Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/603

Rh ALGERIA 565 In that portion of the district included in the province of Algiers the quantity of fruit gathered is estimated at over 100,000,000 Ib. At present not much attention is given to this article of produc tion ; but there can be no doubt that with more care and attention Algeria might become one of the best olive-producing countries in the world. Oranges are grown to a considerable extent, and the trade in this article is increasing. The vine is cultivated ; but the produce is chiefly for home consumption, and it has scarcely yet become an article of export. In the province of Algiers in 1868 about 1,350,000 gallons of wine were produced. During the same year the exportation of cork from the colony amounted to 63,932. The most important fibre is the crin vegetal, or vegetable horse hair, produced from the dwarf palm (Chamccrops humilis), with which a vast proportion of the uncultivated parts of the country is covered. Throughout the entire colony, fibre to the value of 89,332 was exported in 1868. The alpha fibre or esparto grass of Oran ranks next in importance, and is largely used in the manufacture of paper. During the American war the cultivation of cotton was extensively carried on, but since the close of the war it has very much fallen off. Flax is cultivated to a considerable extent in some parts. The rear ing cf the silk-worm is also prosecuted. Minerals. Although the mineral wealth of Algeria is enormous, mining operations have not hitherto been carried on very extensively. The most important mineral products are iron, copper, lead, mercury, and antimony. During 1S68 the iron mines in the province of Constantine turned out about 240,000 tons of ore, valued at 486,072, being an increase of 185,532 as compared with the pre ceding year. Nearly the whole of this was from the mine of A in Mokra or Mokhta-el-Hadid, which yields on an average 200,000 tons of ore per annum. The ore contains 65 per cent, of the metal. Lead ore to the value of 125,745 was exported during that year. Trade. The trade of Algeria has very much increased since it became a French colony. The imports, which in 1831 amounted to only 280,000, rose to 1,600,000 in 1844, to 3,249,377 in 1854, and to nearly 4,500,000 in 1863. The exports, however, have not grown in proportion ; and during the ten years preceding 1863 they never exceeded from 1 to 2 millions sterling. In 1865 an Art declared the navigation not only between France and Algeria but also between Algeria and foreign countries open to all nations, and abolished various oppressive taxes affecting foreign shipping. The following year these privileges were extended : the coasting trade was thrown open and free navigation permitted, tonnage duties on foreign shipping were abolished, and raw manufactured goods enter ing France free of duty had the same advantage conceded to them in Algeria. Algerian products might enter France free of duty, and the same privilege was accorded to French products in Algeria, sugar excepted. In 1868 the imports amounted to 7,706,574, v.-hich was an increase of 199,494 over the previous year. The proportions received from the ditl erent countries were France, 75 percent.; Turkey, 8 44; Russia, 4 29; Spain, 3 99; Great Britain, 3 - 54; Italy, 2 - 56; Barbary States, 1 &quot;40. The imports from Turkey and Russia are exceptionally high, owing to the necessity of obtain ing grain supplies from these countries in consequence of a failure in the crops. The principal ports of import were Algiers, 40 - 43 per cent.; Oran, 33 33; Philippcville, 15 04; Bona, 7 01; Mosta- gaiiem, 2 33. In 1869 the imports amounted to 7,332,192, and in 1870 to 6,907,628. The principal imports are cotton goods, wines, spirits, sugar, glass, crystal, cheese, salt-fish, soap, &c. The total value of the exports during 18C8 amounted to 4,122,772, being an increase of 236,293 as compared with 18G7. The propor tions sent to the different countries were France, 79 &quot;20 per cent. ; Spain, 11-68; Great Britain, .VS4; Italy, 1 80. The principal exports are sheep, oxen, skins, wool, tobacco, flour, fresh and dried vegetables, olive-oil, flax, cotton, ores, crin vegetal. In 1869 the total exports amounted to 4,438,045, and in 1870 to 4,978,250. The overland trade between Algeria and its neighbours, Marocco and Tunis, now begins to assume some importance. The number of vessels that entered and left the various ports in 18G8 was 8740, of an aggregate burden of 1,664,513 tons, and manned by 16,173 men. This is an increase over the previous year of 18 40 per cent, as regards the number of ships, and of 12 63 per cent, as regards the tonnage. As engaged in the direct trade with Britain, there entered 99 British vessels with an aggregate of 17,940 tons, and cleared 109 British vessels with an aggregate of 12,523 tons. Besides these there were British vessels