Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/796

* EGYPT. 690 EGYPT. cent. Measures have 'been taken toward the elimination of usury by allowing the National I'ank to advance small sums ti) the farmers at 10 per cent., and, judjiing from oiKcial reports, tills policy seems to have been sulhcicntly suc- cessful to warrant its extension. The distribu- tion of land in 1S94 was as follows: Of the CG1,380 holdings, 513,080 contained 5 feddans and under (a feddan equals l.O.'JS acres) : 75.1.30 contained between 5 and 10 feddans: 39.G20, be- tween 10 and -20 feddans; 13.140. b»'tween 20 and 30 feddans; 80S0. between 30 and 50 feddans; and 11,430, over 50 feddans. The chief agricul- tural crops and the approximat*' areas devoted to their cultivation are: Wheat, 1,300,000 acres; corn, l.GOO.OOO: cotton, 1,000.000; and sugar- cane, 70.000. There are over 4.000.000 date- trees, which besides supplying the home demand yield some fruit for export. The domestic live stock of the country is increasing in number, and includes nearly 1,000.000 sheep and goats (some wool is exported! ; 500.000 cattle and buffaloes, and 50,000 camels; while horses, mules, and don- keys are found in every city and village. Hogs are raised by the Copts of Upper Eg^-pt, and bought by Greek and German butchers to sell to European residents. JIanufactures. Egypt has few manufac- turing establishments, and the weaving of linen and fez. which dates from an early time, is in a state of decline. There are a number of sugar refineries worked by foreign capital, Eg^pt having become a sugar-exporting rather than an im- porting country. A few cotton-mills are also operated. The making of Egjptian cigarettes is a large export industry. Tobacco-growing is prohibited, both to prevent the use of inferior home-grown leaf in the cigarette factories and also to increase the import revenues. Export cigarettes are made chiefly of Turkish tobacco. During the reign of ilehemet Ali a number of State industrial establishments were founded, but most of them have been closed. Traxspokt.tiox a>-d Communication. Almost the entire foreign trade of Egypt passes through Alexandria, the annual shipping of that port amounting to about 2.500.000 tons, about 50 per cent, of which is carried in British bottoms. The railway lines of Eg^pt. with the exception of eight agricultural roads built for service on farms, are owned by the Government. At the close of 1901 there were 1393 miles of railway owned and operated by the State, and 780 miles of agricultural roads in private hands. Trallic on the State lines showS a decided increase. In 1895 the number of passengers hauled was 9.518,000; the tons of freight were 2.39S.000; the net receipts were £994.000 (Egyptian). In 1899 the respective fmures were" 11.284.284, 3.055.897 tons, and £1.1 (i 1,630 (Egyptian.) (An Egj'ptian pound equals .'?4.943.) The agricultural roads have increased rapidly in number during recent years, with great l)enefit to agricultural communities. CoMMKBCK. The economic development of Egypt, under the British rule, brought about by the improvement in transportation and irriga- tion facilities and the readjustment of the finances, is probably best sliown by the increase in its foreign commerce. • During the period 189(5- 1900 the exports of merchandise increased from £13,2.32.108 (in each ease Egj-ptian) to £10,70(1.- 010, while the imports increased during the same period from £9,828,604 to £14.112.369. Natural- ly, Great Britain occupies the foremost position among countries trading with Egypt. The im- ports from Great Britain rose from £3.050,000 in 1896 to £5,300,000 in 1900, or from 31 to over 37 per cent, of the total. In the exports Great Britain's share is even larger, the exports to Great Britain having increased during 1896- 1900 from £6,973.000. or over 51 per cent., to £9.141.930, or nearly 56 per cent. The chief exports are cotton. £13.039.025 in 1900, cotton- seed, £1,960.409, and sugar. £575.509. The mag- nitude of the cotton exports usually turns the so-called balance of trade in favor of Egj-pt. The cotton goes mostly to Great Britain, from which are imported chielly cotton goods, wood and coal, metals, and metal products. Marseilles buys most of the cottonseed. The commercial rela- tions of Egypt are important also with Turkey, France. Algeria, and Austria-Hungaiy. As the industrial development is small, the imports of textiles (over one-fourth of all foreign pur- chases) and other manufactures are very large. As Egjpt has no forests, timber and lumber from northern Europe and Austria-Hungary are important. The United States buys Egyptian cot- ton to the value of two to three times that of the goods it sells to Egypt. The foreign commerce is principally in the hands of Europeans, the natives confining themselves to the internal trade. GovEBXMEXT. Egj'pt is a tributaiy State of Turkey, but the office of Governor-General or Khedive is vested permanently in the descend- ants of llehemet Ali. who was appointed (iov- crnor of Eg>pt in 1805. and succeeded in making himself independent ruler of the country. In consideration of an annual tribuft of £750.000 Turkish (a Turkish pound is $4.40). the Khe- dive enjoys absolute rule in Egypt in spite of the presence in his council of a High Com- missioner from Constantinople. Absolute legis- lative and administrative power is vested in the Khedive and a council of six native ministers under !iis control. The minister* preside over the departments of the Interior. I'inance. .Justice, Public Works and Instruction. War and Marine, and Foreign Affairs. The most important offices in the ministerial departments, and especially in the departments of Public Works and Finance, are filled by Europeans. Between 1879 and 1883 England and France jointly exercised a guiding inlluence on the administration of the country through their controllers-general, the two nations having intervened in Egyptian affairs for the protection of their respective bondholders, whose interests were threatened by the state of disorder prevalent in Egj-pt. The rebellion of Arabi Pasha was followed by the abolition of the joint con- trol of the two nations, and by the appointment of an English financial adviser, whose consent was necessary to all fiscal action. Since that time the financial adviser has steadily increased his powers, until now. through the importance of his ofTiee, he is practically the ruler of the country. The influence of England is also made pre- dominant by the control of the jiulilic defenses. The Egyptian Army has been drilled by English officers and is in a great me;i'iiire commanded by them, the head of the national forces being