linked up with the French Beirut—Mzerib line by short branches at Damascus and Mzerib.
Some portions of these railways have been more or less dismantled during the war, viz., the line between Alexandretta and Erzin on the branch of the Baghdad Railway, the Damascus-Mzerib section, the TripoliHoms line, the Jaffa-Jerusalem line between Jaffa and Ramle, and the Deraa-Ma'an section, and the greater portion of the Deraa-Bosra eski Sham section on the Hejaz main line. This last has been partly destroyed by the British Army, while the Alexandretta —Toprak Kale line has also been bombarded by the Allies.
4. Strategic railways built by the British Army. These consist of the following:—
(a) The extension of the Kantara—Rafa line along the coast viá Gaza and Sukereir to Ludd on the Jaffa-Jerusalem line: approximately 102 km.
(b) A branch line from Rafa to Bir es-Seba: 60 km.
(c) Ludd—Tulkeram, 44 km. This line was built practically along the old Turkish 3 ft. 5½ in. gauge line which has been dismantled.
(d) Tulkeram—Haifa, 67 km. This runs along the old Turkish railway alignment as far as El-Mejdel.
(e) The line from Ludd to Jerusalem has been altered from the Turkish 3 ft. 5 in. gauge to the standard gauge.
All the railways are single track, and burn coal or patent fuel.
Local electric tramways have been installed at Beirut and Damascus, but have so far been unremunerative, apparently owing largely to the excessive cost of the concessions. Similar systems have been planned at Aleppo, Jerusalem, and Jaffa. A horse-tramway owned by a native company connects the town of Tripoli with its harbour of El-Mina, 2 km. distant.
