EN FOUFE TO DAMASCUS.

A THOUSAND TURKS CAPTURED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received October 2, 12J55 p.m.) ' NEW YORK, October 1.. , Tlie British and Australians captured a thousand Turks atid fifty guns «a ' route to Damascus. . ,

Beyrout (or Beirut) is a flourishiug town dn the coast of Syria, and at the foot of Lebanon, 53 miles from Damascus and 147 from Jewisalem. "ylt- is a great seaport, and emporium of most of the trade with the Chores of Syria, Palestine jind; Cilicia, with a regular service before the • war of Egyptian, French, / British and 1 other steamctt£. The; roadstead is full of sandbanks aiid large ships cannot approach within half <a mile of the shore, but shelter is found during stormy weather m the Beyrout river, about three miles from the town. In 1863 a Frenoh company completed a gxx)d road to Damascus,, and m 1805 a railway (across Lebanan) to Damascus was completed. Beyrout is an episcopal j see of Greek and Maronites, and has patholic and Protestant missions, with an American qiollege. 'Of 125,000 inliabitants only 30 per cent, were Mohammedans and some 6000 were Europeans. : Damascus is the capital: of Syria, and ( the largest town m Western Asia^ Thd city stands one and a half miles *from '. the mouth of the gorge ; through which the Bavada forces its way into ., the plain; and is 70. miles east-south-east of Beyrout, on the Meditenanean and 120 milesi north-east of Acre,- -to both, of whusW railways were opened m 1895. It is s-tua,ted on the western side of the : plain SQQ square miles m \ area, and at an. elevation of 2260 feet ab6ve the sea, and immediately to the north-west of the city the Ante-Lebanus rises to a height .of 3840 ft. This elevated pai-t of tha mountain, called Jebul Casyun, is crown(kt by the Kubbert-en-Nasr (Dome of Victory), from whose base the best view 1 , of Damascus is obtained. Tlie seven finals by wlvch \rater ig. di-awn off from the central Baradia are oaJled rivers, two of tern tlw Abana and Pharfar 6f Scripture. The aippearance of Damascus as viewe^! fi^m the mountain" resembles a tennis racquet. The handle, which lies m a, S.W.\ dii'ection, is the Medin, a.; suburb which ejetends alon^ the Mecca pilgrim route for about a nude and ends «,t the Bawabat Alia (Gate of God). The' other part is concentrated on the rivers and is enidosed, within ancient walls and ejicpmpassed by luxvriant gardens. At the Avestern side of tlie city/witihiii the walls, stands the Citadel. .It is" a large, nioated quadrangular: structure 300 yds long ,'■ and 250 yards wide, yrith projecting' towers.- 'It ,w/as', erected .m 1219". arid- haß a massive appearance, but it is a good deal dilapidated. Tlie pailace stands outside of they walls vrjsl bi the Citadel, and 400 yds; . east of the Citadel there toweled abova the . city 'the ; Great Mosque> destroyed, by fire m October; 1893. • - : J^amoscus 1 contains 70/ other moßqueß and more, than 160 ohfvpels for prayer and insti-uctibn. The- tomb of Nur-ed- ; Din. is one of the ornaments' of the city ; the best batlis. are decorated 1 witi* beautiful tMes and marble. The Jewish quarter Mes; to the south of the '^Streiet called 1 Straight," which rui:^. e^ist and West for about a^^ mile with,, Roman galleries .at either end. v The Christian' qatarter lies north 1 ; of tlie Street caJled Straight m th© eastern bf th^e city. The. different 'industries aa*e also earned on m h^pa'ra'Ui 'quarters, thorie beirtg> bazaai-s with silversmiths, saddlers, shoemakers. ]-etc. Damascus, is a meeting place between the East and West; arid enormous caravans of camels pass to arid^ f rp between it and Bagdad', ex<jhanging , '.thei> date,,' tobacco, spiceSi and carpets of j tjiQ : East for the pro/duce "of !;.- the i.'".' looms, and workr. ! shoiw. ••'••■' of :' Europe. Its"' chiefs exports \rere grain, ./ flour," native cotton aiid" silk . ni'^nufactures, wool, • apricot paste, .a-hdliquozice/i-opt: The' iwpulatibn^^ before < the .-;war was 170,000, of whom 20,000 were Christians ,(32,000 before, -the: great, massacre ; : of July, 1860) i 6000 Jeivikand 1 tlie l-est Moham. medans. : ; ■■•.,-., - •.:. ••, ': •.' ■..'■ \ ..■ ,■ ■: .'