St. Landry democrat., 1890-03-01
xnerican Evolution Squadron.
> TO GIBRALTAR - COURTESY OF
BRITISH OFFICERS.

a E&K. ~ GlBhALIAh - SDUn1Eo1 VI
8E BRITISH OFFICERS.
GIBRALTAR BAY, Jan. 10 The utmost
cour(Wy has been extended the officers of
the fgherican evolution squadron during
the P8st week, and they will leave Gibral-
tar with pleasant recollections of the mu-
nifcence of it's residents and of British
naval officers.
The two British admirals and the COM
mauders of the British men of-wsr IN port
have visited every vessel of the squadron,
and have expressed themselves in the
highest terms of the vessels effective de-
signs and ornaments.
Tonight Admiral Walker will give
dinner ON board the Chicago.
Although it is probable that visits to the
galleries of the famous Rock have been
written up time and again, it may not be
out of place. in connection with our visit,
to say something concerning them. Per-
mission is usually obtained at the aoJu.
tant generals Office. but call on MIR. Paul
Munro Ferguson, of Mark Twain celebrity,
rendered this unnecessary. A not unpleas-
ant uphill journey of three quarters OF an
hour found it beside the portals of an old
Moorish castle, said to have been erected
by the veteran Taric Ell Taerto, A. D. I'll
After this we passed through massive
gateway, dismounted and found ourselves
in a roomy tunnel with port holes for the
admittance of daylight and projection of
guns, every fifteen yards or so. Muzzle-
| LOADING. rifles of six and eight inches cali
bre are mounted on wooden carriages, but
| have not much scope for elevation or de-
| preston; indeed, some can only be fred
point blank, so little space is there in the
port holes. Artificial lights are not re-
auired in the galleries except at night.
| There is always cool breeze blowing
through the galleries. We walked along
| for perhaps mile enveloped in the solid
rock, and then emerged into large open
space where the galleries meet. This is
| called the hall of S.. George, and here
Nelson, the victorious, was feted by the
officers of the garrison after the battle OF
the Nile and not a great while before the
fatal day of Trafalgar. The walk through
the galleries, which are one above the
other like the fighting decks of an Ole
| line OF. battle ship, is two miles; but we
did not 20 through the upper galleries
permission for which was not obtainable
nor were we permitted to see the powder
magazines This seemed to US perfectly
absurd, as did also the prohibition of pho
tographing any interesting parts OF the rocf
or ships-of- war. These galleries did no
exist at the time of the famous siege
they were commenced only when it be
came absolutely necessary for the garrison
to protect itself by excavation from thu
murderous fire which was being poured
in its midst; then gangs of convicts wer'
set at work and blasting operations com
menced and boring pushed vigorousl.
until the present roomy and spacious gal
leries were completed. During the sieg
the rock was defended against fifty of tn
most formidable battle-ships of that pc
Rod and an army of $4,000 men, by 9
pieces of artillery and garrison of 200
men. At the present day over 70O gun
are mounted, and it could hold its owl
against the combined fleets of the world
vet the Spaniards still claim Gibraltar q
theirs, recognizing, however, that 1t
temporarily" in the possession of tn
English.
4 walk through the Alameda garden
and around point Europa by the formids
BILE water batteries is delightful on fin
day. Standing on the extremity of South
ern Europe, with the distant pillar G
Hercules Centa in full view, one cannc
fail to be struck with the grandeur of th
scene. Rising high above us on the high
est pinnacle of the mighty rock is Ohara
Tower, and as we pass further toward til
eastward and take our stand upon c httl
, beach with the waters of the Mediterranea
tapping our feet, we feel astonished I
the intrepidity of the 500 heroes WI
boldly scaled the almost perpendieuls
cliff only to be hurled furiously into tn
sea- This was when the Spaniards, lie
by a mountain shepherd, attempted
|. take the rock from the rear.