The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-03-09
AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF
THE RELATIONS RETWE ZEN
CHRISTIAN AND MUSSULMAN
IN BEIRUT AND VIclNlTY-CoN-
DITION OF CATHOLICITY.
written for The Catholic Bulletin by
Rev. Damien Ramia, Formerly Pro-
fessor at the Sagesse College,
5eirut.)

Beirut.)
The action of the Italian warships
which lately sank couple of Turk.
ish gunboats in the harbor of Beirut,
Syria, and bombarded few govern
ment buildings may have far-reaching
consequences for the Christians of the
East, throughout Palestine, Syria and
Asia Minor, where they live under the
political or numerical preponderance
of the Mussulman element.
The war in Tripoli has infiamed
anew the undying hatred of the Mus
sulmans. especially Turks, against the
Christians. Unable to cope with Eur
opean powers, they are liable to visit
their revenge on the defenceless
Christians in the Ottoman Empire.
We trust, however, that, in this
instance, all. precautions have been
taken to protect the Christians OF
Syria. The attack on Beirut was ex-
pected since the beginning OF the
Tripoli war, as Beirut is, with Smyrna
and Salonikka, one of the most i'm
portant littoral cities of the Empire
A short time ago, the French consul at
Beirut, after consulting with the Pat
riarch of the Maronite Catholics OF
Syria, changed his residence from
Beirut to Djoune, little seaport north
OF Beirut, in front Of which several
French men-of.war were stationed.
This was evidently move to clear
the way for the Italian warships and
at the same time to afford protection
to the Maronite Catholics of the Le-
banon mountains with whom the
Christians of Beirut can always find
safe refuge.
There Ia about half million Mar
onite Catholics on the Lebanon Noun
tains, and 10000 of them reside in
Beirut. OF their special condition on
the mountains we shall speak, perhaps.
In another article. The Lebanon
Mountains form a province governed
by special laws under Christian gov.
ernor and protected by the European
powers. This was brought about by
the French government after the
frightful massacre of Christians in
1860: but the city of Beirut is under q
Turkish governor and the European
protection is rather nominal.
The City Of Beirut.
Beirut is a very ancient city. It IL
mentioned a couple Of times in the
Bible under the name of Berothai.
Destroyed by Antiochus the Seventh
in the second century, B. c., it was
rebuilt by the Romans under the name
of Felix Julia. It fiourished wonder.
fully under Roman rule, and during
the second century Of the Christian
era the law school of Beirut-then,
Felix Julia-was prosperous and fam.
GUS. In the year 529 an earthquake
reduced the town to ruins. From the
middle of the seventh century it be-
came an Arab city and experienced
many vicissitudes during the Crusades.
A prosperous period for Beirut was
during the reign of the Prince Fakar-
addin, Druse, and an enemy of the
Turks, who maintained friendly rela-
tions with the Venetians and the Flor
entines. With their help he fought the
Turks successfully for half century.
Finally, he was overpowered, made a
prisoner and hanged at Constantinople.
His family was sent into exile in 1894.
Since then Beirut has suffered under
Turkish rule, though, in the second
part of last century, through Europ-
can influence, it grew to be large
city, modern In many ways, occupy
ing the third place in the Turkish
empire for commercial Importance.
and the first for educational facilities.
The harbor of Beirut was improved
in 1889 by a company Of French cap.
italists, and railroad connections were
established between it and Damascus
and Hauran. Ships from England
France, Italy. Austria, Greece and
Egypt are seen all the time in the
harbor of Beirut taking aboard the
products of fertile Syria, especially
cereals, wool and silk.
Christian and MussuIman.
There are about 1900 inhabitants
in Beirut, half of whom are Mussul
mans of Arab extraction, except the
soldiers and government officials whs
are Turks. About 500 ragged. dirty
unkempt, under-paid soldiers form thu
garrison. A few old guns posted OF
the citadel overlooking the harbol
afford q make-believe fortification
These guns. probably. never tried Il
flre on the Italian warships during tht
bombardment.
The Christian population comprises