Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-01-08
HOLLY SPRINGS MISSISSIPPI THURSDAY JANUARY s. 1852.
CEuxA.

- a~ese CEUTA.
The name of the Spanish possession
in North Africa has become quite IA
miliar to the readers of American news
papers since the condemnation of the
Lopez captives, and particularly since
the exile of Mr.. Thrasher to the chain
gang in that place. Few. however,
know exactly its topography and its
relations to Spain.
Ceuta is on the coast of Africa, op-
posite Gibralter, and is one of the Pill
lars of Hercules, the Abyla, as known
10 the ancients, as Gibralter Mons Cal
pc, was the other. The two marked
the western boundary of the world,
the gateway, beyond which all was
waste and darkness. The town was
called SePta, from seven hillocks, upon
one of which it was built, and in tie
course Of time the Roman Septa has
become the Spanish Ceuta. 1t has
been in the possession of Spain for more
than two hundred years, having been
acquired from the Portuguese in l640.
The Portuguese had had it then more
than two hundred years, having seized
it from the Moors in l4l5. The pos
session is yeta ground of resentment
to the surl ounding Moors. The city
alone is under the Spanish Government.
Outside the walls the Moors are strong,
and maintain an attitude of hostility
up to the gates. Videttes and patrol-
ing parties keep constant watch upon
each other, and assassinations are fire.
quent, whenever Spanish inhabitant
gets beyond the protection of the guns.
1t is little curious that Spain, which
has mourned SO long over the occupa-
ton of Gibralter, on her own coast, by
the English, should have compensated
herself in some degree by taking from
the Empire of Morocco, on the other
side of the Strait, the corresponding
African hill of Ceuta. During the war
of the Spanish Succession, Ceuta was
placed, for safe-keeping from the French,
in the hands Of the English, and num-
Der of English establishments grew up,
of which the effects still continue. At
the close of the war, the Emperor of
Morocco wanted England, in return
for his aid in furnishing them supplies
to their armies in Spain, to assist him
in recovering this port for himself, but
England could not well urge this with
out consenting to give up Gibralter.
Ceuta is town. according to Nc
Culloch, of about 9,237 inhabitants,
exclusive of the garrison. 1t forms a
Spanish preside, and is cut off from the
interior so pc: fectly that it receives
supplies from Spain, and gets Morocco
news by the Madrid newspapers. 1t is
the Botany Bay Of the Spaniards.-
The convicts of Spain are sent there to
remain in depot until drafted out to
work in the mines, or some public work
in Spain. 1t is a mistake, we believe.
that there are any quicksilver or other
mines at Ceuta, in which the conyicts
work. Ceuta is only place of trans
portation, where the criminals of Spain
are sent into exile and in confinement.
The probability, and there are thosethat
think there's that they be sent to work
the Spanish mines, of which there are
several of considerable extent in the
Peninsula. Of these the principal are
the lead mines in Grenada, and the
quicksilver mines at Almaden, in La
Maucha. The destination of prisoners
to these mines is not absolutely fixed
by their condemnation to the chain
gang in Ceuta, though this usually fol-
lows.
Urquhart, the British traveller, states
that in lS4S two thousand of the con-
victs were sent off at once, to work on
canal in CASTLE. He adds, that there
are remarkable facilities to escape, that
the convicts outnumber the population,
the town is accessible at every side, the
sea is open and boats all round. He
praises the good order of the place;
and gave the acting Governor at that
time a high character for gentleness of
character and humanity to the cap
tives.