The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-16
HARTLEY'S GREAT NERVE.
An Historical Incident of the siege
of Gibraltar

FROM the London Chronicle.
The most memorable siege of Gibraltar,
indeed, one of the most memorable of all
sieges, was that which the fortress sus-
tanned from the combined sea forces of
France and Spain during the years 1779
TO 1888 The great attack on the place
was made on the 18th of September. 1852,
and all the resources of power and science
were exhausted by the assailants in the
fruitless attempt.
1t was on this day that an humble priv
ate performed an act which history has
handed down TO us. The business of the
siege progressed. The rock by the bat
teries sent forth its splinters to deal de-
struction around al every impact of the
spanish shot, but the return fire was of
| Inc most telling description and most
steadily kept up by the British
Sut removed from the smoke and din, in
the laboratory of the garrison, surrounded
by the chemistry of war, sat one man an
humble private. His il was, while his
comrades worked the guns in the suffocat-
ing easements of the covered batteries to
prepare the shells for the use of the NOR
tars. dangerous task-so dangerous in
Iact, that even the examination of the
deadly missiles is considered sufficiently
perllous on board ship TO warrant stage
oelng slung over the side to be occupied bv
only one or two men, the others being kent
at distance. But familiarity with naril
RODS men of their fear, and Hartley sat
ouslly making ready shell after she'll fin-
ing them with the explosive composition
ana atterward fitting in the fuses, driving
them home and ranging the prepared
shehs IN cases till they should be fetched
TO be sent in fiery arcs to deal death and
destruction among the enemy.
Inc laboratory was at that time full
OF explosive material, every grain Of
| which was of inestimable value 10 the
oeleaguered garrison; and IL had been ac-
cordingly placed in a position which rem
dered 1t impossible for the shot or shell
Oh the enemy to reach 1t. But now the
danger guarded against from without
threatened If possible more terribly from
Wlthan-threatened to destroy at one hlouy
the whole of the explosive compounds
stored for defense, and this at a time
parable.
Shell after shell had been filed. the grim
black spheres, as they lay ready. giving
but small signs of their deadly mower
the force that should rend them into in
Vulnerable shreds of cast-iron, each to
MAIN or slay.
suddenly while calmly proceeding with
his work, and driving a fuse into a fresh
loudly as 1t discharged its rain Of sparks
and burning rapidly away. There seem
| ed hardly time for thought, much less for
action, and the first feelings of Hartley
were those of blank dismay
He had seen the discharge and flight of
shells so often, that he knew he could
only reckon upon its burning for a few
seconds, and then would come a dire ex-
plosion that would act upon the part of
the fortress where he was like an earth
quake-the bursting of the shell being. as
1t were, but the flash In the pan that
would prelude the blowing up of the
laboratory. But with the calmness of the
man whose trade was one which brought
him daily face to face with death. Hart
ley seized the shell in both hands. hurried
out into the open air, and then with a
tremendous effort hurled the deadly globe
far into space, where a couple of seconds
after 1t harmlessly burst II was not I'M
I'll some time after that the performer Of
this daring act could thoroughly realize
the great danger that had threatened him
with destruction, and though the peril
was past, 1t was some time after and
then only with unstrung nerves, that he
returned to his perilous task.