now SCANDERIA, by Athenaeus called Χαρών, a city of Lower Egypt, and for a long time its capital. This city was built by Alexander the Great, soon after the overthrow of Tyre, about 338 years before Christ. It is situated on the Mediterranean, twelve miles west of that mouth of the Nile incidentally called Canopicum, and lies in long. 29° 54'. E. lat. 31° 10' N.

Alexander is said to have been induced to build this city on account of its affording a fine port, and being advantageously situated for trade. It realized his expectations; for it soon became the emporium, not only for merchandise, but also for all the arts and sciences of the Greeks. Alexandria, according to Strabo, was 30 stadia in length from east to west, and 7 or 8 stadia in breadth where narrowest. The circumference was about 70 stadia, or 9 miles; but Pliny, including no doubt the suburbs, reckons the circumference 15 miles. Lake Mareotis bathed its walls on the south, and the Mediterranean on the north. It was intersected lengthwise by straight parallel streets. This direction left a free passage to the northern wind, which alone conveys coolness and salubrity into Egypt. A street of 2000 feet wide began at the gate of the sea, and terminated at the gate of Canopus. It was decorated with magnificent houses, temples, and public buildings. In its extensive range, the eye was never tired with admiring the marble, the porphyry, and obelisks, which were destined at some future day to embellish Rome and Constantinople. The great street, the handsomest in the world, was intersected by another of the same breadth, which formed a square at their junction of half a league in circumference. From the middle of this great place the two gates were to be seen at once, and vessels arriving under full sail from the north and from the south.

A neck of land a mile in length (not an artificial mole, as some imagine) stretched from the continent to the isle of Pharos, and divided the great harbour into two. That which is to the northward preserved its name. A dike drawn from the island to the rock whereon was built the Pharos secured it from the westerly winds. The other was called Eunostos, or the Safe Return. The former is called at present the new, the latter the old harbour: a bridge that joins the mole to the city served for a communication between them. It was raised on lofty pillars sunk into the sea, and left a free passage for ships. The palace, which advanced beyond the promontory of Lochias, extended as far as the dike, and occupied more than a quarter of the city. Each of the Ptolemies added to its magnificence. It contained within its inclosure, the museum, an asylum for learned men, groves, and buildings worthy of royal majesty, and a temple where the body of Alexander was deposited in a golden coffin. The infamous Seleucus Ciloyofactes violated this monument, carried off the golden coffin, and put a glass one in its place. In the great harbour was the little island of Anti-Rhodes, where stood a theatre and a royal place of residence. Within the harbour of Eunostos was a smaller one called Kibotos, dug by the hand of man, which communicated with Lake Mareotis by a canal. Between this canal and the palace was the admirable temple of Serapis, and that of Neptune near the great place where the market was held. Alexandria extended likewise along the northern banks of the lake. Its eastern part presented to view the gymnasium, with its porticoes of more than 600 feet long, supported by several rows of marble pillars. Without the gate of Canopus was a spacious circus for the chariot races. Beyond that the suburb of Nicopolis ran along the sea-shore, and seemed a second Alexandria. A superb amphitheatre was built there, with a race-ground, for the celebration of the quinquennalia.

Such is the description left us of Alexandria by the ancients, and above all by Strabo.

The architect employed by Alexander in this undertaking was the celebrated Dinocrates, who had acquired so much reputation by rebuilding the temple of Diana at Ephesus. The city was first rendered populous by Ptolemy Soter, one of Alexander's captains, who, after the death of the Macedonian monarch, being appointed governor of Egypt, soon assumed the title of king, and took up his residence at Alexandria, about 304 years before Christ.

In the 30th year of Ptolemy Soter's reign, he took his son Ptolemy Philadelphus partner with him in the empire; and by this prince the city of Alexandria was much embellished. In the first year of his reign the famous watch-tower of Pharos was finished. It had been begun several years before by Ptolemy Soter; and, when finished, was looked upon as one of the wonders of the world. The same year, the islet of Pharos itself, originally seven furlongs distant from the peninsula, was joined to it by a causeway. This was the work of Dexiphanes, who completed it at the same time that his son put the last hand to the tower. The tower was a large square structure of white marble, on the top of which fires were kept constantly burning, for the direction of sailors. The building cost 800 talents; which, if Attic, amounted to L165,000; if Alexandrian, to twice that sum.

