New-York tribune., 1882-12-31
GIBRALTAR.
A VISIT TO THE FAMOUS ROCK AND ITS
GOVERNOR.

|
eral miles, It presented through the dim lignt Of
carly morning the appearance of a mOnstrous mun
olith which has been compared to a gigantic gran
te 50 hinx W hose shoulders groins and Group would
lie toward Spain. with the long broad, loose
| flowing and unduating outlines like those OF q
lion asleep. and whose head. somewhat truncated
| is turned toward Africa, as If with u dreamy and
steadfast deep attention. AS sailed into the noble
| harbor among myriad of sca-golng craft and
came to anchor near the United States steamer Nlpsic
and the American yacht Daunless, the sun was just
rising above the waters of the blue Mediterranean.
| Before rose, to the height of about fourteen
hundred feet, the famous fortress, the Cape of the
anclents, which captured from tho Spaniards
one hundred and sixty-eight years ago, the very
| year that Marlborough the battle of Benhem.
| During the American Revolutionary Wal the Span
lards besieecd 1t for four years. but unsucces fully,
| and we're at length compelled to raise the siege.
| OF late years there has been some Idle talk of
restoring Gibraltar to Spain. and Mr. Bright de-
cared in Parliament that In his opinion it ought 1
he given back as it cost En- land more than mil
lion OF dollars annually in time of peace to maintain
the fortress exclusive of material tho total outlay
! having been upward of two bundled ard fifty mil
| lions upon its defences Burke held different
opinion of its Importance. and referred to it as n
post of power q pest of superiority of connection,
| our friends and dreadful to our enemies" Its in
| portance has increased as n coal depot since the
general use of steam. 1000 steamers having entered
! the harbor in 1851 and consumed or purchased
! 300 600 tons Of coal.
Gibraltar is constantly being strengthened, both
| by new work: and by improved guns in place OF
the old ones. 4 one hundred ton Armstrong breech-
loader was brought here from Woolwch two days
ago. and another is expected before the end of the
month. From five to siy thousand men con-
stantly stationed here At present the force
siss Of four regiments Of infantry and one Of artl
lery and as much vigilance Is DISPLAYED by the mil
! itary as if state OF existed with their easy
going neighbors Of spain. Betwoen the possessions
of the two countries is piece of GSt sandy soil.
about fifteen hundred yards in length and the
| in width. known az the "neutTal qround."
| either side Of which the English and Spanish scn
tries have been at their posts vi thn s2ht 0f each
| other ever since The year 170li
| Lord Napier Of Maglala the fftieth Governor OF
Gibraltar whu has heeu here for six years wilt in
| few weeks surrender the command to Sir John
| Adye, one of tho Egyptian heroes, who succeeds
| him on the 1st Of January. NAPIER who has been
| a most acceptable Governor, will the battle
| fields OF Egypt before returning to England TO be
retired with the rank of Field Marshal, having
served his country faithfully and most successfully
for more than half century He several years ago
passed his seventieth birthday. but is still a hale
and vigorous man. IA can testify after having mad
II three hours gallop with hlm the sands and
soil of Spain. At his residence this morning wit
messed most interesting scene. lie received a
party of the Indian native troops who their
return voyage after being in England as representa-
tives OF the Eastern regiments lately serving in
TQypt There were thirteen officers and twenty
| non-commIssione1 officers and men. As eacn one Of
the former was introduced he presented the hlt of
his sword after the Oriental custom. for his Excel
lencv the Governor TO touch who addressed to
each few ord, of welcome in their native tongue
receiving some with hearty shake of the
hand as he recognized old ac1uaintances and corn
radios in arms to tho great delight Of thoSo hnnored
bv snch recognition. This ceremony concluded. the
Governor and those invited to be present proceeded
TO the corridor, where the prIvates and n-cOm.
missIoncd officers were drawn up in liue. They
were fne-loOkng fellows. representing various
branches Of tho Indian army, and all hearing on
their breasts the medal for Egypt. with clasp. ro.
Gently received from the Queen. and most OF them
also other military decorations The Governor had
for each a tow kind words. ana at the conclusion
Of his inspection he addressed them all in Hindu
stapi with which language he is perfectly familiar
Among the deputatiOn were stalwart SikhS. Ben
pal lanccrs and infantry. and long-haired Beoo-
CHS who surpassed the others in pictuIesqu ness.
Before going on board Tie steamer again the VISIT.
ors were taken by members OF the Governors staff
and were shown the Notifications, and heavy guns
=, ere fired for their edIhcatiun.
The climatc of Gibraltar IL dciiciOus. This after
noon as write by an open wiU.Ow ! see gcraninms
and heliorope in tropical lGNnriance, and IN the
Governors garden orange ami lemon trees heavily
laden with fruit, the pepper tree full O pink cOored
clusters Of berries, the alocs with their
Crimson flowers. and the stately palms There s
also magnificent dragon tree, believed to be at
least one thousand years old, and beautiful
vine hearing an exquisite purple flower known rs
Ia it,l. 1,,xrt,.
vent and Grows 10 hcight f sixty feet. may
mention that the5e are lJ6 species of Towering |
plants aud ferns indigenous TO t'lbraltaI, and hiv-
line trees including fir known as the PrlmsapO,
Among the interesting sights OF Gibraltar are
the wild monkeys which frequently to he seen |
on the south side of the Rock. there are about
thirty-siX at present, and they are of pro-
teced by law. although somewhat troublesome
creatures frequently CARRYING away from the case
mates and chambers anything portable that NAV be
left lying about. Such at least the statement
made to me this morning by an old sergeant, VINO |
in conGuctng us through the galleries hewm ont of
the solid limestone rock. said " If we don't tie
things, those ID monkeys carry them Oft" A |
French writer whose book have been glancing
through, states that Spaniard with whom ho traS
eed from Seville TO Madrid asserted that " the
monkeys occurIed the Rock entirely, and were so
numerous that no ships could dare approach land
without tbe risk Of being sunk - These trat set
tiers Of Gibraltar have been ways respected alike
by MoOrs. Spaniarls and English ard appear to he
tolerated in a good uaturcd way 10y the inhabitants
notwithstanding their occasional inruads in search
Of fruit and stray chickens The more cautious
and prudent among them keep TO the pamitoS and
prlcky prar which thcv carry of 10 their caves
on the upper rocks inaccessible tOanYthne hut
goats of which there are many hundreds. Tho
fortress BOAST Of only four cows consequently
the GOO inhabitants and thB 1000 soldiers sta
toned lere have no other mix than what is FUR
nished by those useful and ruCk-climbng creatures
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HOU G1RFIELDS HONE LOCKS NOU.
From, The Cincinnati Go-eHe
II was bluytcrV daV lion vorr esDoudcnt |