The New York herald., 1879-02-08
GENERAL GRANT AND LORD NAPIER
How Moor, Spaniard and Englishman
Have Struggled for the Rock.
A REVIEW AND SHAM BATTLE.
The American Generals Opinion
Of the British Soldiers.

and genial consul. was with US. The run from Glib
raar carries past of the famous cities Of the
world 1t is the thin line that divides two continents
the barrier which civilizations have dashed and
fallen. So much Of the romance of European travel
is embraced in these historic memories that you find
yourself. in the presence of Nature in her most
gracious and resplendent moods. diverted from the
contemplation Of her beauty into revery upon for
gotten ages and the great men who lived then This
city we are leaving, for instance. whose towers
glowing in the morning sun, founded by Her
cules. The city we left tho other day, Lisbon.
founded by Ulysses. The city to which we are steer
ing the Cape of the classic age. These rocks
over which the sunny are breaking in smooth,
idle fashion. and along which grimy peas
ants cropping for oysters and weeds.
the Ultima Thule Of the ancient days.
Beyond was the dark unknown. This strait the
gate of the Mediterranean. and we feel as we are
steaming toward it, sec the enclosing hills that
almost to touch and to mark for the two
tinents. we feel that leave behind the modern
and come into the ancient world. It was through
this strait that Columbus sailed when he discovered
America. Can you fancy what he felt he pushed
into the sea and left behind him his gentle Mediter
ranean? And as il Providence, in the marking out
of the GLOBE had determined the battle fields of the
giants you reminded that in all the struggles for
the mastery Of empires this strait has borne
her part Cadz vanishes away. 1t is q long time be-
fore we lose sight Of her. for long time she
mains glowing on the horizon like radiant gem in
azure setting. We pass jetting promontory and
enter bay. and know that here giants have con-
tended. for in this bay fought the bat
tie Of Trafalgar seventysix years ago. and
the might Of England permitted to grapple with
the might of France suppose event. for
turies at least decisive of the fate Of the
European world than the battle which took place in
these smooth waters which our small bark
merriiy courses. and which we party of idle gos-
slipping tourists. studying. not without impa-
tieAt feeling toward the spanish cooks who be-
hind with breakfast There ia scarcely breeze to
disturb its fair surface. rent and torn ON that
fateful day. II Nelson had been defeated here sup
pose England would have been invaded by Napoleon
and. when what great armies been able to
do with the most civilized of NATIONS, is there any
limit to what might have been done to England by
the army which conquered at Austerlitz? But 1t
not to be. The fates had decreed that here this
hshing ground. the ambition Of Napoleon should b
stayed and England saved.
THE ENTRANCE 10 GIBRALTAR
II is not long journey from Cadiz to Gibraltar,
and after passing Trafalgar all eyes look for the
ing rock which England holds guard over the high
way to India. Gibraltar is in q line of posts
which English policy is compelled to retain for the
defence of her empire. Oddly enough. the impartial
observer cannot help noting that this England the
most inofensve of nations always craving peace,
wishing to molest no one. always selects for these
posts position OF menace to other Powers. From
Alden she menaces Egypt, Hong Kong is guard upon
China: from Heligoland she observes Germany;
Malta is the outpost of Italy and France and Austria
and to draw nearer to Russia she took Cyprus
Rather than surrender Malta she went TO war with
Napoleon On coasts the Bahamas are
mated by those who can form a good opinion that
the possession of the Bahama Islands by the English
during with the South entailed upon the
North an expense of millions that otherwise would
have been saved. This neutral outpost Of the British
Empire really became port of supply for the South
ern Confederacy. and compelled to submit to
il or incur fearful trial This is of the aspects of
the imperial policy of England which makes il thorn
in the side of other nations know how Americans
felt about II long since, and an. therefore, pre-
pared sympathizc with the emotions Of the Span
tards who think of Gibraltar in Spanish hands
without deep emotion.
ANCIENT MEMORIES GmRALIAB.
The history of Gibraltar is a romance II was the
Mons Calpe Of tho anccnts. of the pillars Of Her
cules that you find stamped on modern heraldry
The Roman writers tell Of it's wonderful caves and
cliffs. 1t Ptolemy's column of the inner sea-
when Islam swept over the Mediterranean in that
marvellous invasion which was to give it empire in
Spain. which was to threaten Christian supremacy in
Europe aud change the march of civilization, il was
At Gibraltar that Islam lis flag first unfrled For
eight centuries il a Moorish fortress and even
now the first object you note you come in from
the is the Moorish tower. whose gray walls
looked down upon Columbus when with his frail
pinnaces he passed through this strait into the
Atlantic The poets say it because Roderic the
Gothic king carried away the daughter OF a Spanish
nobleman who governed Ceuta that this noblcman
in revenge planned the invasion Of Gothic Spain But
the poets from Homer's time find woman's beauty at
the bottom of all achievements and history gives
graver reasons. The time was ripe for the fertile
host OF Islam TO invade Spain. and IL came. II
vsnquisbed the Goth. even the Roman had van
quishcd the Carthagenian, to be driven by the
Christian. II is believed that the Moslems were
tempted to come because Andalus, as Andalusian
Spain then called. was a winning land with
springs gardens and rivers giving fruits and plants
and with men and women who would make hand
some slaves But they came, more than eleven hun.
dred years ago. within the century succeeding the
Hegira Tarik, Persian. the commander of the
expedition. and the point at which he landed was
called Gebai-Tarik, which means Tarik s mountain.
in his honor--s name which soon came TO be known
in our modern way Of handling names. Gibraltar.
THE SPANISH POSSESSION.
So long as the Mosiems remained In Spain-moro
than seven centures-they held Gibraltar One Of
the Spanish Kings captured IT, q Seville Archbishop
leading the columns of attack. but II was rctakcn.
Here the Moslems made their first landing here was
their point OF departure. The bishops were famous
fighters in those days. Gibraltar seemed to be the
rock in the whirlpool of med@val wars, around which
the currents contendng armies were ever seethne
II here that the great Aifonso died. his army men
sced by the plague which swept over Europe. His
body rests In qusnt old Cordovs. II is pleasant to