The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-26
By George clarette in the Paris Figaro

By George C1arette in the Paris Figaro. N LGEcIRAsl I little fancied when V long ago visited that tiny Spanish city that it would ever become historic And the shaven innkeep- CTS saw solemnly puffing their papelitos on their doorsteps as little imagined that all Europe would one day come hither to debate the charms of their chambers and the merits of their table d'hote. The year just past was a veritable year of glories for the Spanish innkeepers. Those of Bur- gos had the eclipse and the convention of astronomers. They filtered Europe with their illustrated prospectuses representing the historic monuments of the Burgos- the tomb of the Cid, the cathedral and the monastery of Charlottesville the posada men boasted of the delightful drives and excursions that might make up for disappointing eclipse If the sun was too covered with clouds to permit of astronomic observations.
 And now 1t has come the turn of the Algeciras innkeepers. to put forth their own prospectuses. Though they haven't any eclipse to offer, they can nevertheless invite all Europe to come to them. For this time Europe has no intention of peep ing through the telescope, but plans in stead to discuss the little white patch that can be seen on clear days from the head of the Bay of Algeciras, and to talk of the minute corner of Africa which has long made tremendous noise in the world and bears the name of Tangier. "Tanger- danger I called 1t a few months ago; the other Tanger' the Kaiser called 1t only yesterday.
 Burgos had it's savants, but for while 1t seemed that Algeclras was to miss getting It's diplomats Accordingly the inn keepers got together and held congress of their own. They protested loud and long. People were afraid of their hotels, but they insisted that their delightful inns were quite worthy of sheltering the great ones of Europe. Surely, if Europe dread cd those fondas, Europe was hard to please. :
 For this is in truth a most entrancing nook in Spain, this little Andalusian city. It is no longer European village; 1t has already become quite characteristicaliy African. Blstered by the sunshine. it has scarcely a glimpse of the sea as it looks out from the inner recesses of its bay. A huge rock hangs over 1t and almost hides it--the Rock of Gibraltar. which thrusts outs it's promontory into the blue Medi- terranean.
 Gibraltar lives in my memory like dream. I arrived by sea and at night in front of that huge granite block. All at once the ship stopped A fantastic illuminatio arose against the black. It seemed to me that countless lights were twinkling upon the steps of an immense ladder that stretched up toward heaven. Cheers rang out from the deck of bat tleship; they were the cheers of English sailors saluting their city-the citadel city-Gfbraltar.
 It is hollow, this Rock of Gibraltar IL is like an immense wine cellar, where the bottles are projectiles. Everywhere long galleries bristle with cannon, the cannon which Spain calls ''The Old lady's Teeth" Gibraltar also resembles a vast ant hill. whose ants are soldiers. And these interminable galleries are filled with aunpowder and coal. At the foot Of the