The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-30

1OO-ton guns. One of these big guns is
mounted within speaking distance of the
house OF the MAJ general, 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 re-
Piled: 'Oh, we don't mind il. We take
down the mirrors, lay away theehina 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 defeuses.
There are batteries In the rear of the
town, as well as in front. These can be
hred over the tops of the houses. so that
If an enemy We're to effect a landing he
would have to fight his way at every step.
As you climb the rock it fairly bristles
with guns. You cannot turn to the right
or the left without seeing them they are
over your head and under you, and point
ing directly at you.
The most interesting feature of Gibral-
tar is the rock galleries. 1t is owing to
these that Gibraltar surpasses all other
fortresses of Europe. They were begun
more than 100 years ago, during the
great siege. Although the French and
Spanish had none of the improved artil-
lery OF modern times, they managed to
reach, with the smooth bore cannons and
mortars, every part of the rock, and even
the Rock gun, on the very pinnacle of
Gibraltar, was twice .dismounted. This
convinced the English that their only
shelter would be in the bowels of the
earth. and, therefore, work was begun to
blast out the long galleries. These are
all on the northern side of the rock. and
as this is the side that looks tow ard
Spain they are intended to repel any ad-
vance against the fortress from that quar-
ter.
In order to take this little jaunt through
the galleries, Emile walk only. it is
necessary to secure an order from the
military secretary. After presenting this
the ofticer in charge details gunner to
conduct you through the galleries, the
gate is then opened and You start in on
the lower level. This tier is perhaps a
mile long, from which you'mount to the
second, which rises above the other like
the upper deck of an enormous line of bat
tleship. The excavation is like that of a
railway tunnel, with the exception that
no arches are required, as it is hewn the
whole distance through the solid rock,
which is self-supporting.
THE GUNS ON THE QUEENS BIRTHDAY.
At every dozen yards there is large
portfolio, and at every hole heavy guns
are mounted on carriages, by which they
can be swung round to any quarter The
simultaneous discharge of these cannous
is terrific, as the conclusions against the
walls OF rock is much greater than if
they were fred in the open air. It is not
often that this noise is heard, however.
But there is one day in the year when the
British lion roars good and loud, and that
is the queens birthday.
The Rock gun from its exalted position
on the highest point on the rock, l,4O0
feet in the air, gives the signal, which is
Immediately caught up by the galleries
below, one after another. The batteries
along the sea answer to those from the
mountain side, and the mighty reverbera-
tons sweep around the bay, across the
Mediterranean. and far along the African
shores. The noise is iudescribabl II is
bad enough when the artillerymen begin
their practice in the spring. The guns in
the galleries are then not used, but all
the batteries along the sea and at differ
ent points on the side of the rock are let
loose upon the town. But as disagreed BILE
as this Is, it is nothing in comparison
with the clamor on the queens birthday
Is Gibraltar really impreenable9 is a
question that has often been asked and
one that has evoked differences of opinion
from those capable of Judging. English
men, who are most familiar with its de-
lenses. say yes, and maintain with char
acteristic stubbornness that Gibraltar
could not be taken by all the powers of
Europe combined. On the other hand,
the French and German engineers claim
that there is no fortress which cannot be
battered down. The new inventions of
war and the tremendous force which the
use of dynamite and nitro-glycerine give
to these new projectiles make everything
possible.
The object of the fortress of Gibraltar
is to command the passage of the Medit-
terranean. The arms of Gibraltar are
castle and key, to signify that it holds
the key of the straits, and that no ship
flying any other flag than that of England
can enter or depart except by her per-
mission.
But that power is already gone. The
100-ton gun Of Gibraltar, even if aimed
directly seward, could not destroy or
stop passing feet. In Africa, opposite
Gibraltar, it is fourteen miles, distance
that no ordnance in existence can possibly
reach. A feet of ironclads, hpgging the
African coast, would be safe from English
fire lift were strong enough TO encounter
the English feet 1t is her feet in which
England places the utmost reliance, not
on the fortress, for the fortress alone
could not bar the passage into. the Med
iterranean. 1t would be a refuge in case
of disaster where the English ships could
find protection under the guns of the fort
Therefore England has dispatched sew
eral of her ironclads to Gibraltar to be
ready in case of an emergency. If an OPP
portunity should present itself for Eng
land to step in and help herself to a small
slice of Morocco territory she will be
found ready and waiting to avail herself
of the chance.