The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-12

at sunrise and sunset Is surrounded BY
Arabs performing their additions. The
Pasha's palace q finely situated facing the
sea, and Is surrounded by beautiful gar
dens. Tho grand staircase Is Of ;Carrara
nnrble. The buildings Of The liarem stand
opposite tho palace. M
The form Of The land oil which "scan.
dnria'-the name by which Alexandria Is
now. known. TO tho Amba-has been de.
scribed as Ike Macedonian chnamys, or
soldiers mantle. There IL II projecting
peninsula into the Mediterranean which ut
tho point Spreads out 10 Gust and west,
forming Two bays, that on tho west being
now the modern liarbor Of Alexandria.
Tits wins secure from every wind Int that
from the northwest, and TO avoid this
brenkwnter was begun ten or twelve years
ago; II runs from northetlst to southwest,
ind Il now makes the harbor safe from any
wind TINT blows Tho old Piaros Is gen.
orally supposed 10 have been at tho eastern
end Of the peninsula; tho bay on the enst
was In ancient times called the Great liar.
Dor, and TINT one on the west called the
Port Of Eun0slns. Both oil these ports
seefn 10 have been difficult OF access, from
snhken rocks about tho entrances. Tho en-
trance 10 the present harbor Ii still in a
condition which requires great caution, aud
vessels always take on board IN Arab pilot
before vcnturing. The passage Is very mar.
row, but once passed the soundings are
deep and the anchorage good. h..
The objects which attract the visitor as
he enters the harbor urc tho number OF
forts or batteries along the andy heights
where the palace stands. They are OF vari-
Gus forms and sizes. Never having gone
along the ground on which they siaud it
IL impossible TO describe them in'letai; it
will DO enough TO say that tho wholclenglh
Of these heights are covered with them.
They command tho passage which ships
must take in coming In to pass the break
water. There-are also large md formula.
bic batteries round the light house at the
other end OF the brcakwatcr. 1t Is on the
sandy ridge where Arlbi Pashu is said 10
DO constructing batteries, and the questions
asked in Parliament ARE silent ns
to tho existing defensive works which
have been visible to every one entering
Alexandria for years past. These forts
were all heavily armed some years ago by
lsmall Insha, as he expected IN attack
from the Sultan when there was dispute
about authority and avnssalage. Arab
l'asla may be adding toor improving these
works, but he cannot require any more
batteries 10 drive ships OF war AWAY, for It
would be useless to lombard these forts
unless there was Il sufficient force to lund
and carry them by assault. These sea bat.
tcrcs arc the real defences OF Alexandria;
| tho town itself is surrounded by mn old
wall Of the medieval kind, which would
offer no difficulty 10 m attacking force.
a large rock at the entrance Of the great
artificial hurbor obliges ships 10 be plotted
in ziezig fashion during the day, while ut
night they cannot enter at,all. In stormy
weather large vessels sometimes remain
outside for days, fearing they will be cast
upon this reef, il they attempt 10 enter.
The Alexandria lnrbor is u work OF lesser
magnitude than the Suez Canal, though its
local importance is greater. The outer
breakwater, two miles long, is more than
that distance from the quays, while n spit
OF land curves round to il, 30 that where
the narrow decp-water channel lies tho
whole interior area is protected from wind
and waves Breakwaters, qraysand jetlies
are all sound, soli,l honest work, and do
great credit to Aessrs. Greenfield, the con.
tractors, who laborcd eight years upon it,
1t had formerly been supposed that Port
Said would 10 some extent, rival Alcxan-
,iria, and take much OF the trade from her.
Such, however, has not proved to be the
case, and the older larbor, with lis SPLEEN
did modern works, has held its own.