The architect employed in this famous structure fell upon the following contrivance to usurp the whole glory to himself. Being ordered to engrave upon it the following inscription,—"King PTOLEMY to the Gods the Saviours, for the benefit of Sailors,"—instead of the king's name he substituted his own, and then filling up the hollow of the marble with mortar, wrote upon it the above-mentioned inscription. In process of time, the mortar being worn off, the following inscription appeared:—"SOSTRATUS the CNIDIAN, the son of DEXIPHANES, to the Gods the Saviours, for the benefit of Sailors."

This year also was remarkable for the bringing of the image of Serapis from Pontus to Alexandria. It was set up in one of the suburbs of the city, called Rhacotis, where a temple was afterwards erected to his honour, suitable to the greatness of that stately metropolis, and called, from the god worshipped there, Serapeum. This structure, according to Ammianus Marcellinus, surpassed in beauty and magnificence all others in the world, except the Capitol at Rome. Within the verge of this temple was the famous Alexandrian library. It was founded by Ptolemy Soter, for the use of an academy he instituted in this city; and, by continual additions by his successors, became at last the finest library in the world, containing no fewer than 700,000 volumes. The method followed in collecting books for this library was to seize all those which were brought into Egypt by Greeks or other foreigners. The books were transcribed in the museum by persons appointed for that purpose: the copies were then delivered to the proprietors, and the originals laid up in the library. Ptolemy Euergetes, having borrowed from the Athenians the works of Sophocles, Euripides, and Æschylus, returned them only the copies, which he caused to be transcribed in as beautiful a manner as possible; presenting the Athenians at the same time with fifteen talents (upwards of L30,000 sterling) for the exchange.

As the museum was at first in that quarter of the city called Bruchion, near the royal palace, the library was placed there likewise; but when it came to contain 400,000 volumes, another library, within the Serapeum, was erected by way of supplement to it, and on that account called the daughter of the former. In this second library 300,000 volumes, in process of time, were deposited; and the two together contained the 700,000 volumes already mentioned. In the war carried on by Julius Caesar against the inhabitants of this city, the library in the Bruchion, with the 400,000 volumes it contained, was reduced to ashes. The library in the Serapeum, however, still remained; and here Cleopatra deposited 200,000 volumes of the Pergamean library, which Mark Antony presented her with. These, and others added from time to time, rendered the new library at Alexandria more numerous and considerable than the former; and though it was often plundered during the revolutions and troubles of the Roman empire, yet it was again and again repaired, and filled with the same number of books. For 293 years, Alexandria was held in subjection by the Ptolemies.

This city, as we have already observed, soon became extremely populous, and was embellished both by its own princes and the Romans; but, like most other noted cities of antiquity, it has been the seat of terrible massacres. About 141 years before Christ it was almost totally depopulated by Ptolemy Physcon. That barbarous monster, without the least provocation, gave free liberty to his guards to plunder his metropolis, and murder the inhabitants at their pleasure. The cruelties practised on this occasion cannot be expressed, and the few who escaped were so terrified that they fled into other countries. Upon this, Physcon, that he might not reign over empty houses, invited thither strangers from the neighbouring countries; by whom the city was repeopled, and soon recovered its former splendour. On this occasion many learned men, having been obliged to fly, proved the means of reviving learning in Greece, Asia Minor, and the islands of the Archipelago and other places, where it was almost totally lost.

The new inhabitants were not treated with much more kindness by Physcon than the old ones had been; for, on their complaining of his tyrannical behaviour, he resolved on a general massacre of the young men. Accordingly, when they were one day assembled in the gymnasium, or place of their public exercises, he ordered it to be set on fire; so that they all perished, either in the flames, or by the swords of his mercenaries, whom the tyrant had placed at all the avenues.

Though Julius Caesar was obliged to carry on a war for some time against this city, it seems not to have suffered much damage, except the burning of the library already mentioned. Before Caesar left Alexandria, in acknowledgement of the assistance he had received from the Jews, he confirmed all their privileges there, and even engraved his decree on a pillar of brass. This, however, did not prevent the massacre of 50,000 of them in this city, about the year of Christ 67.

