The Republican journal., 1901-06-06

ques, close to the front door is a form.
tain, which Mahomedans use for their
additions before prayer. 1t has square
j mlnaret, perhaps a hundred feet high.
which contains an Illuminated clock.
More interesting than any mosque in
Algiers is the ''Marabout'' of Sidi Add
er-Rahman-eth- Thalebi, containing the
tomb OF that saint Of the ponderous
cognomen, who died in the years that
Columbus made famous by his Western
discoveries. Around him are buried
several Pashas and Deys, commencing
with Khadar Pacha, who gave up the
ghost in 1905, and ending, with Ahmed,
last Dey of Constantine. Lights are
kept perpetually burning on the Saints
tomb, which is hung with many-hued
silken draperies; while suspended from
the roof are various offerings, such as
jewelled lamps, embroidered banners.
ostrich eggs, and fruits strung on wires,
Next to the Grand Mosque, it is the
Oldest religious edifice in Algiers, of
course always excepting the tomb of
Sidi- Okaba, near Biskra, which dates
from the Seventh century.
The defenses of Algiers furnish a
weeks study. Chief of the ancient
Notifications, and most interesting of
all, is the Citadel, or Kasba, overtop-
ping everything. TWAS built by Aroudi,
five hundred years ago, on the site of
an olden fortress. Its history is the
subsequent history Of Algiers down to
the conquest, at which period it was
still the palace of the Deys and had two
hundred pieces of artillery. Within it's
walls the last Dey gave to the French
Consul that now historical blow
with his fan which cost him his king
dom. After the siege the castle was
much injured by the French, who cut
road right through the centre of it,
turned its mosque into barrack, and
appropriated the rest of the building to
military purposes. The French found
enormous treasures here, stored in
vaults, traces of which are yet to be
seen, and the ancient door lined with
sheet-iron. The wooden gallery where
the beacon and banner of Islam were
displayed still exists; also beautiful
minaret and some marble columns and
arches. But the historical pavilion
has fallen to decay, and the walls have
been despoiled of their exquisite tiles.
The Fort de PEmpereur, so called
from being built on the spot where
Charles V. pitched his camp during his
disastrous attack on Algeria, was built
by Hassan-Pacha, in 1854. 1t stands
outside the wall, but is connected with
the Kesba by secret passages. General
de Bourmont was in it when he received
the capitulation of the Deys of Algiers.
The French blew it up little later and
it is now used as prison for offending
officers The Fort DIES Anglais was built
about hundred years ago and as
a protection against future lombard
ments by the English. Then there is
the Fort de Eau; the Fort Matifou;
the Fort Pescace, Fort Nuef, and
dozen others. Fort Bab-AZoun, now
connected with the line of water-works,
was built by HasSan-Pacha and is
military prison. 1t was surrounded by
wall of enormous thickness pierced
with loop-holes and with battlements
atop, but has lately been almost entire
ly destroyed to make room for modern
improvements.
The French line of defensive works,
consisting of rampant, parapet and ditch
strengthened by bastions, commences
above the ancient citadel and extends
down to the sea on either side, dis
lance of more than thousand feet, in
all. Inside is space of $50 acres.
Later improved means of attack have
rendered these expensive Notifications
almost useless, and their demolition is
merely a question of time. The pen
insula of the admiralty is also strongly
fortified, and important isolated works
crown all the adjacent hills, each well
armed with modern artillary.
FANNIE B. WARD.