The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-11-02
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were chaos from that time to the
present. Changes of dynasty were
frequent and states sprang into despot-
ic independence. only to dissolve again
and form new political and geograph-
tcal divisions. In 1146 Tripoli was cap.
tured by Roger II. of Sicily and was
retaken by the Moslems in 1884. Fpr
time it was subject to Tunis. Early
In the sixteenth century 1t was taken
by the Spaniards and was later trans
ferred to the Knights Of st. John of
Jerusalem. In whose hands 1t remained
until 1851. when the Turks took posses
sion. Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli. all
were finally brought under the govern
ment Of the sultan of Constantinople.
Algeria passed under French dominion
in 1890: Tunis shared the same fate in
1882; Morocco. the ancient Maure-
tania. has been a sultanate for many
centuries and probably will soon be
absorbed by France. Thus of the old
Barbary states only one-Tripoli-re-
mains under the Turkish flag and that
flag will soon give way to the standard
of modern Italy.
TrlpoIi and Its People.
Tripoli with Barca and Fezzan, has
On area Of 100000 square miles and
population Of a million. The country
between the Atlas mountains and the
Mediterranean is fertile and is capable
Of being successfully titled. But the
curse of Turkish rule is over 1t and
agriculture and industry are stagnant.
All the fruits which grow in the trop-
ics may be raised and at the period Of
Roman ascendancy prodigious quanti-
ties OF olives were produced in Barca,
then famous for its fertility; now In
large sections veritable sandy waste.
The natives, consisting Of Berbers. the
descendants Of the original settlers;
Arabs. Turks, Mamelukes. Jews and
negro slaves, are engaged in agricul-
tural and pastoral pursuits. Some Of
Tripoli has reputation for fine woolen
goods and fabrics fashioned from
goats hair. Considerable quantities of
ivory, spices. gold dust and dyes are
transported by camel caravans from
the sandy interior to the coast. though
not to the extent that obtained in the
days of Carthaginian rule. when, We
are told. it was not unusual to see
caravan of $1,000 camels bearing the
products of the interior to the marts
of the littoral.
In Tripoli as throughout the whole OF
the Barbary states there is great d.
versity of races Bedouins roam over
its arid sands and far in the interior
are the hardy Berbers. cat-like in
movement, intolerant of restraint,
proud of lineage which is lost in the
twilight of history. quick to resent an
injury. but hospitable to strangers.
Some of them still live the lives of the
cave men. Some find shelter in tents,
or in huts made from the branches Of
trees and daubed with mud. In the
towns and settlements they rise to the
dignity of dwelling in stone houses,
To large extent they are pastoral and
when their resources run low they be-
come robbers.
In its past history the United States
has been at war with Tripoli and
others of the Barbary states: and some
of the most brilliant achievements Of
the American navy were performed in
the waters that lave the northern coast
of Africa
What may be the future of Tripoli
rests securely among those unsolved
problems to which history holds the
key. Italy, into whose possession 1t is
destined to fall, has had little expert
ence as colonizer. Her attempt in
Abyssinia was disastrous and ended
in the tragedy at Adowa in 1896,
when her army suffered defeat by the
followers of Menelek. But in Tripoli
she will find better and clearer
field, within short sail from her
own outpost islands in the Mediter-
ranean. The country is capable OF
great development. The native races,
If handled as carefully and as justly
as France deals with the peoples OF
Algeria and Tunis. will prove tract
able: and with the fruits of their
labors assured to them will become
Industrious and provident.