LESSON 1 The great siege of gibraltar(1779-1782)
第一课 直布罗陀包围战 (1779-1782)
Gibraltar fell into the hands of the English in 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession —the war in which Marlborough gained so much glory for the English arms. Admiral Sir George Rooke had been sent to the Mediterranean, to watch the French and Spanish fleets. For a long time he was unable to accomplish anything of importance; but, learning that Gibraltar was very poorly garrisoned, he suddenly attacked and captured it, and hoisted the English flag on its Signal Station.
直布罗陀于1704年落入英国人之手，当时正值西班牙王位继承战争——马尔伯勒在这场战争中为英国军队赢得了很大荣誉。海军上将乔治·鲁克爵士被派往地中海，监视法国和西班牙的舰队。在很长一段时间里，他无法取得任何功绩；但是，当他得知直布罗陀的驻军很差时，他突然袭击并占领了直布罗陀，并在直布罗陀的信号站升起了英国国旗。
That flag is the only one that has ever floated there since the 23rd of July 1704. Time after time have the Spaniards tried to recover this "key of the Mediterranean;" but every effort has been repulsed most gallantly, and often with tremendous loss to the enemy.
这面旗是自1704年7月23日以来唯一飘扬在那里的旗帜。西班牙人一次又一次地试图夺回这把“地中海的钥匙”; 但是，每一次的努力都被最勇敢地击退了，往往给敌人带来巨大的损失。

The last attempt they made was the most gigantic and determined of all; and its successful resistance by the English garrison forms one of the most heroic incidents in the annals of modern warfare. It occurred during the struggle which severed from England her North American colonies. France recognized the United States as an independent power in 1778, and a war with England was the consequence. In the following year Spain joined France, and Gibraltar was immediately blockaded.
西班牙最后一次尝试是所有尝试中规模最大、决心最大的一次。英国驻军的成功抵抗是现代战争史上最英勇的事件之一。它发生在英国与北美殖民地分离的斗争中。1778年，法国承认美国为一个独立的国家，并因此与英国开战。第二年，西班牙加入法国，直布罗陀立即被封锁。