E'LATH. Tim modern.Akaltab, a seaport situ ated in the extreme south of ldumata, at the head of the (full of Akabab. Affording to Dent. ii. it was tine of the stations of the Israelites on the route from Egypt. It is probably a later desig nation of El-Pa•an ((:en, xiv. tf) and the same as Elah (Gen. xxxvi. 411. Other variant forms are Eloth and Elim. David captured it from the Edomites (11. Sam. viii. 1.1), and under Solomon it beeame an important naval station (I. Kings ix, 2111. Edom recovered its independence in the' of dehoram. hut subsequently Elath passed once more into the possession of Judah ? 11. Kings xiv. '221: again in n.e. 734, in the days of :kltz. it passed out of the hands of Judah. and this time permanently (IT. Kings xvi. ID. In the days of Eusebnis Elath was a town of mom inercial importance and carried on trade with such remote regions as India. At present noth ing remains of the aneient place but portions of the castle and heaps of ruins.
EL'BA (Gk. AithiNcia, Aitha/cia. Lat. R•a). A mountainous, unwooded island of the Medi terranean. attached to the Tuscan Province of Leghorn. Itzdy, five and one-half miles southwest of Piombino (q.v.). with which it has steamboat communieation twice daily (Al: Italy. E 5). It is eighteen miles heng.11'0111 to tell broad, and has an area of eighty-six highest point is Mount Capanne. 2350 feet. The climate is mild and healthful and the soil is fertile, but farming is neglected and grain and meat have to be imported. From ancient times
Elba has been famous for its iron ore, as is indicated by the name of the capital. Porto Ferrajo (iron porn. Most of the inhabitants of the island (population. in 1881, 23,9o7; in 19)1. 24,213) are employed in the iron industry. Other mineral products are copper, t in. lead, marble, granite, sandstone. and salt. Tunny and sardine fishing and the extraction of sea-salt are other important industries. To the world at large Elba is known as the residence of Napoleon niter his first abdication, from May 4. 1814. to February 26, 1815, when he escaped and returned to France, landing at Cannes. March 1. He enjo?ed full sovereignty over the island, with the title of Emperor and an income of 2.000,000 francs a year. During his stay he had the road built connerting Porto Longone with Porto Fer rajo. The villa San Martino that lie occupied still stands in Porto Ferralo between the forts Stella and Falcone, ereel•d by Cosimo I.. Duke of Florence. In the Middle Ages Elba was subject in turn to Pisa, Genoa. Sora. and Piom bino. After Napoleon departed the island was restored to Tuscany. Consult: L. Simonin. La Toscone et he ince tyrrhi(nienne (Paris, 18(i8) ; Fat ichi. Isola d'Elba (Florence, 1885).