A fresh wave of concerns about France followed in the 1880s, accompanied by the introduction of still more powerful naval artillery and fast warships and torpedo boats, resulting in a fresh wave of modernisation.; ; ; An electronically operated minefield was laid across Carrick Roads in 1885, jointly controlled from St Mawes and Pendennis.; New, quick-firing guns were installed at Hurst to enable the castle to engage the newer vessels. Calshot was brought back into service as a coastal fort, with a new battery of quick-firing guns protecting a boom across the estuary. The original 16th-century parts of fortifications such as Southsea and Calshot were too small and unsuitable for modern weapons, however, and were instead used for mounting searchlights, range and direction finding; in some cases their fabric was left to slowly decline.; ; ;