engaged in the direct or carrying trade with other countries, of which entered 125 with an aggregate burden of 14,972 tons, and cleared 106 with an aggregate of 19,960 tons. The number of British vessels trading at the four principal ports, namely, Algiers, Oran, Bona, and Philippcville in 1872 was as follows: direct, entered, 171 tonnage, 60,285 ; left, 251 tonnage, 76,973; indirect, entered, 170 tonnage, 79,454; left, 125 tonnage, 63,645. Daring that year 1595 vessels of 3,746,130 tons entered, and 1587 vessels of 376,402 tons cleared, at the port of Algiers. The most important articles of export, as far as British trade is concerned, are crin vegetal and alpha fibre. During the first nine months of 1872 about 6000 tons of the former were exported from the port of Algiers alone; and about 60,000 tons of the latter from the whole colony, chiefly from Oran. Some idea of the rapidly advancing commercial prosperity of Algeria may be gathered from the fact that the amount of sums discounted at the Bank of Algeria (which was established in 1851) had risen from 3,900,130 in 1866-7 to 8,131,535 in 1871-2. Much has been done, particu larly of late years, in the way of opening up the country and de veloping its resources. Roads have been formed and bridges built in various parts, harbours have been improved, and lighthouses erected. There are now 374 miles of railway open for traffic, forming a line from Algiers to Oran and one from Philippeville to Constantine. In early times this country was inhabited by two nations, Histo; the Massyli and the Massaesyli. During the struggle be tween Hannibal and the Romans, Syphax, the prince of the Masscesyli, espoused the cause of the former, and Massinissa, the prince of the Massyli, that of the latter. On the defeat of the Carthaginians the territories of Syphax were annexed to those of Masinissa, who received the title of King of Numidia. During the Roman civil war, Juba, king of Numidia, sided with Pompey, and being defeated by Caesar, his kingdom became a Roman province. Under the Romans the country enjoyed a great degree of pros perity. Agriculture was encouraged, commerce extended, roads were formed, and towns sprang up. Christianity, too, was early introduced and flourished. This state of things, however, received a severe check when the Romans were driven out of Africa by the Vandals about the middle of the 5th century. These in turn were expelled by Belisarius, Justinian s general, in 533. About the middle of the 7th century the Saracens made themselves masters of the country, which came afterwards to be divided into a num ber of petty states under independent chiefs, and the people sank into a state of barbarism. About the middle of the llth century Abdallah-ben-Yazim, a learned Arab, formed a numerous sect of religionists, known as Morabites, who overran the country, subdued many of the petty chiefs, and laid the foundation of the dynasty of the Almoravides. That dynasty reigned for nearly a hundred years, and at one time nearly the whole of Barbary and a great part of Spain were under their government. They were succeeded by the dynasty of the Almohades, who reigned over the region till 1273, when it was again split up into a number of small states. In 1505, Ferdinand, king of Spain, sent a powerful fleet and army against the country, under the Count of Navarre, who soon made himself master of Oran, Bugia, and other towns, and finally, in 1509, took the town of Algiers. The Spanish rule, however, was very distasteful to the Algerines; and on hearing of the death of Ferdinand, in 1516, one of the native princes sent an embassy to Aruch Barbarossa, the famous Turkish pirate, requesting his aid against the invaders. This was readily granted; and no sooner had he established himself in the country than he murdered the prince and caused himself to be proclaimed king in his room. He introduced that system of piracy for which Algeria was afterwards noted down to 1830. By force and treachery he extended his dominion over other parts of the country, till at length the Spaniards marched a large army against him from Oran, and being joined by many of the natives, defeated him in various engagements, took him prisoner, and beheaded him. His brother Hayradin was then chosen sultan; and he feeling himself unable to cope with the Spaniards, sought the assistance of Turkey, and put himself under the protection of the Grand Seignior. Aid was readily granted, and he himself was appointed pasha or viceroy of Algiers. Having thus got rid of his enemies the Spaniards, he turned his attention to the extension of his piratical enterprises; and in order to do this with the greater security, he fortified the port of Algiers and built a strong mole for the protec tion of his ships. He is said to have employed 30,000 Christian slaves for three years in the construction of the mole. The Algerine pirates soon became dreaded, not