The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-10-31
ENcLAND'S FORTRESS STANDS
SENTINEL OF MEDITERRANEAN
Great Britain Gained Possession OF 1.-THE Lions Rock" Two
turtles Agoas Been Subjected to Fifteen Historical Seges
Now Brought Into Fresh Prominence.

Obliged to quit the field. After this
Spain did its best to fortify the rock.
indeed, 1t was so much strengthened
that the engineers of the seventeenth
century considered il impregnable
This belief, however, was rudely dis
PEELED in 1904.
1t was in 1894 that Gibraltar be-
came ours. 1t was then wrested from
, the Spaniagds by Admiral Rookie, who
had been sent into the Mediterranean
to assist Charles, duke of Austria, in
obtaining the Spanish throne. Anxi-
GUS TO identify himself with the &C.
QUESTION of a stronghold whose i'm
portance for England he at once re-
| cognized, Rookie gave orders that the
Imperial banner of Charles Ill. in
whose cause the capture had been eff.
fcctcd, should be hauled down and
the Royal Standard OF England hoist.
ed in its stead. The city was tacn
declared to belong to her most graci
GUS majesty, Queen Anna, and 1900
English seamen were landed to &C.
cupy the place. In the autumn of the
same year the rock was all but re-
taken, and carly the next year the
French and the Spaniards hesieged
it in force, but eventually retired al
ter losing nearly 10000 men from our
fire end by sickness. II was again
besieged in 1925, when the enemy
lost nearly 1900 men,
In 1879 Spain seeing England EN-.
barrassed with French and an
American war, seized the opportuni-
~ TO recapture the Pillar OF Hercules
which she had lost At that time
Gen, Elliot. was governor OF the rock
md had with him only 5.3S2 English
md Eiancverian troops to face the
33QSS French ana Spaniards, who
lad taken up position at the front
)f 81. Rogue. The governor, staunch
Did officer, at once made prepara-
ions for a stout resistance. Early in
July the Spanish blocEaded the port
yith squadron, and by November
provisions rose to famine prices.
5iscuit crumbs fetched Is per pound,
hutton IS Cd per pound. ducks FROM
ds to'.18s couple, ana goat
suinea. The governor, who seldom
asted anything but vegetables, pud.
ling and water, as an experiment of
What food would be required. lived
OF eight days on four ounces of rice
,er day. In the beginning Of 1850 the
;Grrisen begin TO be hard driven for
God. Many Of the poorer classes
low lived on thistles, dandelions and
lid locks. and the women and chill
rem suffered considerably. But at
40 end Of January relief came, Col
,odney, with a fleet of twenty-onc
all Of the line and large convoy OF
merchant vessels arrived, and not
My brought fresh supplies, but tool,
way the Golliers wives and chilli
,ren. AS the Spanish gunboats seem
d directed in their firing by the
ghts In the houses alcs> the sea
yall no lights were allowed after + |
l in any window looking toward tho !
ray. Again provisions ran short, and |
D November the common soldiers /
eceived only 81 pounds of bread a
week. 10 ounces CT salt beef and 2,s |
ounces Of rancid concealed oil. whice I
vas called butter. AT me same time !
he bombardment became heavy, and /
the 20th the town was SGT on fire
n -four places. On the 2lst the en-
my fired forty-two rounds in two |
iinutes, and the garrison flag had to
nailed to the stump of its shat
cred stan.
Tho enemys work getting nearer
D the rock. and their fire waxing |
FARMER and warmer. the governor.
hearing from the descrters that the
spanish had been lulle1 into security
" their superiority OF forces. re.
olved on a reaolutc night sor;ie. This
vas made on the night OF the 2Gth Of
November 1881 Tho enemy SUI
lrlsed. almost instantly abandoned
he works, which had cost them so
much expense and employed them so
many months. and these were dc
,troyed. The English lost four men
md twcnty-four wounded. They
spiked ten mortars and eighteen %
Founders. and took two Spanish Off
,ers and sixteen pirates prisoners.
it the end OF May. 1882. 5000 more
roops arrived I'm the Spanish lines.
md on the 18th of June more French
roops arrived. The Due de Crillol
low took the command, assisted by
J celebrated engineer. Enraged at
he garrison's guns setting a battery
N Ere. and afraid Of a renewal OF
critics, the duke opened the ball At
aybreak 179 pieces of ordnance yom-
ted FIRE al the north Of the rock. Al
he same time nine line-of-bst,le
hips got Under way from the Orange
;rove. and blazed az the sea-llne.
rhile fifteen guns and mortar boats
lso added 10 The annoyance. The
ext day the e-emy'g feet anchored
D the bay on The land ride io.a00
1en were thirHfing for Eneiirh blood.
fhiie 200 cannon scOwicd A. the
0ugh old rock On the 18th Of Sep
ember the batieIing ships took up