News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-08-03
THE RUINED CITY.
A Sketch of Alexandria-Its Ancient
Renown and Modern ImOortance

NNAASO
Alexander the Great sought to found
a city after he destruction of Tyre, and
in 332 B. O. selected the site of Alex
andria because of its excellent position
for trade. 1t is twelve miles west of the
western Nile and between the Mediter-
ranean Sea and Lake Mareotis. The
city grew rapidly, and soon became the
great centre of eastern commerce. The
Ptolem1es succeeded Alexander, and
under them the city contained 800. 900
free inhabitants and as many slaves. 1t
became the centre of learning. and
schools of Grecian philosophy fourished
there. Magnificent monuments were
erected, among them the Pharos, the
Museum, and the Temple of Scraps,
and there were many gorgeous palaces
and public buildings.
Julius caesar beseiged and took the
city in 4S B. c., and eighteen years
later Augustus made it an imperial city,
Lit now began a new season of prosperity.
continuing till the establishment of the
seat of the empire at ConstantinopIe.
The ~catacombs, public baths, and Pom
pegs pillar, with the Roman city wall
were erected during this period. In
the year 215 the Roman Emperor Cara.
Gala visited the city and ordered a gen.
eral massacre, and under the rule of
G%allienus a famine swept off half of the
| nnnJ1I0f1nfa Tp OT0 49,
suited in the destruction of the great
library OF the museum. In 296 another
revolt ended in a general slaughter,
n IN 365 an earthquake destroyed
80, 900 persons. The persians captured
the city in GIG, and yielded it to the
Arabs in 81. It then contained 400
palaces, 400 theatres, 1000 public baths
and IL, 200 gardens.
From this time on it rapidly decayed,
and its population and trade diminished.
Cairo took its place as the chief city of
Egypt. It finally sank SO low that in
1777 its population was only 5000.
Since then the city had been rebuilt
and raised to importance again. It re-
sembled an italian city and had large
streets, well paved, lighted with gas,
and Astounding with fine residences. The
great promenade of the Mehemet Ali or
Franks square, where the massacre of
June IL began, was the central point of
the city. Railways connected the city
with Cairo $50 miles distant, and with
the ISuez Canal. The city was a great
central station for passengers, as the
steamers to and from India, the Medi-
t%erranean and the Levant, all stopped
there. Among the prominent buildings
were the palace of the Khedive at Ras-
el-Tin, the large naval %arsenel, the naval
and military hospitals, the Custom
House, Tribunal of Commerce, italian
college, and the various schools,
The Turkish quarter was irregular.
but the. European quarter had many
good streets and fine buildings. The
city has two harbors, one east and one
west of Pharos. The former has a
breakwater, mole'and quays. The city
was supplied with water from the Nile.
and wa the seat of several large Gov
eminent and other manufactures. The
principal exports were corn, cotton,
wool, gums, rice, dates, sugar, cotton.
seed, wheat, beans, SIENNA and hides.
The principal imports were wooden and
silk goods, hardware ard machinery.
with timber, coal, petroleum, drugs and
other products. In 1872 the popula-
ton was 212, O34, Of whom 1876 were
foreigners.