The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-08-18
THE HOME OF THE KHEDlvE.
A Visiting AIexandrianis Description of
Ramleh.
Philadelphia Press.


Colonel James F. Milliken, Of Alexandris,
Egypt, who has missed the English bon, hard
melt and occupation on account Of flying
trip 10 his old home In Western PeHnss Iva
MIA, is III the city for a few days, aud gives
interesting CONVEX isational pictures of the
land of the PharaDhs. He served some time
IN the Egyptian army, aud has an American
sympathy for the self made fortunes Of Ara
bi Pssha, who was born fellah, entered the
army as a private, ard forced his way to
position where he could defy the Khedive
and the Porte. RamIeh, where the British
advance has reached, he describes as a sub
urb of Alexandria, consisting of a string OF
villages aud scattered houses, extending
seven miles from tho city walls, lying main
ly between two ridges, ole of which cuts of
ITS view Of the Mediterranean mile away,
while the other separates 1t from Lake Mar
| eots. Two lines Of railway afford frequent
access TO all paris of this scattered llne Of
dwellings. One is the Rosetta branch Of the
| Government railway, running back OF the
coast from Alexandria to Rosetta. near the
Rosetta mouth of the Nile. The Ramleh
station on this line is about five miles from
the CITY, and there are two or three other
small stations between il and Alexandria,
and runs only seven miles I" Schulz station.
There Is a station at nearly every mile along
this line, and trains leave Alexandria at
every even hour, returning from Schulz
every intervening half hour.
Ramleh was al important point for Arab
to hold, because it occupies The neck Of land
On which Alexandra stands, al the point
where il Is narrowest between Lake Marco
It's and the sea, aud where, in consequence,
the march of the English from Alexandria
toward the Nile and Cairo, could be most
easily checked. Tue growth Of this suburb
| is mot due entirely to any desire To escape
from tie heated air of Alexandria, for the
city, with it's houses Of thick whtewasled
stone, which reflect instead Of absorbing the
suns heat, and its narrow and Therefore
shaded streets, Is as cool as the open country.
But Alexandria is a walled town, and mu-
nicipal tax is levied upon every article OF
food which passes its gates. Rents, too, are
| very high, 50 that economic reasons have
driven ten thousand people TO live In the
long line Of villages which are collectively
termed RaMleh. This name is All Arabic
word meaning sand" and orginlnally the
| stretch Of country where Raml"h lies was
| nulhug more Than sea beach aud sand hills.
| Now. however, water las been brought ft"m
| The MahmuuLielh Canal. and irrigation las
| made saldells aud trees possible. Ac'orI-
| ingly there are many beautiful residemceS,
or beautifully furnished residences, along
The RsmIeh railway. Especially noed by
\ travellers are the Khedivt's palace aud the
| Hotel Beau SrJpur. The palace is covered
| with pink paint, and commands disisr.t
view Of Alexaudria aud Of the Bay Of Abuu-
kr, where Lord Nelson destroyed Tia. French
fleet under Admiral Brueys. But there are
sevral private residences more fully equipped
] than either Of these buildings, and some "i
the houses are built with faucful designs
They are nearly all Of substantial stone,
however, so that Arabi's troops have destroy
ed little more than the furniture aud the
gardens. Rameh, however, Is not pee 'iar-
Iy aristocI attic since many poor people 1--we
there.
Not more than dozen houses command q
view Of the Mediterranean, because sites OF
the north Of the ridge, behind which Ramlei
lies, are too exposed aud chilly 10 winter
The RamIeh trains are crowded Oh Sundays
with excursiouists, who g" out to drink beer
of which large quantities are brought from
Germany, to play billiards, sm"kr, and per
haps TO tlirt. La fact, IL is quite As much I
Sunday resort as are the little stations aiout
the Schuylk between Ninth and Greer
streets aud Manayunk. Loving couples ma.
be seeu Of every nationality, and as there ar
fifty Thousand Foreigners In Alexandria, m"s
of the aintiseneuts Of L trope help pass th
Sunday hours.