The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-05-30
ALEXANDRIA.

- l@ i1tSH 9i.t-
ALEXANDRIA. .
The history of the ancient city Of
Alexandria is very remarkable. It
was built by order of Alexander tho
conqucrcr, about three hundred and.
thirty years before Christ. That ccle.
brated man, when he conquered coun-
try, sought to improve it. When he
had made himself master of Egypt, he
ordered this city to be built on the
shores of the Mediterranean, not far
from the mouths of the great river Nile.
His object was to make it a place Y5erc
various articles of merchandise might
be deposited, so asto be bought3nd sold.
Alexander very wisely thought that
trade and commerce were great benc-
fits, and so lie did all lie could to pro.
mote them; and the city of Alexandria
was built agreeably to these views.
The city aourishcd, and Alexander
was buried here in a gold coffin. For
many years Alexandria was as busy a
place as Now York is now. People Of
various nations were hcrc-Jcws,
Greeks, Arabs, Egyptians, Syrians,
Armcnians, and Hindoos. The city at
one time was fifteen miles in circuit,
and had six hundred thousand inhabit-
ants.
1t continued to flourish till the year
6G6 a. D. It was then attacked by
the Caliph Omar, at the head of an ar
my of Saracens, or Nohometans from
Arabia. They captured the place and
destroyed many of its most noble insti-
tutions. There was vast library here,
containing several hundred thousand
volumes. Had these been saved, it is
probably that the history of many an.
cient nations, now lost to the world, had
been preserved. But the Saracens
took the books tomake fires of, in or
der to heat the baths. No doubt they
found them very convenient; but what
q savage set they must have been! 1t
seems that there were four thousand
baths in the city, and that tic books
lasted six months for heating them.
From this period Alexandria dcclin-
cd; and now the place where it stood is
q mere heap Of ruins. Near by is
modern city, of considerable extent,
which bears the same name; but it can
never rival the Alexandria of former
days.
NORWEGIAN WATER TELESCOPES.
AN instrument which the people of
Norway have found of SO great utility
that there is scarcely single fishing
boat without one, is the water telescope
Or tube, of three or four feet in length,
which they carry in their boats with
them when they 60 fishing. When
they reach the fishing ground, they i'm
mersc one end of this telescope in the
water, and look through the glass,
which shows objects some ten or fifteen
fathoms deep as distinctly as if they
were within few feet Of the surface;
by which means, when shoal of fish
comes into their bays, the Norwcgians
instantly prepare their nets, man their
boats, and go out in pursuit. The first
process is minutcly to survey the
ground with their glasses, and where
they find the fish swarming about in
great numbers, then they give the sig
nal, and surround the fisl, with their
large draught nets, and often catch
them in hundreds at a haul. Without
these telescopes their business would
often prove precarious and Improbable,
as the fish, by these glasses, arc as dis.
tinctly seen in the deep, clear sea Of
Norway, as gold fish in crystal jar
This instrument is not only used by the
fishermen bu: is found aboard the
navy and coastng vessels of Norway.
When their anchors get into foul ground,
or their cables warped on roadstcad,
they Immediately apply the glass, and,
guided byit, tako steps to put all to
rights, which they could do so well
without the MD of the rude and simple
instrument, which the mcanest fisher