STRANGE ROCK FORMATIONS--GIBRALTAR
A huge projecting limestone rock, in form like a reclining lion, guards
the entrance to the narrow water passage which separates Europe from
Africa. This wonderful feature, the Rock of Gibraltar, extends directly
southward from the mainland of Spain with which it is connected by a
low, sandy isthmus. It is about three miles in length and in breadth
varies from one-fourth to three-fourths of a mile. Two depressions
divide it into three summits, the highest of which is about fourteen
hundred feet.
Let us visit the small city lying at its western base and then carefully
examine this leviathan sentinel that seems to stand guard over the
narrow strait. The special permission of the military commander to
examine it or even to remain in the city must first be obtained; we are
especially warned that cameras are forbidden and all negatives will be
confiscated.
The north face we find to have an almost perpendicular height of twelve
hundred feet; its east and west sides also display tremendous
precipices. The south face is much lower and slopes toward the sea.
Fortifications of massive walls and the best of modern guns protect the
lower parts and also the seaward side of the city.
But what are those holes high up on the faces of the rock? They are
portholes cut through the rock from interior chambers out of which
cannon can be thrust and discharged at an invading enemy. We are curious
to learn more about this interesting place, and on questioning our guide
are told many remarkable stories.
The Rock of Gibraltar is honeycombed with caves, passageways, and
chambers, some of which are natural and others artificial. We enter the
largest of these natural caves, St. Michael's, and as we stand in the
main hall, a spacious chamber two hundred feet in length and seventy
feet in height, we are amazed at its beauty and grandeur. Colossal
columns of stalactites seem to support its ornamental roof and all
around are fantastic figures--foliage of many forms, beautiful
statuettes, pillars, pendants, and shapes of picturesque beauty
rivalling those of Mammoth Cave. St. Michael's Cave is eleven hundred
feet above sea level and is connected by winding passages with four
other caves of a similar character.
[Illustration: This strong and impregnable place is the Rock of
Gibraltar, and the city nestling at its base, Gibraltar]
To six of the caves distinct names have been given. One of the caves is
three hundred feet below sea level. About three miles of passageways,
exclusive of many storage chambers, have been hewn so as to connect the
different caves and natural passages, and so large have they been made
that a wagon can be drawn through them. Within this rock are stored
supplies of ammunition and sufficient provisions to last several years.
In clambering about the rock we find cannon carefully concealed in
scores of different places ready for use when needed.
In places the rock is overlaid with thin soil which produces a variety
of vegetation. There are grassy glens, with trees, and luxuriant gardens
surrounding pretty English cottages. During the rainy season wild
flowers in great profusion spring up in all directions, but in the
summer the rock presents a dry, barren aspect.
This strong and impregnable place is the Rock of Gibraltar and the city
nestling at its base, Gibraltar. The city has a population of
twenty-five thousand, of whom several thousand are soldiers forming the
garrison. The garrison with their artillery, two pieces of which weigh
one hundred tons each, reinforced with the strongest of fortifications,
are thought to be capable of withstanding the combined hosts of
Christendom.
Early in the eighth century the Moors, perceiving the strategic
importance of the promontory, took possession of it and erected
fortifications. During the succeeding nine hundred years the fortress
was besieged no less than twelve times, and on several occasions was
captured by invaders.
At length it became a possession of Spain, and so strongly was it
fortified by the Spanish that it was thought to be impregnable. During
the War of the Spanish Succession, however, the combined forces of
England and Holland laid siege to it, and after a stubborn resistance
the garrison was forced to surrender. Forthwith the English took
possession in the name of Queen Anne and, strengthening the
fortifications, have held the fortress ever since.
Spain was greatly mortified by the loss of this stronghold which she
deemed rightly belonged to her. Several times during the ensuing
seventy-five years, single-handed, she laid siege to the citadel in the
endeavor to win it back, but each time she signally failed.
