Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-08-17
THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR.
FEATURES OF ENGLAND's GREAT
SEA-BOUND-F FORTRESS.
How It's Natural Strength Has Been
Increased by Artificial Means
Two Big Guns-Rock Galleries.

Increased by Artificial Means
Two Big Guns-Rock Galleries.
~ F all the modern fortresses in
the world there is scarcely
Y one SO interesting as that of
Gibraltar, which at this mo-
ment happens to be of peculiar inter
est on account of it's important role in
the event of war involving Morocco.
The military element dominates the
whole life of the place. With 5000 or
5000 troops--for Gibraltar is never
without that number-the streets are
alive with redcoats and bluecoats, the
latter being the uniform of the artil-
lery.
Everything goes by military rule.
The hours of the day are announced
by gunfre. The morning gun gives
the exact minute at which the soldiers
are to turn out of their beds, and the
last evening gun the minute at which
they are to turn in. 1t is necessary
for the outsider to regard these sig
nails, as the gates of the place are
opened and shut at the firing of the
guns.
If Gibraltar were merely rock in
the ocean it's solitary grandeur would
induce many sight-seer to inspect
lis rugged sides. But as it is at the
same time the strongest fortress in the
world the interest of the greater num-
Der of visitors is to see its defenses.
The natural strength of its position
has been multiplied by all the re-
sources of modern warfare, in the ad-
miration of which one is led for mo-
ment to forget the "greatness thrust
upon it by nature" but only for mo-
ment. Standing on the top of the
rock, which is 400 feet high, and
looking down the cliff where the waves
are dashing at its feet, fills a person
with an awe that is indescribable, and
one is loath to resume his tour of in
spection.
The rock is nearly three miles long
and from one-half to three-quarters of
mile broad. On the eastern side the
cliff is so tremendous that there is no
possibility of scaling it, therefore the
only approach must be by land from
the north, or from the sea on the west
ern side AS the latter lies along the
bay and is at the lowest level, it is
the most exposed to attack. The town
lies here and could easily be ap-
preached by an enemy if it were not
for its artificial defenses. These con-
sist mainly of what is called the Line
Wall, tremendous mass of masonry,
two miles long, relieved here and
there by projecting bastions, with
guns turned right and left, 80 as to
sweep the face of the wall. The line
defended is more than two miles long.
Within the Line Wall, Immediately
fronting the bay, are the casemates
and barracks for the artillery that are
to serve the guns. The classmates
are designed to be absolutely bomb
proof. The walls are so thick as tore
sist the impact of shot weighing hun
dreds of pounds. The enormous arches
overhead are made to withstand the
weight and explosion of the heaviest
shells. This Line Wall is armed with
guns of the largest caliber. Some are
mounted on the parapet above, but
the greater part are i'll the casemates
below, so as to be near the level of
the sea, and thus strike ships in the
most vital part.
OF course every one is anxious to
see the two big guns, each of which
weighs 100 tons. But they are
guarded with great care from the too
close inspection of strangers. They
are SO enormous that it is impossible
to describe them SO as to convey an
idea of their immense proportions,
| The shot has to be lifted to the mouth
of these guns by machinery, and a
man could easily crawl into the bore
| 1t was feared that the explosion would
do something terrible, but the sound
was nothing in proportion to the
size. Everyone was surprised and
many disappointed. Some ofthe sixty
! eight Founders are as earsplitting rs
the 100-ton guns One of these big
/ guns is mounted within speaking dis
tance of the house of the Major-Gen-
eral, which stands on the Line Wall.
In answer to an inquiry as to what
| they did at the time of firing one of
the ladies laughingly replied: ooh,
we don't mind it. We take down the
mirrors, lay away the china and glass
throw open the windows and let the
explosion come" This gun throws a
ball weighing 1000 pounds over eight
| miles.
But these are not all the defenses
/ There are batteries in the rear of the
town, as we'll as in front. These can
be fired over the tops of the houses,
SO that if any enemy were to effect a
1 landing he would have to fight his way
at every step. As you climb the rock
it fairly bristles with guns. You can
not turn to the right or to the left
without seeing them; they are over
your head and under you, and point
ing directly Mt you.
The most interesting feature of Glib
raltar is the rock galleries. 1t is
owing to these that Gibraltar surpasseg
all other fortresses of Europe. They
/ were begun more than u hundred years
ago, during the great siege. Although
the French and Spanish had none OF
the improved artillery of modern
1 times, they managed TO reach, with
I the smooth bore cannon and mortars,
/ every part of the rock aud even the
Rock gun, on the very pinnaele of