The city of Alexandria seems to have fallen into decay soon after this, and to have forfeited many of its ancient privileges, though for what offence is not known; but when Adrian visited Egypt, about the year 141, it was almost totally ruined. He repaired both the public and private buildings, not only restoring the inhabitants to their ancient privileges, but heaping new favours upon them; for which they returned him their solemn thanks, and conferred upon him what honours they could while he was present; but as soon as he was gone, they published the most virulent and bitter lampoons against him.

The fickle and satirical humour of the Alexandrians was highly disliked by Adrian, though he inflicted no punishment upon them for it; but when they lampooned Caracalla, he did not let them escape so easily. That tyrant, in the year 215, when he visited their city, having become the subject of their foolish satires, ordered a general massacre by his numerous troops, who were dispersed all over the city. The inhuman order being given, all were murdered, without distinction of age or sex; so that in one night's time the whole city floated in blood, and every house was filled with carcasses. The monster who occasioned this had retired during the night to the temple of Serapis, to implore the protection of that deity; and, not yet satiated with slaughter, commanded the massacre to be continued all the next day; so that very few of the inhabitants remained. As if even this had not been sufficient, he stripped the city of all its ancient privileges; suppressed the academy; ordered all strangers who lived there to depart; and that the few who remained might not have the satisfaction of seeing one another, he cut off all communication of one street with another, by walls built for that purpose, and guarded by troops left there.

Notwithstanding this terrible disaster, Alexandria soon recovered its former splendour, as Caracalla was murdered a short time after. It was long esteemed the first city in the world, next to Rome; and we may judge of its magnificence, and the multitude of people contained in it, from the account of Diodorus Siculus, who relates, that in his time (44 years before Christ) Alexandria had on its rolls 300,000 free inhabitants. Mannert, a learned German writer, thinks the slaves must have been at least as numerous; and thus the city, in its flourishing periods, had contained not less than 600,000 inhabitants. Towards the middle of the sixth century, Amrou Ebn al Aas, Omar's general, took it by storm, after a siege of 14 months, and with the loss of 23,000 men. Heraclius, then emperor of Constantinople, did not send a single ship to its assistance. This prince affords an example very rare in history; he had displayed some vigour in the first year of his reign, and then suffered himself to be lulled into idleness and effeminacy. Awakened suddenly from his lethargy by the noise of the conquests of Cosroes, that scourge of the East, he put himself at the head of his armies, distinguished himself as a great captain from his very first campaign, laid waste Persia for seven years, and returned to his capital covered with laurels: he then became a theologian on the throne, lost all his energy, and amused himself the rest of his life with disputing upon monotheism, whilst the Arabs were robbing him of the finest provinces of the empire. Deaf to the cries of the unfortunate inhabitants of Alexandria, as he had been to those of the people of Jerusalem, who defended themselves for two years, he left them a sacrifice to the rising fortune of the indefatigable Amrou. All their intrepid youth perished with their arms in their hands.

The victor, astonished at his conquest, wrote to the caliph, "I have taken the city of the west. It is of an immense extent. I cannot describe to you how many wonders it contains. There are 4000 palaces, 4000 baths, 12,000 dealers in fresh oil, 12,000 gardeners, 40,000 Jews who pay tribute, 400 theatres or places of amusement."

At this time, according to the Arabian historians, Alexandria consisted of three cities, viz. Menna, or the port, which included Pharos and the neighbouring parts; Alexandria, properly so called, where the modern Scandera now stands; and Nikita, probably the Necropolis of Josephus and Strabo.

At that time John, surnamed the Grammarian, a famous Peripatetic philosopher, being in the city, and in high favour with Amrou Ebn al Aas, the Saracen general, begged of him the royal library. Amrou replied that it was not in his power to grant such a request; but that he would write to the caliph on that head, since, without knowing his pleasure, he dared not to dispose of a single book. He accordingly wrote to Omar, who was then caliph, acquainting him with the request of his friend; to which the ignorant tyrant replied, That if those books contained the same doctrine with the Koran, they could be of no use, since the Koran contained all necessary truths; but if they contained any thing contrary to that book, they ought not to be suffered; and, therefore, whatever their contents were, he ordered them to be destroyed. Pursuant to this order, they were distributed among the public baths, where, for the space of six months, they served to supply the fires of those places, of which there was an incredible number in Alexandria.

