The Sun. — 1844-08-20 (London, England)

TANGIERS.  The following particulars relative to Tangiers will be read with interest at the present moment : " The city of Tangiers is very strong by its position and the number of its batteries, which are well armed. Its old walls crenellated, and flanked with round and square towers, are perhaps capable of a greater resistance than their appearance indicates. Several bastioned towers have been repaired, and put into a state of defence within the last few years. The city itself is of little importance; it is poor, and has little trade. Tangiers has no interest but from its being the residence of the European Consuls, for its population only amounts to from 8,000 to 9,000, and its commerce is inferior to that of some other ports, notwithstanding its proximity to the European coast. The houses- of the Consuls form the only ornament of the town. It is situate on the declivity of a calcareous mountain, part of which is not built upon, and presents a naked and unpleasant coup Wail. The town, like all other places in Morocco, is surrounded by a wall flanked by round and square towers ; this wall is enclosed by a ditch, 2,200 metres in extent, but which has no counterscarp. It is protected by a Moorish kasbah (fortress) of imposing appearance, and by a fort of Portuguese construction, bastioned in the modern style, but half in ruins. The kasbah is mounted by twelve pieces of cannon, which command the straits of Gibraltar. The ditches round the city are filled with trees, and cultivated as kitchen gardens, the letting of which belongs to the Governor, and who would take good care not to sacrifice the revenue he enjoys from them by putting the ditch in a proper state of defence. The rampart opposite the sea is remarkable for having two tiers of embankments with embrasures, mounted by guns. On the north side the city is defended by steep rocks, which prevent the approach of a besieging force. The principal defences have been raised in front of the landing-place near the marine gate. They consist of two batteries, mounting sixty pieces of heavy calibre, and eight mortars, all bearing on the port. The platforms of the batteries are very narrow, the parapets are of masonry, but only three feet in thickness, and the embrasures are not far enough apart, which tends to diminish the strength of the battery. The landing place is flanked on either side by two batteries. Besides these defences of the port, the bay of Tangiers is defended by six batteries in masonry, one built on Cape Malabata, and the other on the ruins of Old Tangiers (the Tingis of the Romans). They mount together forty guns. The two batteries which flank the roadstead at its two extremities are raised on small hills about 150 feet above the level of the sea; the others are at the water's edge. To attack the place by sea, it would be necessary first to destroy those batteries, as well as those in front of the port, but in order to get into the town three inclosures must be forced, each having a very strong gate lined with iron. To do this cannon must be landed, or else a mine or the petard be had recourse to, but during this operation the assailants would be exposed to a murderous fire from the garrison, if the inhabitants should be resolved to defend their city. By land the point of attack would be on the sands, and the low hills to the south, between the Fez road and the sea, after effecting a landing on the beach of Old Tangiers, out of reach of the sea batteries. Once established on these points, the plateau on which the market is situated would be gained. On this plateau there is space enough to form an entrenched camp, to serve as a point d'appui for the troops acting against the town. The western rampart being only of earth, might readily be demolished. The last attack against Tangiers was in 1790, when it was bombarded by the Spaniards. The inhabitants abandoned the place with all their effects, and peace was soon after concluded. The English draw their supply of beef, mutton, fruits, and vegetables from Tangiers and Tetifan. Tangiers is distant seventy leagues from Fez and Mequinez, and one hundred and fifty from Morocco, these being the three Imperial cities at which the Sultan alternately resides. From eighteen t ) twenty days is required to send a dispatch, and get an answer, from Tangiers to Fez, and from Morocco requires from forty-five to fifty days."