LIFTING THE FACE OF GIBRALTAR

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 36, 11 August 1934, Page 25

LIFTING THE FACE OF GIBRALTAR

The- famous "itoek of Gibraltar," Britain's chief naval station on tho route to India and tho East, has come into tho news onco more. Tho great fort, which is looked upon as impregnable, is not impervious to tho attacks of timo. Tho highest point of tho Bock is threatening to fall, and strong chains have had to be fixed to the. Bock face to prevent huge pieces of it from crash' ing down below, says tho '' Calcutta Statesman."

For countless thousands of years this massive rock has stood guarding the entrance to tho Mediterranean. To the peoples of tho ancient world it was looked upon as a legendary thing, and was often spoken of as tho Western Gate of the World. The Rock and the Cape on the opposito African shore were known as tho "Pillars of Hercules." It takes its name from the Mohammedan chief who twelve hundred years ago led his troops across the Strait and captured it, building a fortress there. It was named Jebel-el-Tarik, or the Hill of Tarik, and from this tho name Gibraltar has evolved.

The Eock did not come into the hands of Britain until two- and a quarter centuries ago, and it has been turned into one of tho outstanding fortifications in existence. There aro said to bo sufficient munitions, clothing, and food to last tho garrison seven yoars if the neod arose. The tremendous strength of the site was evidenced towards the end of tho 18th contry, when Gibraltar withstood one of tho most historic sieges in tho history of vrarfaro, General Elliott successfully defending it for three years and seven months against tho combined forces of Franco and Spain. Tho climax of tho siogo occurred in September, 1782, when a fleet specially equipped with massive wooden armour assaulted , the Rock. But tho attacking ships were blown up or burnt to the wator's edgo by cannonballs heated red hot and fired from the British battories. . '

The presont crumbling of tho summit of tho Rock, which towers to 1396 ft at its highest point, is undoubtedly duo to

exposure to the forces of! wind and vaiii. Tho most astonishing feature of the place is its complete isolation, for its only connection with tho mainland, of Spain is a low sandy plain that does not .averngo moro than 10ft above tho sen level. Soino parts of tho face of tho Rock arc extremely precipitous. Towards tho East the cliffs drop sheer for 300 or 400 feet; even at their lowest points as they approach tho sea. Towards the north tho drop exceeds 1000 'feet.

One of tho remarkable works undertaken on the Rock during the British occupation has been completed in recent years. This has involved the construction of groat waterworks which can storo millions of gallons of watsr as safeguards against drought. or siego. Occasions had been known when Gibraltar was compelled to obtain water from Spain. But today if tho Eock had to undergo a period of sis rainless months sufficient water would be available to supply the town's people with all that was required, while if rationed it would last twice as long. This has been brought about by the' fixing up of catchments consisting of over a score of aroas of corrugated iron sheets, which catch tho water that formerly flowed from tho slopes into tho sea. Insido tho Rock itself huge caverns 120 ft long and 20ft deep have boon cxeavatod, and tho rainwater is directed into these through a canal and pipes. . ; Some critics maintain that Gibraltar under modern conditions of warfare is not worth keeping, and that. in these days of aviation it is a mere whito elephant. Those in ehargo of the defences aro not of this opinion, for tho armaments from time to time are completely overhauled and modernised. In addition, tho completion of the new. dockyard works has made Gibraltar of great 'importance as a naval base, for they aro capable of undertaking the repairs lof a whole fleet. During recent years, too, Gibraltar has experienced a growing shipping trado, for the largeßt ships afloat can anchor in tho bay. •