A seemingly auspicious time arrived in 1779 when she secured the
co-operation of France. For the succeeding four years a relentless siege
was laid to the fortress by the combined land and naval forces of Spain
and France. Both nations summoned to their aid their ablest generals and
admirals, using every conceivable device and strategy to capture the
fortress, but all in vain.
During the first years of this siege the supreme command of both land
and naval forces rested with the Spanish, but, having met with failure
after failure, they were ready at length to give way to the French, who
promised to capture the stronghold by constructing a powerful fleet of
battering-ships, enabling them to fight at close range, so that gun to
gun and man to man should decide the contest.
The French engineer who prepared the armament cut down the huge bulwarks
of the sides of ten of the Spanish battle-ships and proceeded to
reconstruct them within and without. The reconstructed ships were much
like the _Merrimac_, that did such destructive work in our Civil War,
except that they were not armored with iron. Triple beams of heavy oak
with layers of sand and cork between them were used for encasing these
huge hulks. For protecting the crews heavy timbers covered with rope and
hides were used.
On September 12, 1782, fifty line-of-battle ships flying flags,
together with a fleet of smaller vessels, lined up before the town. This
formidable fleet was supported on land by an army of forty thousand men
reinforced with batteries of the heaviest ordnance stretched along the
shore. To oppose these the English commander, General Eliott, had
ninety-six pieces of artillery and seven thousand men. So confident was
the enemy of success that the triple-armored battering-ships moved
boldly up to within half-gunshot range.
At a signal the English opened fire, which was instantly answered by the
floating batteries and the whole shore line; four hundred guns were then
playing on the beleaguered town. Soon death and destruction were made
evident on both sides. There seemed to be but one thing for the English
to do to save themselves, and that was to set fire to the enemy's ships.
Accordingly, furnaces were placed beside the batteries in which heavy
cannon balls were made white-hot. The guns, shotted with these glowing
balls, were then turned on the ships. The enemy attempted to guard
against the hot shot by continually pumping water into the layer of sand
between the wooden sheathing of the ships, and for a time succeeded in
extinguishing the fires.
It was not long though before the admiral's ship caught fire, and as
night drew on, the flames, indicating the position of the Spanish line,
furnished a mark for the English guns. At midnight ten of the besieging
ships were on fire. Rockets were thrown up and distress signals hoisted
to summon aid from their consorts.
The flames mounted higher and higher, illuminating sky, sea, and rock.
The shrieks of the wounded and dying filled the midnight air. When it
was found that the ships could not be saved, all discipline was lost and
a panic ensued. Hundreds perished miserably, while hundreds of others
threw themselves into the sea. Seeing the terrible destruction wrought
by firing hot balls, General Eliott ordered his men to man the boats in
order to save their foes from drowning and burning.
With the greatest heroism they scoured the sea, and, mounting the
burning vessels, dragged from the decks men deserted by their own
people. While performing these humanitarian acts several of the English
perished by explosions. Three hundred and fifty-seven of the enemy were
saved from a horrible death. The following morning disclosed a sea
covered with wrecks. A few days more of feeble bombardment ensued; then
a treaty of peace was signed.
From a strategic stand-point, the Rock of Gibraltar is easily Great
Britain's most important stronghold, because it guards the trade route
to her most important possession--British India. Practically all her
commerce with her Indian colonies passes through the Mediterranean Sea
and the Suez Canal. With either one in the possession of an enemy,
British commerce would not only suffer heavy losses, but it might be
destroyed altogether. So necessary is the command of the Strait of
Gibraltar to Great Britain, that to lose the Rock might also mean the
loss of British India.
At the present time Great Britain is continually adding to the defences
by building new fortifications and replacing the older guns with the
latest patterns.
In ancient times the name Calpe was applied to the rock of Gibraltar and
Abyla to the eminence in Africa on the opposite side of the strait, and
both of these eminences formed the renowned Pillars of Hercules. For
centuries no ships navigating the Mediterranean dared sail beyond these
pillars.