The building itself consists of three very lofty stories, under which are spacious and commodious vaults, chiefly filled with saltpetre. It is covered on the top with flat leads, from whence there is an extensive and delightful prospect.
In the first story are two noble rooms, one of which is a small armoury for the sea service, it having various sorts of arms very curiously laid up, for above 10,000 seamen. In the other room are many closets and presses, all filled with warlike engines and instruments of death. Over this are two other floors, one principally filled with arms; the other with arms and other warlike instruments, as spades, shovels, pick-axes, and cheveaux de Frize. In the upper story are kept match, sheep-skins, tanned hides, &c. and in a little room called Julius Cæsar’s chapel are deposited some records, containing perhaps the ancient usages and customs of the place. In this building are also preserved models of the new invented engines of destruction that have from time to time been presented to the government.
On the top of one of the towers is a large cistern or reservoir for supplying the whole garrison with water; it is about seven feet deep, nine broad, and about sixty in length, and is filled from the Thames by means of an engine very ingeniously contrived for that purpose.
_The Spanish Armoury._ Near the south-west angle of the White Tower is the Spanish armoury, in which are deposited the spoils of what was vainly called the Invincible Armada, in order to perpetuate to latest posterity the memory of that signal victory obtained by the English over the whole naval power of Spain in the reign of Philip II. which will ever render the glorious name of Queen Elizabeth dear to Britons: for of 132 ships that arrived in the British channel; scarce 70 of them returned home, and of 30,000 men on board, upwards of 20,000 were either killed, drowned, or made prisoners in England, such was the fate of this vain-glorious enterprize!
The trophies preserved here of this memorable victory, with some other curiosities are,
1. A Spanish battle-ax, so contrived as to strike four holes in a man’s skull, at once; it has besides a pistol in its handle with a match-lock.