.

I wish Andy Orpin and his supporters every success, and if they or anyone can explain what on earth the British government at the time thought it was doing I’d be very interested.

It is said that sometimes governments equip their military forces to fight the previous war.

If this is such a case it surely takes the biscuit – the “previous war” ended at Waterloo in 1815!

Nicholas Myer

Fincham Close

East Preston