After the city was taken, Amrou thought proper to pursue the Greeks who had fled farther up the country; and therefore marched out of Alexandria, leaving but a very slender garrison in the place. The Greeks, who had before fled on board their ships, being apprized of this, returned on a sudden, surprised the town, and put all the Arabs they found therein to the sword; but Amrou, receiving advice of what had happened, suddenly returned, and drove them out of it with great slaughter: after which the Greeks were so intimidated, that he had nothing further to fear from them.—A few years after, however, Amrou being deprived of his government by the caliph Othman, the Egyptians were so much displeased with his dismissal, that they inclined to a revolt; and Constantine, the Greek emperor, having received intelligence of their disaffection, began to meditate the reduction of Alexandria. For this purpose he sent one Manuel, a eunuch, and his general, with a powerful army, to retake that place; which, by the assistance of the Greeks in the city, who kept a secret correspondence with the imperial forces while at sea, and joined them as soon as they had made a descent, he effected, without any considerable effusion of Christian blood. The caliph, now perceiving his mistake, immediately restored Amrou to his former dignity. This step was very agreeable to the natives, who, having had experience of the military skill and bravery of this renowned general, and apprehending that they should be called to an account by the Greeks for their former perfidious conduct, had petitioned Othman to send him again into Egypt.—Upon Amrou's arrival, therefore, at Alexandria, the Copts or natives, with the traitor Al-Mokawkas (who had formerly betrayed to Amrou the fortress of Mesr) at their head, not only joined him, but supplied him with all kinds of provisions, exciting him to attack the Greeks without delay. This he did; and, after a most obstinate dispute, which lasted several days, drove them into the town, where, for some time, they defended themselves with great bravery, and repelled the utmost efforts of the besiegers. This so exasperated Amrou, that he swore, if God enabled him to conquer the Greeks, he would throw down the walls of the city, and make it as easy of access as the house of a prostitute. Nor did he fail to execute his threat; for, having taken the town by storm, he quite dismantled it, entirely demolishing the walls and fortifications. The lives of the citizens, however, were spared, at least as far as lay in the general's power; but many of them were put to the sword by the soldiers on their first entrance. In one quarter particularly, Amrou found them butchering the Alexandrians with unrelenting barbarity; to which, however, by his seasonable interposition, he put a stop, and on that spot erected a mosque, which he called the mosque of mercy.

From this time Alexandria never recovered its former splendour. It continued under the dominion of the caliphs till the year 924, when it was taken by the Magrebians, two years after its great church had been destroyed by fire. This church was called by the Arabs Al Kaisaria, or Casarea, and had formerly been a pagan temple, erected in honour of Saturn by the famous Queen Cleopatra.

The city was soon after abandoned by the Magrebians; but in 928 they again made themselves masters of it. Their fleet being afterwards defeated by that belonging to the caliph, Abul Kasem the Magrebian general retired from Alexandria, leaving there only a garrison of 300 men; of which Thmail, the caliph's admiral, being apprized, he in a few days appeared before the town, and carried off the remainder of the inhabitants to an island of the Nile called Abukair. This was done to prevent Abul Kasem from meeting with any entertainment at Alexandria, in case he should think proper to return. According to Eutychius, above 200,000 of the miserable inhabitants perished this year.

What contributed to raise Alexandria to the extraordinary height of splendour it enjoyed for a long time, was its being the centre of commerce between the eastern and western parts of the world. It was with the view of becoming master of this lucrative trade that Alexander built this city, after having extirpated the Tyrians, who formerly engrossed all the East India traffic. Of the immense riches which that trade afforded, we may form an idea, from considering that the Romans accounted it a point of policy to oppress the Egyptians, especially the Alexandrians; and after the defeat of Zenobia, there was a single merchant of Alexandria, who, it is said, undertook to raise and pay an army out of the profits of his trade. The Greek emperors drew enormous tributes from Egypt, and yet the caliphs found their subjects in such good circumstances that they were able to screw up their revenues to 300,000,000 of crowns.

