Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-07-27

WI "iuhohet HuDdned, united and gave them q
national existence, converting them from the
worship OF the stars to faith in the one God, who
had chosen him to be his prophet and vicegerent.
lie was succeeded by q line Of Caliphs whose
armies, apimnted by ianatcism which rendered
lhem irresistible, established their rule from
Egypt to India. During the career of conquest
'hey were strangers to knowledge and refinement,
put contact with both, gradually humanized and
enlightened them. Happily for 'he Arabians,
'he Caliphs, of the family of the Absssides, es-
pecially iiarOun Alraschid, were patrons Of sci-
enee. He invited learned men, Of all nations, to
his splendid court at Bagdad literally provided
Tor their mainainanoe, and encouraged and re-
Warded their labors. BY his command the writ
ings of many of the GreOian philosophers aud
poets were translated into Arabic, and widely
circulated; schools were founded, and taste
for science cultivated. The result was that
many Of the Arabian swans became profcients
in geography, arithmetic, medicine, chemistry
and astronomy, while some of them were rheto-
ricians aud poets. The Ommiades-Caphs in
'Spain-emulated the Abassides in the patronage
Of learning, aud in the 10th century students re-.
sorted from several countries in Europe to their
schools, especially to that of COrdova, and DIFF
fused the knowledge they had acquired
Arabia was the entrepot of the trade of the
Pi@nicians with India, but now is part of the
Turkish empire, and governed by Pasha, of
the Grand seignior. Her trade, by land and
water, Is carried on by foreigners.
Egypt, the most ancient Of kingdoms Of which
wo have authentic history, the cradle of science,
art and pOlity, never fails to awaken interest
when she is mentioned, and recalls 70 our minds
her peculiar institutions, her Nile, her pyramids,
her stupendous monuments gray with age three
decades Of centuries ago. her catacombs, her
mummies, her hieroglyphics, her irrigation, her
groveling superstition, and her beslial worship
Conquered by the Persans, then by the Greeks,
then independent, under the rule of tho Ptolem.
les, whose dynasty ended with Cleopatra; then
u Roman province first of the western or upper,
then of the lower or eastern empire, she was
conquered by the Mahomedans, she was govern
ed by their Callphs, then by their Sultans, whose
power was usurped by the Mamelukes, original
ly Asiatic slaves. perpetuated by fresh purchases
of slaves, who, in 1917, were so far subjected by
Selim I'd as to accept Constitution, under
which they governed through twenty-fOur Beys,
chosen by themselves. This government oi
Egypt existed when Buonaparte landed French
army there in 1898. The defeais sustained by
the Beys, in their battles with the French,
weakened their power and prestige, and they
were superseded by Pashas appointed by the
Sublime Porte, and subsequently Egypt was, as
she now is governed by them. By their great
and rare abilities they have made their depend
euce upon Turkey almost nominal. Tie trade
of Egypt was originally by land. Like other
nations whose productions were exuberant, they
were indisposed to navigation. They held COM
merce by sea to be Infamous, and restricted
foreigners to q single port, Naucratis. The
ocean w6s Typhon-a demon-who devoured
their Cod 0sirie-ths Nile. To Egypt we can
not assign place in the roll of nations who
have patrOnized navigation, commerce and dis
covery.
The Persaus, under Darips Hystaspis, cou-
qucred the country drained by the Indus. lie
equipped fleet of four hundred vesscls-doubl-
less small--under bis Admiral, Syelax, who, by
his order, explored that river and the territory
adjacent, from its embrOchrre to The Arabian
gulf
The Pb@uicians-the great merchants and
voyagers of antiqui'y-traded with all countries
washed by the Mediterranean and, passing the
pillars of Hercules, with Spain, Gaul aud
Britain and with India, Ethiopia and Arabia,
depositing merchandise from 'hese countries at
Elatb, on the Red sea, and therefrom transport
ing them by land TO Rhinochoclura, on the
Mediterranean, and from thence by sea to Tyre.
The Carthagenans emulated the enterprise
aud daring of parent Tyre, end enlarged geo.
graphical knowledge and commerce. The voyage
of lIano, from Gadea to within ave degrees Of
the equator, entities him to honorable mention,
though we hesitate to admit that he doubled the
aouthern point of Libya, which is doubtful.
The Romans accomplished little for discovery
by sea aud for navigation and commerce, and
the Creeks not much more, If we except Alex
andOf By the conquest of Persia, he learned
the wealth Of India and, aspiring to universal
empire, advanced with his army as far as the
Indus. The proractcd siege of Tyre made hin
aware Of the wealth and power to be gained by
trade, and that the greatest share of both coul(
be acquired by traffic with India and its bes
route was by the Red Sea, down the Nile to i'll
mouth, and that there was the proper site for (
city, which, with the prophetic spirit of genius
he foresaw was 10 be the entrepot Of vast com
merce. Alexandria, shorn, it is true, of he
glory, still exists, o monument Of his sagacity
and the voyage of his Admiral, Nearchus, dow
the Indus to the Persian gulf, deserves mention
His army, marching on both banks oil the Indus
accompanied his fleet in its descent Of that river
and Nearchus, Atistobulus and Ptolemy Lagu
noted, by his order every occurrence and al
that was remarkable n the territory they tra
versed, and its inhabitants. Surely high plac
may be justly claimed for Alexander in the rol
of patrons of navigation and commerce.
More than century ago party Of Englis
merchants, from Aleppo, at the end of day
travel, parched by thirst, enfeebled by the su
that had bazedsupon them, and Knocked, per
haps by the mirage, were gladdened by th
! sight of a grove of palm trees, indicating n
oasis in the desert around it, aud promising re
freshing shade and cooling fountains. Explorin
this inviting spot, they beheld, for miles, th
ruins Of magnificent city among them, MOI
conspicuous and best preserved, those of fame
temple of the sun. These were all that remaii
ed Of a renowned metropolis-Palmyra- cit
} of Palm trees-the Tadmoor of the old TestP
/ ment. Situated about midway between the Ell
pirates and the Mediterranean, with ready &C
: casu IN Persia in one of. the avenues of trnt