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Countries of the World: Cairo

ARMY AND NAVY. -The army is raised by conscription, but the inhabitants of Cairo and Alexandria are excepted. The number of men varies with the exigencies of the service and the state of the finances. At the close of the Russo-Turkish war, in which Egypt participated, the army was reduced to 15,000 men. officers are Frenchmen and Americans. The navy comprises 11 vessels. Many of the PRINCIPAL CITIES. -The leading cities of Egypt proper are Cairo, the capital, Damietta, Rosetta, Port Said, Suez, Tantah, Zagazig, Sioot, and Damanhoor. Cairo has a population of nearly 350,000 , is the chief centre of Mohammedan learning, the terminus of several railways, and contains many beautiful mosques and old residences of great elegance. One of the universities here has over 11,000 students. The city contains several manufactories, and it is the entrepot of the Central African trade. Damietta is 8 m. from the sea, and 113 m. N.-E. of Cairo. It contains 30,000 inhabitants. Port Said, at the Mediterranean entrance to the Suez Canal, contains 9000 inhabitants. Suez is near the head of the Gulf of Suez, and contains about 13,000 inhabitants. It has always been a place of extensive transit trade.

ANTIQUITIES.-The antiquities of this ancient land are many and of great value to the student of history. In nearly every portion of Egypt monuments or works of art are student of history.

In nearly every portion of Egypt monuments or works of art are found. Among the interesting remains are the pyramids. Of these, three are at El-Geezeh. Two of these exceed all the others in magnitude. Then there are three more, but smaller, at Aboo-Seer, and still farther S., the great pyramid of Sakkarah (so-called from its form-that of steps) and smaller pyramids in the neighorhood. Farther still are the pyramids of Dashoor.