Though the revolutions which happened in the government of Egypt after it fell into the hands of the Mahometans frequently affected this city to a very great degree, yet still the excellence of its port, and the innumerable conveniences resulting from the East India trade, Alexandria.

to whomsoever were masters of Egypt, preserved it from total destruction, even when in the hands of the most barbarous nations. Thus, in the 13th century, when the European nations began to acquire a taste for the elegancies of life, the old mart of Alexandria began to revive; and the port, though far from recovering its former magnificence, grew once more famous by becoming the centre of commerce: but having fallen under the dominion of the Turks, and the passage round the Cape of Good Hope being discovered by the Portuguese in 1499, a fatal blow was given to the Alexandrian commerce, and the city thenceforward declined from its ancient greatness.

Alexandria, Modern. It now presents little more than half-ruined houses and rubbish, with a few fragments of those magnificent edifices by which it was once adorned. The estimates of its population have fluctuated remarkably, varying between 5000 and 20,000. Mr Madden, to whom we owe the most recent account (Travels in Turkey, 1829), states the number at 16,000, of whom 9000 are Arabs, 2000 Greeks, 2000 Franks (Europeans); the rest Jews, Copts, &c. The commerce of Alexandria is still extensive, as almost all the commodities imported into and exported from Egypt pass through its port. Both the British and French nations maintain consuls at Alexandria, and of the former nation there are nine considerable mercantile houses established there. The Jewish merchants are also numerous and wealthy; for, though subject to heavier impositions, they carry on their traffic with such economy, and have such a friendly understanding with the collectors of the customs, that they generally undersell Europeans. The late extensive exportation of cotton from Egypt has given an increased importance to Alexandria, and a considerable stir has been created by the naval expeditions equipped there by the pacha.

The present city is a kind of peninsula situated between the two ports. That to the westward was called by the ancients the Portus Ennostos, now the old port, and is by far the best; Turkish vessels only are allowed to anchor there: the other, called the new port, is for the Christians; at the extremity of one of the arms of which stood the famous Pharos. The new port, the only harbour for Europeans, is clogged up with sand, insomuch that in stormy weather ships are liable to bilge; and the bottom being also rocky, the cables soon chafe and part; so that one vessel driving against a second, and that against a third, they are perhaps all lost. Of this there was a fatal instance many years ago, when 42 vessels were dashed to pieces on the mole in a gale of wind from the north-west; and numbers have been since lost there at different times. If it be asked in Europe, why do they not repair the new port? the answer is, that in Turkey they destroy every thing, and repair nothing. The old harbour will be destroyed likewise, as the ballast of vessels has been continually thrown into it for the last 200 years. The spirit of the Turkish government is to ruin the labours of past ages, and destroy the hopes of future times, because ignorant despotism never considers tomorrow.

The country round Alexandria is entirely destitute of water. This must be brought from the Nile by the kalidj, or canal of 12 leagues, which conveys it thither every year at the time of the inundation. It fills the vaults or reservoirs dug under the ancient city, and this provision must serve till the next year. It is evident, therefore, that were a foreign power to take possession, the canal would be shut, and all supplies of water cut off. It is this canal alone which connects Alexandria with Egypt; for, from its situation without the Delta, and the nature of the soil, it really belongs to the deserts of Africa. Its environs are sandy, flat, and sterile, without trees and without houses; where we meet with nothing but the plant which yields the kali, and a row of palm-trees, which follows the course of the kalidj or canal. The famous tower of Pharos has long since been demolished, and a castle, called Farillon, built in its place. The causeway which joined the island to the continent is broken down, and its place supplied by a strong bridge of several arches.

Some parts of the old walls of the city are yet standing, and present a fine specimen of ancient masonry. They are flanked with large towers, about 200 paces distant from each other, with small towers in the middle. Below are magnificent casemates, which may serve for galleries to walk in. In the lower part of the towers is a large square hall, the roof of which is supported by thick columns of Thebaic stone. Above are several rooms, over which are platforms more than 20 paces square. The ancient reservoirs, vaulted with so much art, which extend under the whole town, remain almost entire at the end of 2000 years.

