The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-07-20
ALEXANDRIA.

4-@-N~A
This city, situated ON the Mediierra-
mean, liz miles from Cairo, has cut a
somewhat prominent figure in history,
ancient as well as modern. 1t was
founded by the great Alexan6 er after
the destruction OF Tyre, 332 b. G.. 1t
was regularly laid out and intersected by
two main streets upward of 100 feet wide,
running from north TO south and from
east TO west. On the island Of Pharos
light house Of vast height was erected,
and this island itself was connected with
the main land by q dixie which divided
the inner from the outer harbOr, and
through which vessels could pass by
means of movable bridges. The east
end of the town was called Bruchium,
and here was the royal palace of the
Ptolenies. Under them Alexandria was
the great center to which the trade of
Europe and the MediteI ranean with
Persia and the far east con
verged Ii had about 100000 free
inhabitants of various naiionaliIies, and
became the center of universal learning.
Here the schools of Grcian philosophy,
and especially the PlatOnists, fiourished
Among lis ornaments were its Library
and museum, an establishment in which
scholars were maintained at public cost
Its library contained 100, 900 volumes at
the death of PLolemy PhilAdelphus, and
was said tn be tie largest in the world
prior to the invention of printing. It
afterwards grew to 700 900 volumes. In
this city the Scriptures were first made
known tn the heather by the Septuagint
version, and here Christianity early
took root, although the city soon be-
came the scene of rancorous and IN
christian dispulatioG and violence. In
no pla ;e were religious conflicts more
frequent or more sanguinary. 1t
also witnessed much political
strife, aud fell permanently under
the power of the Romans in
in 80 b G. Notwithstanding the re
moval of many of the most precious
works of art 10 Rome its greatness con-
tinued ill the establishment OF the seat
of empire nj COnstanIinople From the
rise of the lattrrlciiy, though still AN
Important center OF commerce, Alexan
dria as capital bryan seriously To de-
cline. 1t fell int" the hands of the SAr-
acens in A. ID. go In 0GI Cairo was
made the capital Of Egypt. and the dis
covery of the route la India and the
East by the Cape of Good Hope COM
pleted the decay of Alexandria. AT pres
ent the underground cisterns for the pre- g.
ervation of the Nile water are the only
perfect relics of The past
Modern Alexandria Is situated ON the
causeway which once formed the CON-
municaliOn between the mainland
and the Pharos, and which by constant
accumulation of sand and material is
now formed into neck of land. There
are two forts, one at the extremity of an
extensive roadstead west of the PharO5,
in which ships of the line may lie; the
other, the modern fort, on the west of
the Pharos, is less advantageous. Lake
Mareotis was dried up by Accommodations
of sand, but In 1901 the British army
cut through the narrow strip which
separated il from the lake of AbOukir,
and let in the sea again. Alexandria
has of late years been growing rapidly,
and is fast becoming AS populous as it
was in the days of antiquity. In 1873
il looked more like an italian than an
oriental city. The ruins uf the ancient
city As we'll rs the wretchcd habitatiOns
by the Arabs ARE fast disappearing
Large streets well paved and lighted with
gas seen in the European quarters,
and abound with fine residences. The
great promenade of the Mehemit Ali
square, formerly the square of the con-
suls, Is the central and most animate
point N the city. Its population in 1870
was estimated ut 23S, 1888, and is consid-
erabiy larger now. It included then be-
sides Arabs, Copts, Turk, PersIans,
Americans and Jews, $4,000 Greeks,
10000 Italians, $4,000 French. $4,000
English Maltese, Levantines of miscel-
laneous European descent, 5000, Ger
man and Swiss, 5000 various foreigners,
comprising number of American Off
GERS in the khedive's army, and Ameri-
can engineers and missionaries. Rail-
ways connect the city with Cairo and
the Suez canal and with Ramleh. It is
as place of transit for passen.
gers that Alexandria is now most re-
markable, the steamers to and from
India, the Mediterranean, and the Le-
want all contributing TO its prosperity.
In 1860 there were $4,000 passengers in
the 1000 sailing ships, and nearly $4,000
in the 1000 steamers which entered the
port, besides men-ot-war.