The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-31
GIBRALTAR No. 2.
Cueta, Spain's Most strongly Defend
ed Post.


ed Post.
Gibraltar Letter in Philadelphia Times.
When Commodore Watson's fleet of
American warships arrives here to bonn
bard the coast of Spain, there is one forti-
fed post that it will be difficult TO take.
Its name is Ceuta, and it has been rightly
called Gibraltar No. p" Ceuta is a two
hours sail from the original Gibraltar.
over which the British flag flies. 1t Is
across the straits from the famous rock
fortress, and is used by the Spaniards as
prison colony.
IL resembles Gibraltar No l in many re-
spects and is not far behind it in formid-
ableness. A small peninsula runs out into
the sea, and this is the strongest fort of
the post 1t is so well adapted for a forti-
ication that it seems as though nature
must have designed it for this express
purpose. The rocky peninsula is a level,
low stretch nearly to the end, when it
rises abruptly, forming a round ridge of
rock about half as high as that of Gibral-
tar with sides that slope down in a man
ner that makes it just possible for a
storming party to climb, but which is
steep enough TO make the attempt one of
the most hazardous conceivable if the
fortress at the end of the peninsula is de-
Tended by men with modern magazine III
f1es.
The peninsula that connects this high
fort with the mainland is strongly fortified
the whole stretch fairly bristiing with guns
OF high caiiber, that poke their wicked
noses out of embrasures cut in the solid
rock and at distance presenting no mark
to hostile cannon, for there is little on the
face of the fortress TO betray the presence
of the batteries that abound there. The
peninsula is three miles in length and
about one mile in width. AT the end oppo-
site to the rocky fortress, whose guns
frown towards the Mediterranean, is an
other fortress built with its walls facing
the interior of Africa.
Nothing stronger can be ina gined than
this fortress with its narrow stretch of
rocky peninsula lined with powerful forti-
flcations and the high fort at the extreme
end as impregnable as modern methods Of
defense, added TO a natural formidable for
nation can make Ii. 1t may be asked here:
why cannot Commodore Watson take his
vessels close in shore and, making breach
in the string of fOrtficdtions defending the
strip, land stOrming parties and cut the two
ends of the peninsula from communication
with each other? Here again nature has
aided of the anchorage is such that war
ships cannot approach near enough to do
much damage TO the forufications To take
it by a fleet would surely necessitate the
stormng of the forttica tons by means OF
landing parties from small boats, an almost
impossible feat To attack the place from
the African end would be hardly less diff
ficult an undertaking than that of at
tempting to take it from the sea, for the
defenses facing towards the interior are as
strong as those at the other end of the
peninsula.
Ceuta swarms with soldiers. 1t as used
as a prison colony by the Spaniards, and
as the cOnvicts are treated in the infam-
Gus manner that is customary in Spanish
prisons, a revolt and massacre is always
ha
innate convicts arc overawed by a contin-
ual display OF overwhelming force. Few
escape and many die in the prisons of ecu
ia, so that any accurate inside infOrma
ton regarding the life in the fortified place
and the exact state of the garrison is hard
to obtain.
1t is easier to land at Ceuta than to get
away again. So jealousy does Spain guard
the secret of this, her strongest possession,
that directly stranger sets foot on the
peninsula he is followed by a solder espe-
cially detailed for that purpose.
Many tourists come to the place to ex-
p.ore the picturesque Moorish city that is
TO be found just outside the interior FORTH
cations of Ceuta, but TO get to this city it
as necessary to run the gauntlet of the SOL
diery on the peninsula. Few succeed IN
penetrating beyond the walls these days
Lucky the tourist whose appearance, being
too cleanly for that of a Spaniard, betrays
his English nationality if he gets away
from Ceuta without his life being in dan
ger He is almost sure to be arrested II
he looks about him with curiosity ne
walks down the peninsula on his way 70
the interior outlet.
If he puts on a bold front he may get
away from the commandant before whom
he wiz be taken with nothing worse to
look back upon than the indignity of ar
rest and the loss of his sightseeing. He
will be told to get out as quickly posi-
bic, and it viii be wisdom for him TO fol-
low instructions.
The dash and vigor of the American
fleets have made a tremendous impression
here, and il would surprise no one TO learn
thai Commodore Watson had made up his
mind to attack the strongest place Spain
has, out of sheer bravado, but those who
have had the opportunity of visiting Ceutar
among which number is your correspond
ent, are unanimously of the opinion that
the wider the berth that the fearless Amer-
lean jacl1ies give this rocky fortress OF
Spains the better.
There are plenty of vulnerable points
along the Spanish coast where the Amer1-
can guns can engage in target practice 10
their own advantage and the demoraliza-
ton of the Dons without wasting shells
tar No. 2. 1t will soon be SPANS one
possession outside of the home country
and she may as well be allowed 20 retain
tnis solitary foreign" colony. No one Is
likely 10 want to take il from her. Inc
convict element has given il too unsaVory
\ reputation for that,