The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-05-26
4 MIGHTY FORTRESS,
The Famous Rock of Gibraltar
and Its Armament.
a GUN IN EVERY cREWcE.
Tie Piece Stored wah Food s.d Mo-
pitions Of War .s Stand Siege Of
Seven Yssrs-An English View q the
Cannon Studded Stronghold.

SNS" ~ S"Stu 6HSaoh WV " wv
Cannon Studded Stronghold.
IAN enemy's neet could BE- sent TO
the bottom in ten minutes before get
ting within i've miles Of Gibraltar.
Not even torpedo boat could succeed
in entering the bay upobserved on the
blacklist night" That sans up the
opinions OF the most emiSept naval
experts on to the impresna6illty of the
worlds greatest fortress.
But disappointment awaits the sight
seeing visitor. The rock. though bar
rcn. Is covered with luxurlant veseta.
t!on-not y fort prominent. not n GIN
10 be seen even with the most pow.
erfuI SJaSsea. DO djscerDibIe nmmrDI.
ton magazines. 10 strongholds. Only =
peaceful. prosperous harbor and y
sleepy. struggling town.
1t IS night, and the maneuvers arO
on. Swift playing Scarchiishts trans
form the bay Into sheet OF simmer.
Ing silver upon which are seen ma
jestic British warshIps and elongated
flying shadows, the torpedocs. Guns
answer guns out OF every conceivable
crevice aud corner. blending In one
deafenIns uproar. while scores OF shells
piow the water for miles around.
Sen;rics are everywhere: Infantry
parties crouch In the shadows: hun
Grcds OF SrnncrS stand ready behind
I hundreds o. guns In these mysterious
la5yrInthS hewn out Of the solid rock
''tEe SaI:erics." The vicious barking
Of Maxim guns gives contrast to the
deep toned bayln: Of these mG'nmoth
pieces 81 ordnance. the mere report Of
which cracks stone roofs aud bursts
doors and whole windows. Could any
Feet live through the murdcrouS hail
OF gigantic shells?
Gibraltar never sleeps. BY day and
night two perfectly equipped signal
stations. proudly Haunting BritaIn's
dag OF ownership. increasingly sweep
the seas around to distance OF df-
teen niles on clear day. Instantly
reporting the coming and going o:
each vessel. ScntrIes guard Ill the
prominent forts. magazines and gate.
ways: =unnerS sleep beside their guns:
engineers are ever ready beside the
powerful scsrchliGhsS.
Modern needle" guns. the finest in
Europe. are Installed on all the most
prominent points. They are unreacha-
able from the sea. even as they arr
undIscernIble. owing to the skill with
which they are painted and draped I"
match the surrounding vegetation.
while huge screens drop automatic
ally before them as each she'll Is fred.
They have n range Of fifteen miles
and could drop shells on Ccuta. In AZ.
RIGA. opposite. quite comfortably. One
sun weighs 10 tons and il capable OF
throwing a she'll weighing three-quar.
tiers Of ton. IN that marvel Of engi-
neerlnS under great difficulties. the
galleries. are concealed guns for every
day IN the year.
These galleries are divided into three
sections. entry to which Is guarded.
while one Is closed even to high on
GERS. containing preserved stores. nu.
nitions Of war. rainwater for GIbral.
tar has no springs and a complete
condensIng plant-all calculated to out.
last 4 siege OF seven years.
The firing Is the most mathematical;
Iy perfect imaginable. The surround.
ing waters are mapped ont into
squares. upon which certain guns are
kept ready trained. so that # IS almost
impossible to miss. During practice
targets are towed across the bay,s the
object being to hit the water a fey
yards In advance OF them. u
Although the sentrIes have now been
reduced. few Jears ago is Terc
needed daily. tie most important point
being tho north front. where ErgIIsil
sentr1es face Spanish Sentries. But
the mere pressure Of an electric put.
ton hy the officer Of ~ guard wAuh
cause miniature earthquake on the
neutral ground. : Casselrs Saturday
Journal.
haeeis AZ the Scotch Make II.