The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-07-20
Alexandria.

Modern Alexandria occupies only part Of
the site of its predecessors, being chiefly built
on the isthmus that connects what was once
the classic island of Pharos with the mainland
on which the old city stood Successive al
mvial deposits have widened this mole-the
ancient Heptastadium-into broad neck of
land. the seaward end of which is occupied by
the palace Of Ras-eFTeen, the arsenal, and
several other Government buildings, after
which, mainlandwards, comes the modern
town. East and west of this peninsula lie the
two harbors, called the new and old ports.
The former ofthese. being completely exposed
to the north winds and incumbered with rocks
and shoals, has long been disused except by
small native craft, though it was not till the
beginning of the present century that the
much larger and safer western harbor was
thrown open to Christian vessels. This latter
is situated at the northeast end OF the bay, ad-
joining the southern and western sides of the
city I'm a nearly semfcircular form, and ex-
tending from the palace Of Ras-el-teen, by the
arsenal dock, to the terminus Of the Cairo
Railway at Gabari.
The old lighthouse still occupies the site of
tho ancient Pharos, on a rocky projection
stretching northeast into the entrance Of
tho new port; but in 1872, after the opening Of
the old harbor to Christian shipping, its dis
tance from the Inter and the lowness of its
light induced Mehemet Ali to build q new
tower on Eunostus (now called Ras-elTeen)
Point at the southwestern extremity of the
peninsula, whence a 20-second revolving light
of the first class, since erected by the Khe-
dive, flashes its friendly warning twenty miles
out to sea. Nearly a mile behind this
stands the viceregal palace built by
Mehemet Ali, to whose ambition is also
due the fine arsenal that forms the next prin-
| cfpal object of interest between the peninsula
and the modern town. The development Of
this 1ast has been mainly eastward, towards
| the Ramleh Railway station. which only seven
years ago lay far outside the city, but fs now
/ connected with it By fine rows of boulevard
like houses, let ont IN shops below and flats
| above, at rents little below the average
of similar buildings in Paris. IN this
direction, too, an admirable road along
the Mahmoudieh Canal attracts on Fridays
and other fete days crowds of private
/ carriages, many of which m Rht fitiy figure in
the Bois of Hyde Park Of the whole city, in
deed, it may be said that, although still pie
| bald" as Eliot Warburton found II q quarter
| Of a century ago" one-half Europe, with its
| regular houses. tall, and white, and stiff; the
other half Oriental with its mud-cOlored
buildings and terraced roofs, varied with fat
mosques and sean minarets' municipal
improvements effected by the Khedive have
/ in respect Of lighting, paving, police and
| cleanliness raised the large Frank quarter es-
/ pee ally to a level with most sec0nd-class
French and English towns and placed it half a
century ahead of even the Christian faubourg
THE HARBOF-
/ The modern harbor Of Alexandria, in which
| the trade of the port IS now carried on. Hes
I wi1Sin the upper curve OF a bay formed by
| sbe two projecting headlands of Ras-eETeen
on the northeast and Cape AdJeuh and Mara
! bout Island on the southwest and measuring
I sis uailes In lengtS by an average OF two in
width. II is landlockeS on every side exeeept
/ oae=~the southwest The wind from this Ii
rection is however, the prevailing one during
eight or nine months OF the year, and
from time immemorial the sssca" thus 0cca-
I stoned has seriously ifnpeded the loading and
discharge of vessels in the roadstead by stone
lighters. as the custom has hitbcrtO been. The
importance Of remedying this great drawback
on the convenience Of his chief port has been
felt by the Khodiye from soon after his aeces-
siosl, but it was not till the Threatened rivalry
Of fhe suez Canal had emphasized the neccssF
ty that ne finally decided on carrying out q
w0rk Of such magnitude and cost.
Commencing ct a point fifty meters south.
west of the Ras-el-Teen Lighthouse, the outer
breakwatcr extends first in tbs latter direc.