St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-12

is usually an officer of the scientific
corps, the royal artillery, or the royal
engineers, and this is as it should be.
The number of garrison guards is so
great that the two field officers are oc-
cupied most of the day and night In
visiting and inspecting them. Military
precision in reports of any unusual oc-
currence is also insisted upon. A few
years ago luckless tourist, late one
evening, tumbled over the cliff, and
fell over 900 feet on the rocks below,
and was killed. The officer in charge
of the guard close by, however, made
no mention of the fact in his guard re-
port next morning, but inserted in il
the usual statement that nothing ex-
traordinary had occurred. The fort
major, however, required an eXplana-
ton, and sent for the officer; but he
was a shrewd Scotchman, and replied
that he was of the opinion that there
was nothing extraordinary in the fact
that if a gentleman tumbled over 500
feet he would be killed, but If, on the
other hand, he had escaped scot free
the incident would have been worthy
of special paragraph in the guard re.
port. II
During the reign of that popular gov
ernor, Gen. Sir Fenwick Williams, OF
Kars, two officers of the garrison We're
captured by Spanish briSan1s, and as
they appeared to be in danger Of being
deprived of their noses and II few of
their fingers, unless a ransom was paid,
the gallant old warrior promptly Or
dered the box Wherein tho treasure Ia 4.
otherwise the commiSsariat chest, to
be opened, and caused the necessary
payment to be made He gently pressed
on the Spanish government the neces-
sity of repayment and there was no
difficulty in the matter. CentraliZa-
ton, however, vas the order Of the
day, and some civilian In the war Office
contrived to get wigging sent TO the
gallant general for not having in the
first instance consulted that august
department, If my memory serves me
correctly, the governor took no notice
Of it. realizing the fact that it took
him much less time to read than the
composition took the war office civilian
official He mentioned TO the writer
the remarkable fact that before he en-
tered the Royal artillery he was eight
years and a half g. cadet, namely, six
years at the royal military academy
and two and q half years at home with
his friends on half a crown a day, the
fact to the notice of gentlemen who
now receive their commissions as cap
tains in about twelve years. and spend
about two years at the military col
leges, and do much growing at the
slowness of promotion.
The facility for obtaining, and the ex-
IRENE cheapness Of wine, heavily ham
dicaps the military authorities as re-
CARDS Thomas Atkins. He is not ac-
customed to the wheat other stations
he gets beer or porter-and finding it
cheap, he often drinks too much, and
in consequence he makes acquaintance
with a place facetiously known as The
Houze that Jack Built" THE Dark
Cells" etc.
The far-famed gardens of the Alamo
da are a fair substitute for the English
country walks and London parks,
wherein our gallant defenders fire.
quently disport themselves in attend
ance OH MGriel Jane or Ethel Anne
and the "pram" children. 1t is, per-
haps, beside the question that the chill
dren frequently experience the doubtful
benefit of Kingsley's northeastern,
which carries in it's train coughs, colds
etc, but at Gibraltar the south wind is
more frequent. Driving through the
town up to the signal station affords
series of enchanting views, interspersed
with old Moorish remains. There are
many gems of landscape, but Alpine
grandeur and prairie continuity arc abb
sent. The wind, usually laden with
salt spray, blows upon you even near"
the signal station, but when once you
have arrived there you find most in
teresting and enchanting scenery. The
climate is somewhat enervating, but de-
licious beyond description is the per-
fu1ne emitted from the blossom of the1
fruit-bearing tree, especially on a calm,
evening after some rainfall. Then the
sun shines out in subdued brightness
and splendor, gliding the rock and its,
numerous batteries and guns with it's
fading beams. Sometimes the perfume
Is so powerful that one is almost
tempted to fancy the realization of
those fairy lands of ancient fable
where gorgeous palaces, inhabited by
rich and happy princes, were famed
each livelong day by balmy- breezes
heavily laden with odorous incense.
It Is a comfort to know that if even
Spain, Russia and France were COM
bfned against it, and even if the enemy
should successfully lombard certain
portions of the rock and the town
(Which doubtless the inhabitants would
not like, his powers of complete de-
struction would be curtailed by the
red-lipped cannon, especially by those
mounted in the natural caves.
A large floating dock in Gibraltar like
the self-paying one at Bermuda would
be a great acquisition to the naval
establishment, which is at present
somewhat inadequate, and finds diff
Guilty in keeping pace with modern re-
quirements. 1t would seem a remnant
of barbarism if Gibraltar were left in
any degree less than impregnable, and
we feel sure that whatever may be
necessary in consequence of his royal
highness report will be Forthcoming.
1t is well-known that the house of COM
mons is never stingy except when it
job. Ill-natured people, how
ever, say that the war office is usually
stingy except when it creates one. AS,
however, Lord Randolph Churchill, in
a speech delivered at Wolverhampton,
is reported to have told his constituents
that the clerks at tenpence an hour do
all the real work at the war office,''
the public ought to make great allow
ances for any shortcomings on the part
The Spanish lotteries sadly foster the
spirit of gambling among the officers
and soldiers. The tickets are largely
sold in the garrison, but the lotteries
are genuine, and if you draw a prize
yon are absolutely certain of receiving
it's full value. Communication with
England is now so frequent that the
officers messes get their newspapers
almost daily, though of course, four or
five days after date. No doubt in the
event of war, floating batteries and
torpedoes would play an important part
in the defense, as would the chain
boomS.
The rock fever is unpleasant and
weakening, and an attack of it usually
necessitates some sick leave, as COM
plete change Of air is generally con-
sidered absolutely necessary.
Gibraltar has been the theater of
many sieges. The first appears to have
taken place in 1909, when Alonzo Perez
de Guzman took possession of it for
Ferdinand ". of Spain. The real value
of the Rock was evidently discovered
and appreciated by the Moors in the
eighth century, when they erected a
fortress upon it. In 1915 there was a