Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-11-07
BIBLICAL CITY BATTLEFIELD.
British Operations at Akakba Recall.
ed Towns History.

British Operations at Akakba Recall.
ed Towns History.
When the British endeavored to eff.
feet landing in Arabia at Akaba, on
the gulf Of the same name, as report.
ed in recent Turkish dispatch, they
were trying to secure possession of a
port which figured prominently In
Biblical history. according to the war
geography bulletin, issued by the Ma
tional Geographic Society from It's
Washington headquarters.
Akaba is none other than Eloth Of
the Old Testament, Ezion- Geber, only
few miles away, is the point from
which King Solomon sent his navy,
manned with sailors loaned by King
Hiram flor the Jews were never
skilled maratime people,. The expe.
dition was bound for Ophir, from
which land APO talents of gold were
brought to the builder of the great
tchpico III JeTubdleH.
The Gulf of Akaba, near the head
OF which the fortified town is situa.
ted, is the long eastern horn of the
Red Sea, having a width of from IL
to II miles, and jutting up into Ara
bia for distance of 100 miles, with
the Sinai peninsula to the west. In
ancient times the gulf was known as
Sinus Aelaniticus and was much
dreaded by sailors on account of the
coral reefs and the sudden squalls
sweeping down from the mountains
that rise almost perpendicularly from
the shore to height OF 1000 feet at
some points. The only good harbor
on the gulf is that of Dahad, "the
Golden port" situated on the west.
ern shore SO miles from the entrance.
A few miles south of the town OF
Akaba is the island Of Jeziret Firaum.
on which are to be seen the ruins of
castle built in the twelfth century
by Baldwin ], a member Of the house
OF Flanders and the first King of Je-
rusalem who assumed the title after I
the first crusade. His reign was short I
and he died In Egypt three years al.
ter he built this island stronghold. II
Akaba itself has a medieval castle |
which was built to protect pilgri~q {
coming from Egypt and bound for
Mecca. Ten years ago a branch rtil. {
way line was constructed Joining '
Akaba and Mecca and affording .Lru {
communication with Beirut. S
The Romans held Akaba. then h
known as Aelana.' as a military post {
for many years and It was gorris)ned S
by the famous Tenth Legion. Follow. a
Ing the Romans came the Moslens o
under whom the port flourished. IS
commercial activity being enha iced S
10 such an extent that in the tcrth a
century II was described by chron. a
clers as the great port of pa',d:l, a
md the emporium OF Heiaz." In the G.
after half OF the twelfth century il r;
vas captured from the crusa ,ile
ranks by the great Saladip. During e.
his period II Is said that the Jews h,
md Christians who inhabited the n,
own managed to protect themselves n,
rom massacre at the hands OF the
'aracens by pretending to possess a n
etter from Mohammed which prom. "
sed them immunity from persecution. III
Akaba is surrounded by many Ter.
lie date palm gardens. and the city
bountifully supplied with good wa.
or. The Notifications before being
irengthened during the present war o,
onsisted OF rectangular fort with
lch angle defended by a tower.