Keystone View Company, P. The Rock of Gibraltar, an important strong-hold of the British Empire. Gibraltar, None. [Between 1860 and 1910] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2020680548/.
The 100 Ton Gun (also known as the Armstrong 100 ton gun). Two guns were installed in the British Overseas Territory of Gibralter, one at Victoria Battery and one at Napier of Magdala Battery in Rosia Bay. The guns arrived in 1882 and 1883, and the first firings took place in 1884. This is one of the four guns produced by William Armstrong's manufacturing company for Gibralter and the island of Malta; only two are left. You can view them today on Gibralter and at Fort Rinella on Malta. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100-ton_gun
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"...We were now privileged to steame (sic) up the straites (sic) with land clearly visible on either side until the Rock itself is sighted, here we naturally expected to be greeted with some friendly faces from this immense fortified Rock. The first familiar face that was distinguished on the Rock itself was that of Armstrongs 100 ton guns just looking at us with his mouth wide open & with such a solemn gaze as though saying I would like to but I dare not. I am told that this gun if fixed in such a position to command the whole of the straites (sic) both from the Mediteranean (sic) entrance and the Atlantic approach, & that it is quite an easy task for it to throw a projectile across to Africa, a distance of 10 miles. (according to the website Welcome to Gibralter gibralter.com it was said that the gun's range was 8 miles but conservative estimates put it at around 5 miles). We did not put in at Gibralter so were disappointed in meeting some of our old friends who we knew on the rock...but still in passing we had a fairly good view although to get a good view of the rock...
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...it is necessary to enter the Harbour. It was after passing Gibralter & getting well out into the Mediteranean (sic) that we felt the roughest weather & for a couple of days our ship tossed about just enough to make a seafaring life uncomfortable & I was now blessed with my first dose of sea-sickness. Before leaving England I was careful to buy a fairly good supply of Lamplough's Pyretic Saline for use on the voyage together with a couple of bottles of Doctor Collis Browne's chroladine (sp. chlorodyne) for use in case of dysentery or other disorders consequent upon the change of climate, & here I found it necessary to open my Lamplough's and take which I did regularly for a few days & used it occasionally after as I required it. It was not however an unpleasant run up the Mediteranian (sic) although for several days we had no land on either hand save a solitary island which I was told was inhabited by French prisoners. After leaving Gibralter about 6 days on the early dawn of the 11th morning from England the welcome sight of the Island of Malta broke upon the gaze of the...Page 19
...watchers although the general company was not astir by this time but as soon as the word was passed down the gangway the whole were soon on deck watching with all eagerness to scan to the utmost the coastline of Malta & about 1 hour after she hove in sight, (between 5 and 6 o'clock in the morning) we entered Valetta (sp. Valletta) harbour & were at once greeted by the hurrahs & shouts of many hundreds of troops & residents who had watched our approach. This was truly a delightful, a beautiful morning & a lovely sun rising over a delightful island...is a sight not always witnessed, even by those who are accustomed to travelling by land & sea." Page 19 will continue in the next post....
From The Railway Review issue no. 26 1881. Pyretic Saline was an effervescent mix of citric acid with potassium and sodium bicarbonates that was marketed world wide as a remedy in case of cholera, small pox, tropical fevers, sea sickness and headaches. It was one of the 'cure-all' patent medicines of the day, especially for travelers.
Chlorodyne was one of the best known patent medicines sold in the British Isles. It was invented in the 19th century by Dr. John Collis Browne, a doctor in the British Indian Army. Its principal ingredients were a combination of laudanum (an alcoholic solution of opium), cannabis and chloroform...just the ticket for relieving pain or as a sedative anywhere in the Victorian Empire! Wikipedia: Chlorodyne
The route taken from Gibralter to the Island of Malta by the Rewa. It was about 6 days of sailing. You can see the boot of Italy and the island of Sicily in the top right corner. Google Maps.
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