Correspondence

A LETTER FROM DAMASCUS.

fro the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Apricot, almond and peach blossom predominate, and encircle the city like a necklace of pearls. The willow, walnut, and poplar trees are becoming a vivid green in striking contrast to the silvery olive trees. To the west towers Mount Hermon capped ,with snow.

Since the Great War many ,changes have been made in the city. Under the French Mandate steady progress has been made, except during the Arab rebellion four yeari ago. Parts of the city have been opened up, thoroughfares widened, awkward corners improved Where if was possible without destroying the picturesqueness of the situation:

Old, rickety bridges which spanned the River Abana (modem name Barrada) have been removed and replaced by wide, modem structures. All pre-War existing roads leading to the city have been remade and widened and made possible for motor traffic.

An excellent asphalt road runs over the Auti Lebanon and Lebanon mountains to Beyrout, a distance of seventy miles. New roads have been made, well planned and engineered, making vehicle traffic possible to many of the out-of-the-way villages. The road leading to Palestine in the south and to Aleppo in the north are both good. Cars and taxis, mostly American manufacture, can be hired at reasonable charges. Buses, old Fords, dilapidated wagons ply for hire to the villages around. Instead of the picturesque groups seen a few years ago of mounted riders three deep on a horse, or a woman in gay village dress seated on a donkey, with one child in her arms, another seated behind her and one in each saddlebag, they are now conveyed quickly and cheaply in one of these conveyances. It is possible now to reach almost any part of Syria by motor car.

The motor route across the Syrian desert is a popular one. The Nairn Eastern Transport Company, Limited, run regular services twice weekly, apart from convoys at irregular times. Passengers are taken over in comfortable six-wheeled buses and cars, with British drivers. They leave Damascus at 7 a.m. and reach Bagdad the following morning. A journey of five hundred and forty-five miles is now done in twenty- four hours which previously took the same number of days by caravan. This up-to-date convoy is a striking contrast to the old method when the desert route was the highway to Persia and India. The company have an attractive rest-house halfway across, where comfortable beds, acceptable food and rest can be enjoyed. A newspaper reports to-day that the first aeroplane of a service which is being inaugurated by the French, for mails and passengers between Damascus and Bagdad, made the journey two days ago successfully in four and a half hours.

The political situation is brighter than it was. The President of Damascus is Taj-cd-deen, a son of the most revered member of the Mohammedan community. Mohammedans form the bulk of the population.

There is an excellent scheme for a more liberal water Supply nearing completion. The water will be brought into the city by pipes from a source of the Abana, about sixteen miles distant. The Damascene revels in running water and, like Nauman, he thinks the Abana superior to other rivers, The same source supplies the power for the electric lighting of the city and for the running of the tramcars.

There are few antiquitiei or buildings worthy of mention. The Great Mosque, which was formerly a Christian church built late in the fourth century, stands probably on the Original site of a heathen temple, possibly the house of Rimmon ; it is well worth seeing. The tomb of Saladin is close beside the mosque and is revered to this day. The Palais Azam is interesting as being typical of old Arab architecture and decoration.

Some of the old industries for which Damascus was long famed still exist and are carried on by the same primitive methods, brasswork, inlaid with silver and copper, carved woodwork inlaid with mother-of-pearl or contrasting slmdes of wood, embroideries, and hand-loom-made silks. Rugs are imported from various parts of Asia. These industries are sustained by the export trade.

Houses arc being built, mostly blocks of flats. The old style of Arab building with open court, which as a family residence accommodated each male member even after he had taken to himself a bride is no longer popular ; perhaps the modem bride is not so amenable as her mother was to the frequently tyrannical regime of the mother-in-law ! The new arrangement certainly makes for more domestic happiness.

The larger shops are adopting Western methods of business ; even " sales " are in vogue, and "bargains " can be had. One Moslem firni now displays Christmas presents and a tree at that season.

Many. of the native women have adopted European dress, The Mohammedans still wear the veil, but it is gradually getting more transparent

The people are no more advanced in education. Those who are educated have either been to Europe or one of On mission schools or colleges. The Turks provided no means of education. Now there are Government schools for all children.

There is just springing into being a faint national feeling which was absent during the Turkish rule.

Any modern methods employed have been adopted, not evolved, by the people, and are used in a more mechanical than intelligent 'sense.

Syria has no modern literature, music, or drama.

The most valued British property here is the British war cemetery where just over six hundred of our soldiers are buried. It is situated in a peaceful spot in the open country two miles south of the city, close to the road leading to Palestine. British tourists when travelling that way would be well advised to take a look at the last resting place of their fellow-countrymen, to whom we all owe so much, and as opportunity occurs make known to the relatives of these trier the beautiful condition in which these graves are maintained. —I am, Sir, &c.,

YOUR CORRESPONDENT IN DANIASCUN.