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towns. Such was Carthagena, at present the naval arsenal and 
station for the Spanish Mediterranean fleet. Such were Cadiz, the 
largest Spanish port on the Atlantic, and Port Mahon in Minorca. 
All these were Carthaginian settlements, and their present import- 
ance still attests the clever foresight of their ancient founders. 
But it is to Carthage itself that I would specially direct 
attention. Like all Phoenician colonies, she was situated on 
something of the nature of a peninsula—on a promontory, standing © 
far out into the centre of the Mediterranean. And when we have 
named this, we have named all her apparent advantages for 
commerce. Her country was the present regency of Tunis, and 
perhaps a part of Algeria—a land by no means extraordinarily 
gifted with productions to interchange with those of other regions. 
At the present moment its exports are less than any other country 
on the north coast of Africa. Something may be due to bad 
government, but a deficiency of water prevents any extensive 
agriculture, and the Sahara, a bare and almost pathless desert of 
four thousand miles, to the south cuts her off from the centre of 
the continent. 
For a large commercial town to exist, there must be some 
important inland region which supplies its productions and super- 
fluities to be interchanged against those of other lands. In the 
case of Carthage this law would appear to fail. Yet in very 
ancient times, Carthage was indisputably rich and prosperous. She 
waged long wars with Greeks for the possession of Sicily—wars, in 
which were fought battles of first-rate importance—wars, in which 
were engaged fleets so large, as could only be furnished by a state, 
not only of great maritime power, but also of great internal 
resources. 
She afterwards waged three long wars extending over one 
hundred and fifteen years with Rome, then mistress of all south of 
the Alps, i.e. of what is now the modern Italy, for the supremacy 
of the western world. She was mistress of the European Peninsula, 
the present Spain and Portugal, and much of the south of France. 
She held Sardinia, Corsica, Malta, and the Balearic Islands, and 
only submitted to Rome after a struggle, illustrated by numberless 
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