TRIPOLI (the ancient Ba), the capital of the above state, stands on a low rocky promontory stretching out
into the Mediterranean.—Lat. (of castle) 32. 53. 56. N.; Long. 13. 10. 58. E. The town is surrounded by high walls strengthened by several bastions, and is entered by two gates, to the east and south. It is of a very irregular shape, and is about 1360 yards in extreme length, and about 1000 yards in greatest width. As seen from the sea it has a semicircular appearance; and the extreme whiteness of its square flat buildings, covered with lime, which in this climate encounters the sun's fiercest rays, is very striking. Internally the streets are narrow and irregular, the houses generally mean, and many of the buildings have a very dilapidated appearance, while here and there immense heaps of rubbish are to be met with. The town, however, has a character for cleanliness; and the police are said to be in so efficient a state, that acts of violence are never committed in the streets. The castle or royal palace in which the pasha resides is at the east end of the town, within the walls. From the numerous buildings which have at various times been added to it to receive the junior branches of the royal family, it has lost all symmetry, and has now the appearance of a little irregular town. The caravanserais, mosques, and some of the principal houses, are usually built of stone, and regularly white-washed twice a year; the dwellings of the lower orders are of earth, small stones, and mortar. Tripoli contains twelve mosques, six of which are of the first order,—the principal or grand mosque is a very handsome and stately building. The roof is composed of numerous small cupolas, and supported by sixteen Doric marble columns. The mosques are in general surrounded by plantations of Indian figs and date trees. The Jews have three synagogues, and the Christians have two or three places of worship. The bazaars are large, and one of them is devoted to traffic in slaves brought from the interior of Africa. The baths add considerably to the picturesque appearance of the town from their clusters of cupolas which occur in different parts. Near the seagate of the town stands a magnificent triumphal arch, erected in 164 to the emperors M. Aurelius Antoninus and L. Aurelius Verus. It is built of huge blocks without cement, and though half sunk in sand, its upper part is still in good preservation. East of the town is the site of the ancient cemetery, where various remains of antiquity have been discovered. The harbour is safe and commodious for vessels whose draught of water does not exceed 18 feet. It is formed by a long reef of rocks running out to the north-east, and by other reefs at some distance to the east. For the trade of the port see previous article. Pop. about 15,000.