TRIP'OLI, or Truroms (in its modern Arabic form, Tart/but/is), the ancient Tripoli's, a sea-port, and one of the chief commercial towns of Syria, capital of a pashalie in the cyalet or .government of Sidon, is situated near the coast, on the eastern border of a small triangnlar plain running out into the Mediterranean, and on both sides of the river Karlisha. The town is substantially built of stone, with many remains of mediaeval architecture, and is supplied with excellent water by an aqueduct. It is surrounded by gardens of orange, lemon, mulberry, apricot, and other fruit trees, which are planted also in the town itself, and give the place a rich and picturesque appearance; but the low marshy neighborhood renders the place unhealthy. On the lett side of the river stands the castle built by count Raymond of Toulouse, in the 12th c. when the city was taken by the crusaders. At the n.w. apex of the plain already mentioned lies the port of Tripoli, called Ll•Mina (the landing-place), or the Marina, a small fishing-village about 1+ in. distant from the too n. 'I he ha•bor—like other harbors ou the Syrian
coast, scarcely deserving of the name—is formed by a line of low rocky islets stretching n.w. from the point. The trade of the place has of late much declined, being super seded by that of Beirut; its exports now cousist chiefly of silk, sponges, and tobacco; there arc also manufactures of soap. Pop. variously stated at 13,000 and 21000. and consisting of Mohammedans and Greek Christians. It is the see of a Greek bishop. Tripoli is regularly visited by the steamers of the French Messagcries. • The ancient city of Tripoli was situated on the plain where immense numbers of granite shafts and other relies of antiquity are still found. Its name (the Three Cities, or the Triple City) was derived from the circumstance of its being founded by the cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Aradus, as an entrcpot for trade, and a point of federal union. It was for many centuries it place of great commercial importance.