The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-29
GIBRALTAR.
BY HENRY DAY, ESQ.

y
Englishman who sails into the harbor of
Gibraltar, and from the deck of his ship
looks up the sloping sides of this Rock,
three miles long, feels and knows that it
is worth more than any whole kingdom on
the Continent. He sees, at glance, that
the power which holds this, holds the Med
iterranean. He sees how impregnable it
is, and that all the navies of the world
could not take it. He sees the line of
granite wall, stretching along the water
from the perpendicular eastern face all
around the western side and to the north
ern face, surmounted by eighty-ton guns,
pointing in every direction. All along up
the slope of the Rock, wherever battery
can be placed, there he sees these black,
one-eyed monsters looking down upon him.
From the deck of the ship, in the Bay, is
the best place to get good view of this
fortress. The town consists of two parts,
both situate on the western side, near the
water. The residence for civilians and
for business is on the northerly end of the
western side. Then comes the parade
ground; then beautiful park, called the
Alameda, with walks, miniature lakes,
bridges, rustic seats, and trees and flowers
of all kinds; and then on the southwesterly
side are situated the houses of the officers
and garrisons for the soldiers.
The town of Gibraltar-that is, the
civilians quarters-is built on the slope
which rises quite suddenly from the west
ern side of the Rock. Street rises above
street for hundreds of feet, and in the
evening, when the houses are lighted, it
has much the appearance of the old town
of Edinburgh viewed from the lower town.
It has population of about eighteen thou
sand, composed of all races under the sun
and clothed in every garb known to man
kind. The largest portion of the people
are Roman Catholics. Then the Jews
come next in numbers; they have four syn
agogues. The Protestants are next in num-
ber, and then Mohammedans. The in
habitants are traders, and smuggling seems
to be a chief part of their business. Eighty
thousand pounds of tobacco, besides i'm
mense quantities of other goods, are SNUG
gled into Spain from Gibraltar annually,
and when it is remembered that one of the
chief sources of revenue to Spain is tobae-
co, it may be seen what thorn in the side
of Spain is this English fortress. These
goods are carried off from Gibraltar in
small boats, at night, to the coast of Spain,
where the contra bandista are ready to re-
ceive them and carry them into the noun
tains, and thence to all parts of the king
dom.
The climate here, except from July to
October, is salubrious and tempered by tie
sea breezes, but during the summer months,
when the Levanter prevails, it is unheal-
thy; wounds will not heal then, and dis
eases prevail among children. The sum-
mer resort from Gibraltar is to Africa,
along the shores of the Atlantic, west of
the Straits, where they get the Atlantic
breezes and the climate is salubrious even
in summer. There are no springs on the
Rock. There are immense reservoirs,
built on different parts of the Rock above
the town, for storing the water which falls
in rain. Their capacity is about twelve
thousand tons. There are good hotels
here, kept by Englishmen, and everything
is done and served in the English style.
Every one you meet at the hotels is Eng
lish, while in the streets there is strange
mixture of all nationalities. But every
thing you see and hear shows you the
military character and government of the
place.
When you land outside of the walls you
cannot pass the gates without permit
from government officer, which is per.
mission for you to remain in the town for
FIVE days, when it is supposed you will OBJ
tain renewal of the permit. The gates
are closed at sunset and opened at sunrise,
by the booming of the Rock gun on the
northern point. IF you are without the
walls after sunset, you must stay out all
night. Ifyou are out Of your house after
midnight, you are arrested.
You enter the town through the i'm
mense gates of forti6cation guarded by
soldiers Barracks, men in uniform or
marching in ranks, are seen on every hand.
The fife, drum and bugle are heard at all
hours. There are eight thousand soldiers
stationed here. They are under constant
drill, and grand parade of Englaud's
finest troops may be seen on the parade
ground twice week, at ten o'clock in the
morning. 1t is fine sight to stand, a
little before this hour, on the parade ground,
and to see the different companies, clad in
their various uniforms, winding down the
various paths towards the parade, their
FURNISHED arms glistening in the sun as
they march to the music Of the bugle and
the drum. On the parade ground we saw
a company of Moors from Morocco, dressed
in the Arab style. By the permission of
the English government they are here
trained by British tacticians and then sent
to Morocco to become officers. They
were, physically, the fnest-looking COM
pany on the parade.
Gibraltar is used by England as half
way station to India, and particularly as
place for acclimating her troops for that
warm climate. Soldiers, by remaining
here two or three years, are prepared for
the more cnervating influences of tropi-
cal country. Formerly, all forti6cations