The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-18

BY tie European mail at this port we have tho fol-
lowing special correspondence in highly interesting
illustration OF Old World affairs TO the ID Of July.
SPAIN.
Queen Isabolla's Abdication-Her NIajcsty's
Mistake in Going 10 Paris-1hc Attempt 10
"BI0w Up'' the Gibraltar MaRaxne-(s ossip
In Madrid. nas.A UE
MADRID July !, 1870.
You will no doubt have heard already Of the SOL
emn abdication OF Isabella de Bourbon In favor of
her son Alphonse. This step, like the canddature
OF Montpcnsier has been taken too late. Montpen-
sier should have put up for the crown Immediately
after the battle OF Alcolea though he took active
part In 1t. Queen Isabella should have abdicated in
avor OF her son. San Sebastian, before retiring 10
France to lose the little authority and prestige that
she possessed. The Queen has abdcated In favor Of
ron but presume she feels that little good Is to
T.. &c OF it Her day of power is past and have
doubt she has often in her Punishment called to mind
Calderon's drama OF the "Cisma de Inglatterra,"
and repeated the touching lines
Appended flores, de mi,
Que aver maravia fGi,
hoy, sombra mia no soyi
Like Catharne OF Aragon, In the drama, no doubt
the deserted Queen has also called even the now
ers however short may be their duration, TO take
lesson from her and mark the change from yester-
day TO today. One day the sovereign power OF the
land; pampered and battered by her yassals, lecev
ing homage almost bordering on the idoatrous; the
day after Tying fugitive, hIssed hooted and exc
GRATED.
The Queens abdlcaton has been the subject Of very
little talk and less discussion nere the people appear
10 look upon 1t with the same quiet Indifference as
they did when the seiiitled Carlos VI abd,cated in
favor Of the present Don Carlos-calling him Carlos
VII.
TO BLOW UP GIBRALTAR. ' I.r
have received a letter from one of my Gibraltar
correspondents in which he gives particulars OF an
attempt to blow up the garrison of that city. 1t
appears that an elderly man, the party engaged to
fire the train, like OF the cOnspirators In the
famous British gunpowdcr plot, informed one or TWO
o, his mos Intimate friends OF the proposed plan
ne to keep out Of the way OF danger Those
had others whom they also warned and so
The secret leaked out and the plot discovered.
The news spread over the city like wdhre and the
greatest CONSERVATION prevailed. Many families
crossed the Spanish lines ana went TO CompamentO
and San Rogue, expecting every moment to hear an
explosion and see the place fall In runs.
The man that was 10 have fired the train was I'm.
medately put under arrest and all suspicious per-
Sons watched MilitarJ piquers doubled their forces
and thorough examination OF all the powder
magazines and powder chests was at once CON-
memced. Many had been tempered with, and cspe-
ciay large magazine on the New Mole Parade.
This is the principal magazine Of the garrison, and
on being carefully examined tubes were discovered
from the outside that, after passing through the
masonry, communicated with the powder. A large
quantity Of touchwood and finder was also found IN
side the building All the convict5 kept in their
establishment, with extra guards set over them.
During the night numerous military and police
patrols paraded the city.
The active measures and precautions adopted by
the government have tended considerably to tran
quilze the fearful anxiety naturally felt by the M
haDants. My correspondent tells me that all is
now quiet Various have been the speculatiOns OF
the ciiHens as TO the orig OF the conspiracy: some
have attributed it to the SpanlarJs others to the
Fenians ana not few to the convicts. The man
under arrest refuses to make any declaration, and
some persons have considered him as half crazy Be
this as II may 1t Is evident That lie has con(etlerates
in the garrison anu among the troops otherwise The
preparations III the magazine could not have been
siderable period in Gibraltar some years ago, can
inform you that the greatest vigilance is Kept
al the arms, powder chests on the batteries, ana
powder magazines. They are all examined daily.
Any one even approaching cannon to examine it is
at once ordered by the sentry to stand off, In fact If
the fortress were besieged more minute precautions
and greater care could not be taken. nave known
the magazine that was prepared for explosion to
contain upwards OF 100 tons OF gunpowder. II Is
from this magazine they supply Malta and the
British Mediterranean squadron
Some suspicion has been thrown on the Spaniards
no doubt on account OF their desire to get possession
OF what once belonged to them, and winch the
standing the fact that in the treaty OF Utrecht
tFebruary, l7l2) Carlos " OF Spain formally ceded
onged to it, to the crown c Of Great Britain There
fore whatever might he thought OF Admiral Sir
Teege se y s 10 Aug
government III l7l2. This suspicion attached to tbs
Spaniards may perhaps have been strengthened by
the fact that lately some correspondence has been
exchanged between the two governments respecting
the cessiOn or exchange OF Gibraltar which project
has been approved and Is supported by many pol-
Clans aud other men OF note In Great britain.
For various reasons consider such suspicious as
without any foundation. II peaceful negotiations
sur e tdpfS Tor the cession such open act Of
violence would at once put Stop to them. If coup
dc force were contemplated Spain would have found
pretcXt for sending large quantities or troops in
the neighborhOod so as to second the explosion and
ITS terrible consequences by prompt and vigorous
SpP Eis comparatively small. The c0nvicts have
s = Gsen much suspected and the usual gangs OF
prisoners that worked in dilerent parts OF the Rock
have been detained IN close confinement cannot
zee good reasons for suspecting the convicts:
for, IN The first place, they have neither the
preparations discovered, and, secondly, their
establishment is so close To the grand
powder magazine that in case OF Its being fred they
must nave all perised On the face of the partc,i-
lars received II would appear that II the plot had
not its origin IN the artillery corps, at least It has its
associates there, for defy powder chest, much
less u magazine TO be tampered With without their
help cOnnlvance OF consent. .n.
Whether they be Fenans or traitors sold to the
Spanards, or friends OF some Of the cOnvcts, time
only will show; but one thing Is certain ii the
powder magazines have been tempered with and
mined, so have the men OF the artillery corps. The
sacrifice of life and amount OF damage that would
have been caused by the explosion cannot be con-
ceved mach less written. The result would indeed
have been horrible page in The annals OF the
already bloody history OF Gibraltar. stronghold
that, from the earliest records, has ever been
object Of contest.