Let's Go To Algiers!

Sometimes we forget: less than one hundred years ago, there were dozens of colonies - countries - owned by various European nations throughout the world.  "The White City of Algiers" by Lieut. Col. Gordon Casserly is the next article in the February, 1928, issue of the National Geographic magazine.

Temporarily, I was befuddled by this article's description of Algiers, "Not a century ago it was the haunt and headquarters of the cruelest, most bloodthirsty pirates that the world has ever seen; to-day it is a bright and beautiful city of modern France" (p. 206). Duh - I thought Algiers was in Turkey or Africa!  Back to Google maps: Algiers is indeed in Northern Africa, on the Mediterranean coast, in the country of Algieria.  (I'm learning so much in this travel blog quest of mine!)

Besides colonial rule, what else was different in Algieria in 1928?  There is a color photo of young girls working in carpet factories: "This work does not interfere with their education, for the simple reason that girls rarely receive any" (Color Plate II).  For boys' education, "The Koran replaces the three Rs (Color Plate IV).

Algiers has been an important port for thousands of years. Roman ruins still are found.  Spaniards built a fortress in the harbor in 1510.  The house of the current (1928) French admiral's house once belonged to the Turkish Commander.  The inner harbor was built by Christian slaves in 1518.

In the middle of this article is a 16-page section of color photos that are graced with veiled and unveiled women, men in flowing robes, desert scenes of sand and date palm trees.  And there's also a black-and-white photo of a live cobra and its snake charmer, "numerous in market places" (p. 229).

From our American perspective as a former colony, exploited by many countries, I can relate to the city of Algiers being ruled by the French.  It was only to be tolerated until the country could be reclaimed.  That didn't happen until 1963 after eight years of war.

To their credit, though, the French built roads in Algiers and "they introduced artesian wells to supplement the springs and surface wells of the oases" (Color Plate VII).

As viewed from the sea, Algiers is a beautiful, hilly, crowded city of white buildings. Lieut. Col. Casserly writes that it "lies between blue sea and green hill, like a pearl set among sapphires and emeralds in the Crown of France" (p. 232).  I tried to find out in what military he served but was unsuccessful.  I will look forward to reading more of this country of many nationalities with the long history as it unfolds.