Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12
ROCK OF GIBRALTAR
Practically a Defenseless For
LITIGATION.
MONEY SPENT IN VAIN
MORE THAN 500, 900, 900 ExPEND-
ED BY ENGLAND.
Great Improvements Now in Progress
Eighty Miles Of Tunnel
Cut Out.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star anC
Chicag., Record Herald
GIBRALTAR, December 2, 1908.
What is commonly called the Island OF
Gibraltar is not an island at all, but a
peninsula connected with the mainland of
Spain by a fat, sandy isthmus. 1t is solid
rock of limestone, stretching north and
south, three miles long, three-fourths of a
mile wide at its widest part, and the high
est point is 1896 feet above the sea. The
lookout and signal station are 1926 feet
above the water.
The north and east side Of the rock are
almost vertical, the walls standing perpen-
-dicular for at least 500, and in some places
800 feet. On the south and west sides are a
series of terraces. sloping downward. the
upper ones being covered with cactus, a
thick growth OF underbrush and a few trees
where soil has lodged but 20 per cent of the
surface Is bare rock. Among the under
brush rabbits abound in large numbers and
are kept from overrunning the island by the
soldiers, who are allowed to shoot as many
as they like. There are also forty Barbary
apes at large. having been released and al
lowed to look after themselves several years
ago. They are seldom seen by people, how
ever, and are very shy They do not come
near the settlements.
The Rock of Gibraltar has been compared
to many things according to the 1magtna-
ton of the comparer. Thackeray said: 1t
is the very image of an enormous Lion,
crouched between the Atlantic and the Med
iterranean, and set there to guard the pas
sage for it's British mistress" But to me it
looks more like rocky mountain rising out
of the water than anything else have ever
seen.
Eighty Miles of Tunnels.
This great rock is literally burrowed with
tunnels, there being eighty miles of them
altogether at different attitudes and in diff
ferent directions, connecting the fortifica-
lions with each other, and with the bar
racks and the supply stations for food and
ammunition. Shafts have been driven down
in several places to the sea level and severai
reservoirs have been chiseled in the living
rock for the storage of water. Whatever
human genius can do in the way Of defen-
sve and offensive preparations has been
done, and hundreds OF millions of dollars
have been and are being spent to make IL
stronger still, because fortresses like BON
nets go out of fashion and have to be kept
up to date if they are to be made useful
The eighty miles of galleries" as they
call them, with which the rock is money
combed are said to have been suggested by
one Sergeant Ince of the Royal Engineers
during the siege by the French and Spanish
in 1879, and the larger part of them were
completed by the soldiers before 1888, When
the siege was raised. Since then they nave
been much enlarged. improved and extend
ed, fitted up with electric lights. telephones,
hosting apparatus miniature tramWays ana
other facilities for communicating between
the different Notifications and transferring
supplies and ammunition rapidly and safely.
The public Is allowed to visit portion or
the old galleries, which are practically obso-
lete but those which would be most inter-
esting cannot be entered by outslders-mot
even with pass from the governor. The
utmost precautions are taken to prevent the
public from knowing any more than IS
necessary about the condition OF aralrs pc
hind the guns. An American. If he should
bring a letter of introduction from his con-
sui may perhaps be allowed to examine
some of the new rifle cannon, the long
rangers that are supposed to be able TO
shoot twelve and thirteen miles, but no
subject of a European power would be al
lowed to enter under any circumstances.
improvements in Progress.
Enormous improvements are now being
made Dry docks, warehouses. machine
shops, barracks. Notifications, arsenals and
other establishments are being erected not
only for the use of the army, but to protect
a naval station which is expected to be the
greatest In the world. There is to be new
harbor created by erecting breakwater
70. 500 feet long on the eastern side of the
neninsula affording accommodation Tor
twenty-four battle ships, twelve cruisers
and twenty gunboats and destroyers. with
the proper complement OF dry DOCKS. ma
chine shops, gun factories, repair shops. ar
senals, supply warehouses ana other Access
sories
The plan of the British government now
being carried out contemplates the expendi-
ture of 500. 500. 600 during the next few years.
This was recommended by commission APP
pointed by parliament and was made neces-
sary by the Improvement In long-range
guns.
The Spaniards on the mainland have the
- ,fpty.
foothills within six miles range of the
British Notifications, and batteries could be
placed so as to rake the entire harbor upon
the west side of the island regardless OF
the strength of the British guns or the gar
rison above. There has been no other
anchorage for vessels at Gibraltar; in the
present harbor the British feet has found
an asylum for $50 years. and was consid-
cred entirely safe from danger. The town
is on that side of the rock; the ferry boats
land there and the ocean steamers which
pass back and forth daily stop there to dis
charge and receive passengers and cargo.
Practically Defenseless.
Upon that side of the rock more than
s1OO 600 600 has been expended by the Brit
ish government for military purposes. but
to the amazement of all mankind who read
such things the parliamentary commission
(which was one of the results of the dis
asters in South Africa) reported that Glib
raltar was practically defenseless as a
naval base, and that the money expended
upon guns and Notifications and barracks
upon the west side of the island facing the
Spanish town OF Algeciras was practically
wasted
England has had two purposes in MAIN
tanning this great citadel: one Is to COM
mand the entrance to the Mediterranean
which is very important, owing to her in
terests in Egypt and the east. The straits
are twelve miles wide and the guns on Glib
raltar are SO placed that they can sweep
the water clear IL an enemy of England at
tempted to send a feet either way, in or
out of the Mediterranean. And the rock
has been considered equally important as
a naval base, as supply and repair sta
ton for the fleets Of his British majesty
| Thousands of tons Of coal are kept there In
| storage continually; there are shops capable
of producing and repairing any article that
| is needed In war: breakwater has been
extended from time to time. until 1t. now
| incloses sufficient water to float feet oil
/ thirty or forty cruisers and battle ships