Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1408

 1356 PALESTINE

The principal articles of import were rice, £E241,810 ; sugar, £E419,978 ; petroleum, £E170,658 ; and cottons, £E106,281. The principal articles of export were millet, £E35,861 ; barlev, £E40,36t ; nuts, £E31,793 ; oranges £E162,409 ; lentils, £E34,951 ; wine, £E65,017 ; and soap, £E142,407.

Shipping and Communications.— The most important ports of

Palestine are Jaffa, Haifa, Acre, and Gaza. For the year ending March 31, 1920, 357 steamers of 466,714 tons and 2,472 sailing vessels of 18,730 tons arrived at Palestinian ports.

A regular passenger service to Palestinian ports is provided by the Lloyd ' Triestino (Trieste - Brindisi - Port Said - Jaffa line), the Mes- sageries Maritimes (Marseilles - Port Said - Jaffa), and cargo steamers carrying passengers by the Prince Line (Liverpool-Tunis-Palestine-Syria).

The following railways are being worked : — Kantara-El-Aiish-Rapha-Ludd- Tulkeram- Haifa, 257 miles; Jaffa- Ludd- Jerusalem, 54 miles; Rapha-Beersheba, 37 miles ; Haifa-Afuleh-El Hamme, 60 miles ; Haifa- Acre, 11 miles ; Afuleh-Jenin-Nablus-Tulkeram, 61 miles ; making a total of 480 miles (625 miles on January 1, 1921). The section El Hamme to Deraa is being worked by the Hejaz Railway under the control of the French Government. The following lines are not being worked : — VVadi Surar-Tineh, 5 "73 miles ; and Tineh to Burberah, 17 miles ; making a total of 22 - 73 miles. The length of public highways in the country is 523 miles.

Banking and Currency- — The most important bank in Palestine is the Anglo -Egyptian Bank with branches at Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa, and Gaza. The Anglo-Palestine Company has its head office in Jaffa, with branches in Jerusalem, Haifa, Tiberias, Safed, and Hebron. In addition there are branches in Jerusalem of the Banco di Roma, the Credit Lyonnais and the Imperial Ottoman Bank.

At present Egyptian currency is legal tender. 1 Egyptian pound (£E) = 100 piastres or 1,000 milliemes. £E1=£1 0s. 6d., and £1 =£E0*975.

For Turkish currency the following rules have been established by the O.E.T. Administration: — Turkish Treasury notes are not accepted as legal tender. 1 Turkish pound (gold) = Egyptian piastres 87 '75 ; Medjidieh silver coinage of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 Turkish piastres are accepted at the rate of 5 Turkish piastres = Egyptian piastres 3 ; 1 Beshlik = Piastres Eg}ptian 1-5 and 1 Metallik = Piastre Egyptian 0'015 up to a limit of piastres Egyptian 1 - 5.

Weights and Measures.

(1) Length and Akea. . ., ,/ 24 building and land iindies-0 - 758 metres, l pic or uraa | 24 inchestor Iuea9ur i n g f textiles -0'677 metres. 1 sip pic = '575 sq. metres. 1 sq. metre = 1*74 sq. pic. 1 dunam = l,600 sq. pic = 919 sq. metres. 1 acre = 4'4 dunam = 4, 04672 sq. metres.

(2) Weights. 1 okka = 400 derham^l'282 kg.

., . /Jerusalem and Jaffa: 100 rotls = 225 okka-= 288 kg. l kantar ^ Ga i i]ee an(1 Syria: 100 rotls = 200 okka = 256 kg.

I Jerusalem : 12 okieh-2} okka = 900 derham = 2-88 kg. 1 rotl =< Syria and Galilee: 12 okieh-2 okka-800 derham -

( 2-56 kg.

100 kg. =78 okka = 347 Jerusalem rotls-37"6 Galilee rotls.