Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 1898. Gibraltar.

Manawatu Herald, 3 November 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 1898. Gibraltar.

The name of Gibraltar stirs the blood of Englishmen, as it has beeD the scene of many a hard fought battle, but in all attempts England has remained victorious. It was in the year 1704 when the British I under Sir George Rooke, and the Dutch commanded by the prince of Hesse-Darmstadt stormed the penin sula and took it. It is hardly neces sary to state that Gibraltar is a rocky promontory three miles in length and three-quarters of a mile wide at the southern extremity of Spain. At the seaward side the ground rises to an altitude of 1489 feet. The eastern side is so pre cipitous a 9 to be altogether secure from assault, while towards the north and north west, the defences are aided by a serie3 of fortified galleries two or three miles in length. At the northern base of the rock is the open space called the north front, and between this and the Spanish territory is a neutral strip of ground uninhabited. In the year 1718 by the treaty of Utrecht the territory was ceded to England, and has yet to be taken from her. Many attempts have been nndo as in 1720 the Spaniards made a bold attempt to land and again in 1727. I*; was however in the year 1779 that the most determined fight was raged, when the Spaniards and the French attacked with what is said to have been the largest force brought against any fortress. This attack was re* pulsed and the place was beseiged for three years and seven months, with at intervals, attacks. In No vetnber, 1781, the fortress destroyed the beseigers floating batteries, with red hot balls, and their whole line of works were annihilated by a sortie, and the enemy's loes was estimated to amount to two million pounds. Then in September, 1872, the enemy made another attack but were de feated, and the final one prior to the blockade being raised, appears to have been most determined. The Duke of Crillon commanded 12,000 of the best troops of France, and 1000 pieces of artillery. These were brought to bear against the fortress, while 47 three-deckers, 10 great ! floating batteries, carrying 212 guns, besides innumerabls frigates, bombketches, cutters, and gun and mortar boats all fired away from the sea. For weeks together 6000 shells were , daily thrown into the town.

In 1868 a discussion was raised respecting the exchange of Gibraltar for Centa, but the public would not consent to this memorial of our success at sea to be bartered away evon for a superior site. What had been sained and retained after so much fighting was still to belong to England. Owing to the improvement of modern artillery the importance of the post is diminished to what it was, but yet it appears to be of value as tho English government has completed arrangements for the construction of docks there at a oost of three million pounds. The Bay of Gibraltar which washes the western side of the rock is a stretch of water eight miles by five miles in which there is good anchorage, and it is on this side that the town stands with the naval victualling-yard and naval dock yard. There is an enclosed harbour with three graving docks now being built, whioh when finished will be oapable of accommodating

he largest battleships, and there will be also a coaling mole. Thip stamps the fact that England does not think of giving up this commanding position in the Mediter-

ranean.

It is understood that the AngloGerman mining syndicate will withdraw from its nining investments in this colony at the end of the year, and its staff of local officers will be dispensed with.

The British Government has completed arrangements for the construction of docks at Gibraltar at a cost of £3,000,000.

The "Mail" hears that Mr Peter Bartholomew, the well-know sawmiller of Levin, has purchased the white pine mill at Manakau.

A remarkable eel has been discovered in the Fiji Islands. It has a peculiar formation in its throat, which causes it to whistle when in an excited state. The eel is 15 feet long, and several inches in girth.

Lord Salisbury, replying to a deputation from the Conservation union sympathised deeply with the protest against ritualism. He considered that anyone not prepared to abide by the prayer-book ought not to hold office in the Church.

A fine story is told in the United Service Magazine of the exploit of an American officer named Gillis, who, perceiving a half-expended Spanish torpedo making for his ship, jumped overboad, swam to the torpedo, screwed up the firing pin, and, treading water, saluted his superior officer with the remark, "Sir, I have to report I have captured a torpedo."

During the voyage of the barque Duchess Annie from Hongkong to San Francisco, the captain and a sailor died of the plague. There are also two other cases on board.

There are at least 300 persons in various parts of London earning a living as " pavements artists."

In all our wars we have won the splendid average of 82 per cent, of the battles. This is the world's record.

At the London Brewers' Exhibition samples of Christchurch ale were exhibited.

Vacher, the French murderer, who was arrested at Lyons last year, when he confessed that he had killed eight women under circumstances similar to those employed by the famous "Jack the Ripper" in London, has been sentenced to death at Bourgenbresse, in the department of Am, for murdering peasants. Vacher shammed madness, and alleged that his blood was vitiated by a hydrophobia nostrum invented by his parents.

In Japan njany of the coins are of iron, and in Siam they are chiefly of porcelain.

We have to thank Mr T. A. Coghlan the government statisticean ot New South Wales for the Statistics of the seven colonies of Australasia from 1 86 1 to 1897. It is a very valuable work of reference.

We had the pleasure of seeing some very fine specimens of the single red poppy grown by Mrs England, the flowers measuring over seven inches in diameter.

The exigencies of Party has overruled the feelings of Mr Roderick McKenzie and he has the motion of suspension rescinded and again sits in the House as a representative of the electors of his district. Of course all this has been done by the Premier from fear that the seat would be won by an Oppositionist, thus we get an illustration of the system under which we are at present governed. The actions of a member count as naught if he only votes straight.

The next English and European mail, via San Francisco, will close at the local office on Wednesday, the 23rd day of November, at 3 p.m.

The s.s. Waverley which left this morning took a cargo of stock for Greymouth consisting of 349 sheep, 16 head of cattle and a lot of poultry. The stock was consigned to Sprott and Co of Hokitika.

Miss Sicely has received the appointment to the new school near her home and will take charge of it after Xmas. The local school will suffer the loss of an excellent teacher.

It is stated that another butcher is about to start in town.

Mr Stansell has now got a capital water supply for his flaxmill at Waikanae by bringing the water from that river to the mill in a fluming forty-two chains in length.

At a meeting of the Racing Club last night a reply was received from the Railway Department acceding to the request for a gate for the course on the railway line, only to be used pn race days.

An ejectment has not been witnessed in Foxton for a very long time, but one took place this morning. A week or two ago the agent for the owner obtained an order from the Stipendiary Magistrate for the possession of the tenement occupied by William Knapp. For some reason best known to himself Knapp did not see fit to obey the order of the Court,J|so this morning the Bailiff with an assistant visited the house and put all the belongings on the outside of it, and then locked up the house and handed the key to the agent, the erstwhile tenant looking very much astonished.