The Esquimalt harbor was initially used by the British Royal Navy in the 1840's. In the mid 1850's it became a fully active naval base and as the crisis in the Balkans made war imminent in 1878, Macaulay Point was designed and armed. This was the first bastion of defense on the western seaboard for both North and South America during the time of discovery. Visit our blog "Macaulay Point: The First Bastion: Part 1 | Part 2" for the story behind the photos.