Of Caesar's palace there remain only a few porphyry pillars, and the front, which is almost entire, and very beautiful. The palace of Cleopatra was built upon the walls facing the port, having a gallery on the outside, supported by several fine columns. Not far from this palace are two obelisks, vulgarly called Cleopatra's Needles. They are of Thebaic stone, and covered with hieroglyphics. One is overturned, broken, and lying under the sand; the other is on its pedestal. These two obelisks, each of which is a single stone, are about 60 feet high, by seven feet square at the base. Denon, who went to Egypt along with the French army in 1798, supposed that these columns decorated the entrance of the palace of the Ptolemies, the ruins of which still exist at no great distance from the place of the obelisks. Towards the gate of Rosetta are five columns of marble, on the place formerly occupied by the porticoes of the gymnasium. The rest of the colonnade, the design of which was discoverable 100 years ago by Maillet, has since been destroyed by the barbarism of the Turks.

But what most engages the attention of travellers is the pillar of Pompey, as it is commonly called, situated at a quarter of a league from the southern gate. It is composed of red granite. The capital, which is Corinthian, with palm leaves, and not indented, is nine feet high. The shaft and the upper member of the base are of one piece of nearly 90 feet long and nine in diameter. The base is a square of about 15 feet on each side. This block of marble, 60 feet in circumference, rests on two layers of stone bound together with lead; which, however, has not prevented the Arabs from forcing out several of them, to search for an imaginary treasure. The whole column has been said to be 117 feet high, but the most recent and careful estimates do not make it exceed 95. It is perfectly well polished, and only a little shivered on the eastern side. Nothing can equal the majesty of this monument; seen from a distance, it overtops the town, and serves as a signal for vessels. On a nearer approach, it produces an astonishment mixed with awe. One can never be tired with admiring the beauty of the capital, the length of the shaft, or the extraordinary simplicity of the pedestal. This last has been somewhat damaged by the instruments of travellers, who are curious to possess a relic of this antiquity. The column was considered inaccessible, till it was scaled about half a century ago by the wild frolic of a party of English sailors, who conceived the project of emptying a bowl of punch on the top of this celebrated monument. Dexterously availing themselves of the movements of a paper kite, they succeeded in fastening a rope to the summit, by which they ascended, and performed this great achievement. They discovered a foot and ankle, the only remnant of a gigantic statue which had originally adorned it. It has since been rendered more accessible; and Mr Madden mentions an English lady who breakfasted and wrote a letter from this elevated position.

Learned men and travellers have made many fruitless attempts to discover in honour of what prince it was erected. The best informed have concluded that it could not be in honour of Pompey, since neither Strabo nor Diodorus Siculus has spoken of it. The Arabian Abul-feda, in his Description of Egypt, calls it the Pillar of Serenus. And history informs us that this emperor visited the city of Alexandria. Denon, on this subject, expresses himself as follows:—"After having observed that the column is very chaste both in style and execution; that the pedestal and capital are not formed of the same granite as the shaft; that their workmanship is heavy, and appears to be merely a rough draught; and that the foundations, made up of fragments, indicate a modern construction—it may be concluded that this monument is not antique, and that it may have been erected, either in the time of the Greek emperors or of the caliphs; since, if the capital and pedestal are of sufficiently good workmanship to belong to the former of these periods, they are not so perfect but that art may have reached so far in the latter."

On the south-west side of the city, at a mile's distance, are situated the catacombs, the ancient burial-place of Alexandria; a remarkable object, although they cannot be compared to those of the ancient Thebes. The Baron de Tott, in describing these, observes "that Nature not having furnished this part of Egypt with a ridge of rocks, like that which runs parallel with the Nile above Delta, the ancient inhabitants of Alexandria could only have an imitation by digging into a bed of solid rock; and thus they formed a Necropolis, or City of the Dead. The excavation is from 30 to 40 feet wide, 200 long, and 25 deep, and is terminated by gentle declivities at each end. The two sides, cut perpendicularly, contain several openings, about 10 or 12 feet in width and height, hollowed horizontally; and which form, by their different branches, subterranean streets. One of these, which curiosity has disencumbered from the ruins and sands that render the entrance of others difficult or impossible, contains no mummies, but only the places they occupied. The order in which they were ranged is still to be seen. Niches, 20 inches square, sunk six feet horizontally, narrowed at the bottom, and separated from each other by partitions in the rock seven or eight inches thick, divided into checkers the two walls of this subterranean vault. It is natural to suppose, from this disposition, that each mummy was introduced with the feet foremost into the cell intended for its reception; and that new streets were opened, in proportion as these dead inhabitants of Necropolis increased." This observation, he adds, which throws a light on the catacombs of Memphis, may perhaps likewise explain the vast size and multitude, as well as the different elevations, of the pyramids in Upper and Lower Egypt.

