f Gibraltar, anciently called Calpe, one
of the Pillars of Hercules, is on the southern coast of
Spain. Its name has been for centuries a synonyme of
strength. Near it in the eighth century landed Tarik, the
first Saracen invader of Spain. The Moors mainly held it
till 1462, when it was finally taken by the Spaniards.
Charles V fortified it; in 1704 it was captured by an
English and Dutch force under Sir George Rooke. The
Spaniards and French unsuccessfully besieged it in
1704-1705, and the Spaniards again in 1727.

No further attempt was made to capture this seemingly
impregnable fastness until the great siege here described by
Sayer, when once more the Spaniards and French combined
against it. England was now somewhat weakened by the war
with the American colonies and France. All Europe was
unfriendly to her, and Spain, as well as France, was
actively hostile. Gibraltar was closely invested in 1779,
and so remained for three years, when the final assault was
made. In 1782 Alvarez, the Spanish commander, was superseded
by the Duc de Crillon, who had just taken Minorca from the
British.

George Augustus Eliot, afterward Lord Heathfield, Baron of
Gibraltar, who made the memorable defence, was appointed
governor of Gibraltar in 1775. Lord Howe, who went to his
assistance, had conducted the English naval operations in
America. He returned to England in 1778, in 1782 was made a
viscount of Great Britain, and was sent to relieve
Gibraltar, where he arrived too late to assist against the
grand attack, but landed welcome troops and supplies.

Piqued at the successful defence which for three years had baffled every
effort, and burning with the desire to wipe out the stain on the
national honor, the Spaniards were urged on in this last struggle by all
the impulses of pride, ambition, and revenge. The slow and regular
operations of a siege having proved but labor lost against this
stubborn rock, rewards were offered to the most skilful engineers in
Europe for plans to subdue the fortress.

Stimulated by these liberal offers, a thousand schemes had reached
Madrid, some bold to extravagance, others too ludicrous to deserve
attention. Among them, however, was one, the invention of the Chevalier
d'Arcon, of such superior merit that it instantly arrested the attention
even of the King him