Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-07-21
ALxxAssnsA.


n.me from Alexander the Great. the
celebrated Macedonian soldier. Ii is
situated on tins Mediterranean. twelve
miles south Of the Cauepic mouth OF the
Nile, and for q long time ~as the capita!
of Egypt. The modern city stands part
" on VIVA. was tie island OF pharus,
now peninsula, but mostly On the 18TH
mus b; which IL Ia connected with the
mainland. This Was originally an ar.i-
fetal dyke connecting the island With
toe lend opposite: bat through the Coz
Sscnt eccrmulation Of soil and ruins Il
has attained it, Present dimsosions-
The principal pubitc and eovenmenf
buildings are on the peninsula. The an
oisnt city wss situa4ed On The mainland
adjacent % the modsEn town, and the
extent OF the ruins that still exist sufh-
ciently ettests its greatness The 0sne:-
al appearance Of Alexandria Is by no
ueans striking and from its situation
ia environs are sandy, hat and sterile.
Il Vas formerly surrounded by tuyreted
walls, with extensive outwoYks, bat III
various parts the walls have lately been
destroyed to make way for improve
ments. In the Turkish quarter the
Streets are narrow, irregular and filthy,
and the houses mean and Ill built. The
Frank quarter, on the contrary, presents
the appearance Of European town,
having handsome streets and squares
and excellent shops. The streets have
been much improved of late years by
pavement in the European style. The
principal tote.z, shops and offices are
situated in the Great Square, the center
Ut which forms and agreeable pro:Den
sde. being planted with trees and Well
provided with seats. Ii has also fOun-
tain at each end. In the suburbs are
numerous handsome villas, with pleas
ant gardens
Among she principal public buildings
are tins palace of the PasnA, the naval
arsenal, the naval aud military kospi-
| tails, custom house, bourss, two theater5.
several mosques, churches, converts,
| stc. There 10 an important naval school
| and y number of other educational IN
| s.itutions. Among the charities u the
| Hospital of the Deaconnesses Of kals-
egsworth. Formerly the town was sup
| piled with water by means Of the an
| Gent RESERVOIRS, formed under the old
city, which are Ia many cases AZ perfect
now as when first constructed 900 wears
ago. These were Annually til!sd with
water by means OF tue canal ffoIuths
Nile ut the time of inundatiOn, but n sy5
teIu Of water works has been formed by
"A public company, and constant sup
ply of w3ter il now obtained frOfa the
canal ut some distence from the town.
Alexandra has been mainly indebted
for ito prosperity 10 its position for
trade. This WAS what first attracted
the attention of its far seeing founder.
At one time Il was the leading conimcr-
cial city of the world. aud tie great EN-
pOrium Of trade bstween Europe and
the East. Under the Turks it sank into
insigniilcance, numbering only 6,U0J i'll :
habitaEts. Soon after Msheme, Ali be
came raler OF Egypt he opened the Mob
mOudieu canal at Il cost Of 81 ,bD, 90.
Ii was about fifty miles in length, and
communicated with the Rosetta branch
Of the MI. at the village Of Atfeh. Since
II became the center OF steam comniunl-
cation between Europe aud India. tho
progress of Alexandria has been rapid.
In 1851 Mr., Stephenson was instructed
TO form n railway between Alexandria
and Cairo, which was accomplished and
the line opened for traffic IN 1856. 1t
WAS shortly af erwards extended to
Suez, and several extensions have since
been made TO the cotton districts of the
Delta. A short line OF railroad, not be-
longing To the government, connects the
| town with Ramlet, u ssi-bathing village,
about seven miles distant.
| Alexandria has two ports---an eastern
| and ~ western. The latter called the
old port, il the larger and
| better Of the two. II extends
from the town westward to Marabout,
nearly six miles, and is about one mile
and half in length. II has three prin-
cipal entrances. The first, or that near
ess the city, has about II feet of water,
but is narrow and difficult of access,
and only used by small vessels and boats.
The second, or middle, is about a quar-
tor Of n mile wide, and has, when shall
lowest, twenty-seven feet Of water. The
eastern side of this entrance is marked
by buoys, and these are land marks for
guiding to the channel. The third or
western entrance has its western bound
airy about three sighshs of mile from
MarabOut Island, is about half a mile
wide, and has from 70 to ~ feet OF water
where shsllowea:. Within the hsrbor
ships may anchor close to the town in
from ~ to ~ feet of water.
The population Of Alexandria ia Of a
very mixed character, consisting besides
the native Turks and Arabs, of Armen-
ians. Greeks, Syrians, Italians, French,
English, German, etc. At one time the
ancient CITY il beloved to have contained
60O,OOO inhabitants, but at the begin
ming Of this century the population
probably did not exceed 5000. In 1928
| It had increased to $1,000, in 1910 to Co..
GOO, and in 1871 to 2l9,OOO, Of which S.
OOO were foreigners.