National Republican., 1882-07-20
THE RUINED CITY.
A siretcI, OF AIcxnndrIH-Its Ancient Re-
noMn mud Modern Imporlnnce.

Alexander the Great sought to found city after
the destruction Of Tyre, and in 332 b. c. selected
the site Of Alexandria because Of Its excellent po-
sition for trade. It Is twelve miles west Of the
western Nile and between the Mediterranean Sea
and Lake Mareois. The city grew rapidly, aud
soon became the great center Of Eastern com
meice. The Ptolemes succeeded Alexander, ard
under them the city contained 10000 free inhabi-
tants and as many slaves. 1t became the center of
learning, and schools of Grecian philosophy -four
ished there Magnificent monuments were
erected, among them the Pharos, the Museum,
and the Temple of Serapis and there were many
gorgeous palaces aud public buildings.
julius Caesar besieged and took the city is 4S b.
c., and eighteen yearslater Augustus made It an
imperial city. 1t now began new season Of pros
pery, continuing till the establishment of the
scat Of empire at Constantinople. The ca a'acombs
public baths, and Pompeys pillar, with the Roman
city wall, were erected during This period In tho
year. 2l5 the Roman Emperor Can C lila visited The
city and ordered general mn'sac e, and under
the rule of Gallicnus a famine swept off ha { Of
the population. In 213 an in urrccti, n resulted
in the destruction OF the great library Of the
museum. In 296 another revolt ended in gem
eral slaughter, and in S65 an earthquake dc trUyed
$1,000 persons; The Pcrsians capture the city in
GIG, and yielded II to the Arabs in Gil. II theu
contained 400 palaces, 400 theat6rs, 400 public
From this time on it rapidly dccayed and its
| population aud trade dimlu shed lairI took its
place rs the &C. ehiefTy le1 i OF Esyp 1t finally sank KS
|
Since then the city had been rebuilt aud raised TO
| importance again. 1t rcsenbled an Italian city
and had large streets, well paved, lighted with
| gas and aboundiug with fine residences. The
| great promenade OF the Mehemet All or Franks
Square, where the massacre of june II began, was
the central point OF the city. Railways connected
the city with Cairo, 1s0 miles distant, and with the
SucZ Canal The city was great central station
for passengers, rs the steamers 10 and from India
| the Mediterranean, and the Levant ali stopped
there Among tile promiu6nt buildings were the
palace OF the Khedivc at Ras:el- Tin. the large
naval arsenal, the naval and military hoSpi-
| tails, the custon-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 hur6ors, one east and west OF
Pharos. The former has u breakwater mole and
qunys, The city was supplied with water from the
Nile, and was the seat of several large government
| aud other manufactures. The PRINCIPAL exports
! were corn cotton, wool gums, rice, dates, sugar,
| cotton seed, wheat, bcans, senna, and hides. The
principal imports were woDlen aud i,k goods,
hardware and machinery, with timber, coal, pc
| trolenm, drugs. aud other products. In 1872 the
| Population was 2i2 03i of whom i7,Sl6 were for
| eigncrS.