Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/545

 From the head of the delta the network of railways is continued along the right bank of the Nile southwards to Siut. For the purpose of forwarding troope, and other military purposes, the late Khedive had also caused other lines to be constructed still farther south, which at one time the English intended to carry as far as Dongola. All the sugar plantations, both in Upper Egypt and in the delta, have also their special system of narrow-gauge lines connected with the general network. Amongst the projected lines there are several which, when carried out, will place the whole of the Nile Valley in direct railway communica- tion with the ports of the Red Sea. .

The telegraph has preceded the locomotive in every direction, and a few years

ago had already been extended across the desert southwards to the equatorial regions. But the small number of private messages, as well as the low proportion of postal correspondence, less than one letter per head of the population, shows that, apart from the Government officials, little use is made of these means of correspondence except by Europeans and other strangers domiciled in Egypt.

Speaking generally, the trade of Egypt is relatively more developed than that of several European countries. Calculated by the number of inhabitants, it amounts to nearly half the commerce of France, while even exceeding it in the relative movement of the shipping in the ports of the Mediterranean and Red Sea. Even before taking possession of the country, England held the first position in this respect, about forty-five per cent. of the gross tonnage of all vessels frequenting