Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-07-22
THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
The Seat of War in Egypt-Its De
fenses and Buildings.

Alexandria is one of the most pictur
esque, mongrel cities in Egypt, and, TO
that matter, in the world Cairo is NOR,
thoroughly Oriental in character, bu
Alexandria is more unique in its cosmo
politan appearance. 1t is an odd mix
ture of Europe, Asia and Africa. The
Greek jostles in the streets against the
lineal descendant of the people who
lived in the land away back in the time
the Pharaohs the Armenian and the
Arab move along shoulder to shoulder
with Partisan, Londoner or New Yorker
sunburned Maltese and Italians sit al
their shop doors smoking their cigars
and bidding for the custom of the in.
congruous crowd that slowly sweeps
along, and the Egyptian or Turkish
dragoman is everywhere volubly at.
tempting to get the unwary stranger to
enlist his services. Alexandria, indeed,
is Mosaic of the Old World east and
west, which fate has pieced together and
whimsically set down by the side oi
the Lake Mareotis and the western arm
of the Nile delta.
When approached from the Mediter-
ranean the city wears an insignificant
enough appearance. The land lies so
low that Alexandra Dumas, speaking
contemptuously of the Fort Bonaparte,
affirmed that all the French engineers
had to do was to throw together a few
spadesful of earth, surmount the small
heap with battery, and presto the
city had to surrender at discretion. At
first the traveller describes Pompeys Pill
lar, thin black line drawn across the
warm saffron sky, then as he rounds the
long arm which terminates in the break
water which stretches from Point Eunos-
tus, and finds himself well inside the
western or old harbor, he sees the Khe-
dives palace cleaning white on the
waters edge on his left, and on his
right row of flat-roofed. dingy houses,
relieved here and there by a clump of
lofty palms. The arsenal, which lies
between the Khedive's palace and the
principal portion of Alexandria, is a
large but not imposing building, and at
tached to it there is commodious wet
dock for the convenience of ships need
ing repairs. Following the eastern
curve of the harbor the eye catches,
beyond thin strip of sand the Lazar-
etto, the Custom House, and here and
there jetty for the landing OF goods
that are taken from vessels in the stream.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company
possesses excellent private jetties for
the convenience of their own passen-
gers.
Up to few weeks ago the buildings
here enumerated were the only promi-
nent objects on the harbor line. The
Palace at a distance looks pretty,
together with the adjoining building
called the Harem, which stands among
terraced gardens that command an en-
chanting view of Alexandria and the
blue waters of the Mediterranean but
a closer inspection destroys much of
the enchantment, and, to a certain ex-
tent, justifes Dumas ill-natured
criticism to the effect that it is a
miserable white edifice, erected by
Italian builders" Within the last few
weeks, however, the outline of Alex
andria Harbor has undergone marked
alteration. The Palace, the Harem and
the Arsenal buildings are no longer the
only prominent points that catch the
eye. Numerous forts and earthworks
have come into prominence, and now the
harbor is almost completely encircled
by grim buildings, the enbrasures in
which make it impossible to mistake
their purpose. There are eight of these
forts, which are formidable, and all are
placed in such position that men-of-
war fairly inside the harbor would be
exposed to cross-fire at short range
From position beyond the new break
water, which guards the northwestern
side of the harbor, hostile squadron
could shell Alexandria and be exposed
to the direct returning fire only of the
batteries on the south and east of the
harbor, and it is to avoid the dangers
of cross fire that the English squadron
has moved out to positions beyond the
break water. At the lighthouse, near
Eunostus Point, there is strong fort
which, short time ago, was known to
contain twenty-one smooth bore and
three rifed guns, but which at the
present moment is believed to be
strengthened by several more powerful
guns, secretly sent there by Arabi
Pacha.
About midway between this fort and
the Khedive's palace there is a new
earthwork thrown up, and the troops
have been seen taking guns and muni-
tion of war to it at night time. At a
short distance beyond the palace there
is another new earthwork, similarly sup
piled with guns and war material within
the last few days. Elaborate prepara-
tions to resist an attack have been made
by the Egyptians in the vicinity of the
palace, and it is well known that Arab
Bey intends to make stubborn resist
ance at Ras-el-Tin ("the peninsula of
figs'') and on the strongly intrenched
ground which adloins the Palace itself.
To the southeast of the Arsenal Fort
Kafare lies and protects the neck Of
land which separates the new port from
the old port, while at the same time 1t
commands the Frankish or Christian
portion of the city. Beyond this fort,
which the Egyptians have carefully
armed with rihed guns of heavy calibre,
a chain of Notifications and earthworks
stretches along the entire southern line
of the harbor. One fort short time
ago was known to possess two guns,
another twelve, and three others five,
two and seven guns respectively.
AS these forts occupy very I'M
portant position in the bombardment,
and will be the first which the British
will attempt to silence from the Medi-
terranean; all those forts have recently
been strengthened, so that in all prob
ability the figures just given as to the
number of their guns fall far short o
the reality. Earthworks have beer