Engineer Pat Mackellar’s Proposal to move the Arrabal de San Felipe

On February 10, 1764, the chief engineer of Menorca, Pat Mackellar, proposed the transfer of the Arrabal de San Felipe because it was too close to the fortification. In fact, it is one of the accepted maxims for the defense of fortified sites: move everything that is in the sight of the cannon since it could obstruct the fire or hide the enemy’s operations.

For this reason, years ago, the transfer of the town of Arrabal de San Felipe was already proposed, which was unanimously approved but never carried out. If it was omitted due to lack of money, inactivity and/or security, it was not consistent with the facts because today we know that the initial rejection of the transfer proposal was reconsidered when it was already too late.

In the proposal, the chief engineer of Menorca, Pat Mackellar, makes it clear that he is still waiting for the execution of the project, since he hopes that the initial refusal will be reconsidered because it is the right moment, taking into account the events of the last war and Most of the houses are in ruins.

                                         Location of the Arrabal to the right of the enclosure of the Castillo de San Felipe