It was a singular disappointment to me, that I could not have permission to take an exact survey of the fortifications, which are the strongest in the world, and which, from first to last, that is, from the time they were set about by _Philip_ of _France_, Count of _Boulogne_, to the present war, wherein many reparations were made, have cost (as I learned afterwards from an engineer in _Gascony_)--above a hundred millions of livres. 
It was a singular disappointment to me that I could not take an exact survey of the fortifications, which are the strongest in the world, and which, since they were started by Philip, Count of Boulogne, have cost (as I learned from an engineer in Gascony) above a hundred million livres. 