A FRENCH SCHEME FOR SEIZING GIBRALTAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 519, 16 September 1902, Page 4

A FRENCH SCHEME FOR SEIZING GIBRALTAR.

“At the bottom of the heart of every Frenchman,” says Henri de Noussanne, in the Daily Mail, "there is undoubtedly 6 lurking feeling that it is a pity that England should possess the key of the’Mediterranean ; it seems to us that it would be more in its place wore it in our own pocket.” This is the text of an article on “ How to Seize Gibraltar," and, pushing his arguments in favor of such a proj-ct, M. de Noussrnne goes on to say that the opinion of the military is that Gibraltar might be taken—and they have attentively studied the question. “It may not be without interest,” continues tiie writer, “to relate what is the hypothesis of the attack and capture of Gibraltar most in favor in the French Army, but before speaking about this I wanted, first of all, to discover what was the precise opinion of the Headquarters Staff on the point. “ dome time ago I wrote to several of the most important of our generals and admirals, among others to Generals Lewal and Philibert, and Admirals Brown de Colstoun, Barrera, and Dupont. “ Their opinion is unanimous : Gibraltar is no longer impregnable! “ Here is what Admiral Dupont, an officer whose scientific knowledge is beyond cavil, says: — 1 Thu town and port of Gibraltar (including botli the military and commercial ports) occupy the centre of a vast circle of Spanish positions at distances varying from about live to seven miles. If these positions were furnished with suitable artillery the town and ports of Gibraltar would bo absolutely untenable, and there would be no alterant ve but evacuation. The batteries of the place could only reply to the convergent and efficacious lire of the enemy by a divergent and therefore inefficacious lire.’

“ ■ There is no such a thing,' says General Philibert, a French writer on military matters in the very first rank, ' there is no sucli a thing as an impregnable position. Every position, no matter how strong it may be, must succumb to a siege, if the assailant only possesses sufficient means at his disposal, and conducts the operations with energy.’ ‘ What is necessary to tako Gibraltar,” says Admiral Barrera, ‘is the simultaneous operation of forces both on land and sea ; the assailing force must be the mistress of the sea.’ ” Whilst not for a moment contending that France would urge Spain to draw the sword and take Gibraltar, he looks merely on that country as an ally to one which could command the sea between certain points and blockade Gibraltar. Ho pictures 200 guns simultaneously throwing projectiles into the town, the port, and the batteries of Gibraltar, about which he says nothing is relatively easier, and concludes: — "It is accepted as an axiom that 10,000 shot from modern cannon are sufficient to throw into ruins a fortress of the strength and dimensions of Gibraltar. Suppose that the assailants fire 20,000 at the rate of two every hour from each gun, the siege will be settled within a couple of days. Everything in the town will be destroyed ; the depots of coal on fire, the vessels in port either sunk where they lie, or blown up by torpedoes should they attempt to escape from the fire of the batteries of Algeciras and Green Island. “ The inhabitants of Gibraltar, in the meantime, have taken refuge in the subterj ranean chambers in company with the garrison —in all more than 25,000 persons of both sexes in a state of terror. With the blockade comes famine, typhus—all the horrors of war. Whither flee? Even at Sandy Bay the Bhells from the batteries on Green Island, passing high over the signal crosses, are thickly falling. “ Gibraltar can now but capitulate."

That, at least he says, is the opinion current in France to-day regarding the eventual capture of this British stronghold, and they have already calculated that to achieve their object would cost only a little over £1,000,000 sterling. He adds significantly:— “ As the stochs of provisions, the docks, the port, the coal, and the works of every description represent at the very lowest estimation £40,000,000, it is clear we should not be making a bad bargain.”