The plates are principally geogmetric and planimetric exercises although plans for a martello tower, a powder magazine, Fort Henry, a gun and a gun carriage are also included. The plates are probably copying exercises and serve as an example of the training received by those who produce plans for military fortifications.
Watermarks on the paper lend credence to the supposition the sheets were done over the three year period rather than re-copied later. The assertion that the work is that of student J. Hope at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, is based on the notation on the spine: "Course of Fortification - Plates" and upon the signature "J. Hope" on the sheets., 1. NMC51746 (1/28) PL. 1 [Geometric exercise]. Feby 25th, 1845
2. NMC51746 (2/28) PL. 2 [Geometric exercise]. Mar. 15th, 1845
3. NMC51746 (3/28) PL. 3 [Geometric exercise]. Mar. 29, 1845
4. NMC51746 (4/28) PL. 4 Elevations. Plans. May 23rd, 1845
5. NMC51746 (5/28) PL. 5 [Various scales of measurements - English miles, Prussian miles, French leagues, Russian versts, etc.] April 17th, 1845
6. NMC51746 (6/28) PL. 6 [Exercise in drwing scale indicators] May 16th, 1845
7. NMC51746 (7/28) PL. 7 [Geometric exercise]. Feby 19th, 1845
8. NMC51746 (8/28) PL. 8 [Plan of a powder magazine]. Sepr 14th, 1845
9. NMC51746 (9/28) PL. 9 Plan of Fort Henry Upper Canada. Novr, 19th. 1845
10. NMC51746 (11/28) PL. 10 Martello Tower. July 16th, 1845
11. NMC51746 (11/28) PL. 11 Light six pounder brass gun, lenthh 5 feet, weight six cwt. Octbr, 9th.1845
12. NMC51746 (12/28) PL. 12 24 pounder gun carriage. May 7th, 1845
13. NMC51746 (13/28) PL. 13 Elevations. Plans. Novr. 1, 1845
14. NMC51746 (14/28) PL. 14 Elevations. Plans. May 27th, 1846
15. NMC51746 (15/28) PL. 15 [Planimetric exercises - elevations, vertical and horizontal traces] March 12th, 1846
16. NMC51746 (16/28) PL. 16 [Planimetric exercises - elevations, vertical and horizontal traces] March 19th, 1846
17. NMC51746 (17/28) PL. 17 [Planimetric exercises - elevations, vertical and horizontal traces] April 3rd, 1846
18. NMC51746 (18/28) PL. 18 [Planimetric exercise] Augt, 9th, 1846
19. NMC51746 (19/28) PL. 19 [Planimetric exercises - elevations, vertical and horizontal traces] April 9th, 1846
20. NMC51746 (20/28) PL. 20 [Drawing exercise of a parabola, hyperbola and ellipse] June 18th, 1846
21. NMC51746 (21/28) PL. 21 [Planimetric exercise] Sepr. 17th, 1846
22. NMC51746 (22/28) PL. 22 [Planimetric exercise] Octr. 17th, 1846
23. NMC51746 (23/28) PL. 23 [Planimetric exercise] Octr. 24th, 1846
24. NMC51746 (24/28) PL. 24 [Planimetric exercise] Novr. 28th, 1846
25. NMC51746 (25/28) PL. 25 Profiles of the modern [bastion, redoubt, ravelin, place of arms] March 5th, 1847
26. NMC51746 (26/28) PL. 26 Modern system [of fortress design] 12th March, 1847
27. NMC51746 (27/28) PL. 27 [Attack of a fortress] 8th April, 1847
28. NMC51746 (28/28) PL. 28 [Attack of a fortress] April 24th, 1847