About 70 paces from Pompey's pillar is the khali, or the canal of the Nile, which was dug by the ancient Egyptians, to convey the water of the Nile to Alexandria, and fill the cisterns under the city. This canal had ceased altogether to be navigable, till Mahmood, the present pacha, spent immense labour and cost in restoring it. Unfortunately, the Italian engineers whom he employed were entirely destitute of the skill necessary to conduct Alexandria so great and arduous an undertaking. They took no measures to protect the canal against the fresh influx of mud from the Nile, which accordingly has again choked it up to so great an extent, that it can scarcely be navigated, unless during the season of inundation.

Alexandria, in modern times, has never ranked as a fortress, and is considered by Volney as incapable of any defence. Accordingly, when attacked by Buonaparte in 1798, it surrendered without a blow. The French were very industrious in forming the place, if not into a regular fortress, yet into a very strong entrenched position. They appear to have succeeded. In 1801 Sir Ralph Abercromby undertook his memorable expedition. On the 18th and 21st March he gained, in the plain before Alexandria, two successive victories, of which the last was most complete and signal, though purchased by the life of the distinguished commander. Yet it was still not considered possible to carry Alexandria, unless by regular siege; the conclusion of which, on the 2d September, was accompanied by a general convention for the evacuation of Egypt by the French armies.

In 1806 a British force under General Frazer landed and took possession of Alexandria without resistance; but being repulsed in two successive attempts upon Rosetta, they finally evacuated it on the 21st June 1807.

Alexandria is about 40 leagues north-west of Cairo. Long. 30. 10. E. Lat. 31. 12. N.

Alexandria, a circle in the western part of the government of Cherson. It is watered by the Dnieper, and is fruitful in corn and cattle; but to the south it consists chiefly of barren steppes. It contains one city and 165 villages, with 24 churches or parishes, and 21,000 inhabitants.

Alexandria, a city of Russia, capital of the circle of that name in the province of Cherson. It is situated on the river Inguler, and contains 170 houses and 870 inhabitants. Great quantities of maize are grown in the neighbourhood; and the sheep are of the broad-tailed kind, like those of the Cape of Good Hope. Long. 33. 3. E. Lat. 48. 22. N.

Alexandria, in Ancient Geography, a city of Arachosia, called also Alexandropolis, on the river Arachotus (Stephanus, Isidorus Characenus).—Another Alexandria in Gedrosia, built by Leonatus by order of Alexander (Pliny).—A third Alexandria in Arià, situated at the lake Arias (Ptolemy); but, according to Pliny, built by Alexander on the river Arius.—A fourth in Bactriana (Pliny).—A fifth Alexandria, an inland town of Caramania (Pliny, Ptolemy, Ammian.)—A sixth Alexandria, or Alexandropolis, in Sogdiana (Isidorus Characenus).—A seventh in India, at the confluence of the Acesines and Indus (Arrian).—An eighth, called also Alexandretta, near the Sinus Issicus, on the confines of Syria and Cilicia; now Scanderoon (see Alexandretta), the port town to Aleppo.—A ninth Alexandria of Margiana, which being demolished by the barbarians, was rebuilt by Antiochus the son of Seleucus, and called Antiochia of Syria (Pliny); watered by the river Margus, which is divided into several channels, for the purpose of watering the country which was called Zotala. The city was seventy stadia in circuit, according to Pliny; who adds, that after the defeat of Crassus, the captives were conveyed to this place by Orodès, the king of the Parthians.—A tenth, of the Oxiana, built on the Oxus by Alexander, on the confines of Bactria (Pliny).—An eleventh, built by Alexander at the foot of Mount Paropamisus, which was called Caucasia (Pliny, Arrian).—A twelfth Alexandria in Troas, called also Troas and Antigonia (Pliny).—A thirteenth on the Jaxartes, the boundary of Alexander's victories towards Scythia, and the last that he built on that side.