LIFTING FACE

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1934, Page 8

LIFTING FACE

THREATENED FALL OF ROCK.

‘ CHAINS FIXED TO THE CLIFF. The famous “Rock of Gibraltar,' Britain's chief naval station on the route to India and the East, has come into the news once more. The great fort, which is looked upon as impregnable, is not impervious to the attacks of time. The highest point of the Rock is threatening to fall, and strong chains have had to be - fixed to the Rock face to prevent huge pieces of it from crashing down below, says the Calcutta Statesman.

For countless thousands of years this massive rock has stood guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean. To the peoples of the ancient world it was looked upon as a legendary thing, and was often spoken of as the Western Gate of the World. The Rock and the Cape on the opposite African shore were known as the “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 or Tarik, and from this the name Gibraltar has evolved. The Rock did not come into the hands of Britain until two and a-quarter centuries ago, and it has been turned into one of tlie outstanding fortifications in existence. There are said to be sufficient munitions, clothing and food to last the garrison seven years if the need arose. The tremendous strength of the site was evidenced towards the end of the 18th. century, when Gibraltar withstood one of the most historic sieges in the history

of warfare. General Elliott successfully defending it for three years and seven months against the combined forces of France and Spain. The climax of the siege occurred in September, 1782, when a fleet specially equipped with massive wooden armour assaulted the Rock. But the attacking ships were blown up or burnt to the water’s edge by cannonballs heated red hot and fired from the British batteries. CRUMBLING OF THE SUMMIT. The present crumbling of the summit of the Rock, which towers to 1396 ft. at its highest point, is undoubtedly due to exposure to the forces of wind and rain. The most astonishing feature of the place is its complete isolation, for its only connection with the m a htiand of Spain is a low sandy plain that does not average 10ft. above the sea level. Some parts of the face of the Rock are extremely precipitous. Towards the East the cliffs drop sheer for 300 or 400 feet; even at their lowest points as they approach the sea. Towanjs the north the drop exceeds 1000 feet One of the remarkable works undertaken on the Rock during the British occupation has been completed in re-

cent years. This has involved the construction of great waterworks which can store millions of gallons of water as safeguards against drought or siege. Occasions had been known when Gibraltar was compelled to obtain water from Spain. But to-day if the Rock had to undergo a period of six rainless months sufficient water would be available to supply the town’s 20,000 people with all that was required, while if rationed it would last twice as long. This has been brought abo.ut. by the fixing , up of catchments consisting of over a score of areas of corrugated iron sheets, which catch the water that formerly flowed from the slopes into the sea. Inside the Rock itself huge caverns, 120 feet long and 20ft deep have been excavated, and the 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 white elephant Those in charge of the defences are not of this opinion, for the armaments from time to time are completely overhauled and modernised. In addition, the completion of the new dockyard work has made Gibraltar of great importance as a naval base, for they are

capable of undertaking the repairs of a whole fleet. During recent years, too, Gibraltar has experienced a growing shipping trade, for the largest ships afloat can anchor in the bay.