CAPTURE OF DAMASCUS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1889, 12 October 1918, Page 1

CAPTURE OF DAMASCUS.

ANCIENT CITY OF THE PLAINS

ORIGIN LOST IN ANTIQUITY,

Tho city of Damascus, which was occupied by the British forces last week, is Hie capital of Syria, and the largos! oily in Western Asia. It is situated near the northern edge of a plain oalled Ghntah, at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon chain, 2,250 ft. above sea-level. It has a population of approximately 250,000. The city stands a mile and a-half from the month of the gorge through which the Baroda forces its way into the plain. From the base of the Anti-Lebanon dome tho best view of Damascus is obtained. Us exquisite beauty, as seen from the

mountain, is *»roa Ily enhanced by contrast. Towards I lie west (here are the bare chocolate Sahara, and the storm-bleached lime-streaked mountains. Bui (he Baroda, having forced its way through the mountain, spreads, fan-like,, by seven rivers over the plain. From out of a bower of gardens the city lifts its forest of minarets. Considering the great age of Damascus, its comparative poverty in antiquities" is remarkable. The Derb-el-Mistakim, or “street which is called straight,” still runs through the city from the eastern to the western gate. The Church of St. John the Baptist was turned by Caliph Walid to a mosque, whies was the most important building in Damascus. It was destroyed by fire in 181)3, and although it was subsequently rc-built, much that was of archadogical and historical interest perished. At the western, side of the pity stands the citadel. It was creeled in 12.11), and has a massive appearance, but is a good deal dilapidated. It is estimated that there are over 200 mosques in the city. Near the cast gate of the city a.re several interesting places associated with Scriptural history. A large dilapidated building, now used as a. hospital, is said to have once been the palace of Naaman, the leper who was cured by Elisha. SI.. Paul's Tower, from which the apostle wa.s lowered to escape the vengeance of the governor, and the house of Ananias, are still shown. The Jewish quarter is said to bo the oldest part of the city, and historians agree that it has been continuously occupied by the ancestors of the present inhabitants from the time of the Babylonian captivity at least.

ORIGIN BURIED IN THE PAST

The origin of Damascus is unknown, and the popular belief that it is the oldest city in (he world still inhabited has much (o recommend it. It is mentioned in a description of a battle in the book of Genesis, chapter xiv., and in the following chapter, Abraham is reported to have pursued the routed armies to Hobah, north of Damascus. In the period of (he Egyptian suzerainty over Palestine, Damascus was the capital of the small province of Übi. David after his accession made an expedition against Damascus and took and garrisoned the city. The Assyrians conquered it in 80(i R.f'. and 732 R.C. In 333 B.G. it was delivered over by treachery to Parmenio, the general of Alexander the Great, and it bad a chequered history during the wars of the successors of Alexander. In 03 D.C. it was conquered by the Homans. In the Xew Testament Damascus appears only in connection with the miraculous conversion of St. Paul, his escape from the city by being lowered in a basket over the wall, and his return thither after his retirement in Arabia. In 15ft B.C. Damascus, under Trojan, became a Homan provincial city.

On the establishment , of Christianity, Damascus became the sent of a hisliu]) who rnnked next to 1 he patriarch of Anlioeli, and the "rent temple of Damascus was turned into a Christian ehnreh. In (535 A.D. tlie city was eaptnrod for Islam hy

Khalid ibn Walid. After the murder of Ali, the fourth caliph, his successor transferred the caliphate from Mecca to Damascus. The crusaders attacked the city in 112(1, but never succeeded in keeping a firm hold of it. It was (he headquarters of Sain din in the wars with the Franks. It was captured by the Mongols in 1200, and raided by Tammerlano in 1300. Following its conquest by the Turkish Sultan, Selim, in 151(5, it became a city of the Ottoman Empire, of which it has remained a part except for a short interval between .1832 and 1840, when it was in the hands of illohemet Ali, of Egypt. COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE. Damascus occupies an important commercial position, and is also of great importance from a religious point of view, as being the starting point of the pilgrimage from Syria to Mecca. Its chief manufactures are silk work, gold and silver ornaments, brass and copper work, and ornamental woodwork. The bazaars of Damascus are among the most famous of their kind. In the surrounding gardens walnuts, apricots, wheat, barley, and maize are grown. The climate is good; in winter there is often hard frost and much snow, and even in summer, with a day temperature of lOOdeg. F., the nights are always cool. Though still (he market of the nomads, the surer and cheaper sea route has almost destroyed the transit trade to which it once owed its wealth, and has even diminished the importance of the annual pilgrim caravan to '' l ’ceca. There is railway communication with the - ports of Beirut and Haifa, with Aleppo and with Hadjaz and 'Medina. Since 1907 the cijv has been lit by electricity, and has a system of electric Iramwavs.

At least one-third of the inhabitants are Mahommedans, and it is estimated that 10 per cent, are Orthodox Greek, 10 per cent. Jews, 5

per cent. Greek Catholics, 100 Roman Catholics, and about 1,000

Protestants