; 
 
 
 
a Ro ged 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Se ee 
 
 Report on the Finances, Administration, and Condition of Egypt, 
 = and the Progress of Reforms. 
 
 
 
 [In continuation of Egypt No. 1 (1894) :” ©. 7308. ] 
 
 
 
 Lord Cromer to the Karl of Kimberley.—(Received March 4.) 
 
 My Lord, _ Cairo, February 22, 1895. 
 _I HAVE the honour to submit my Annual Report on the progress made in the 
 
 various Administrative Departments of the Egyptian Government during the year 
 1894. 
 
 1. Pinance.*® 
 
 The history of Egyptian finance since 1892 has been briefly as follows :— 
 
 During the first four years of the British occupation the Egyptian Treasury was 
 engaged in a struggle which Mr. Milner, in his work on Egypt, has very aptly termed 
 the ‘‘race against bankruptcy.” The aggregate deficits, including extraordinary expen- 
 diture, during the four years 1888-86, both inclusive, amounted to & EK. 2,762,000, 
 then the tide turned. During the seven years, 1887-93, both inclusive, the aggregate 
 surplus amounted to £ E. 3,299,000. ‘Thus the solvency of the Egyptian ‘lreasury 
 appeared to be assured. © 
 
 Quite recently an impression has toa certain extent gained ground that the financial 
 situation of the Egyptian Government has, in some measure, deteriorated. Under these 
 circumstances I may perhaps be rendering a service of some utility if I state what are the 
 main facts of that situation. A statement of this nature is all the more necessary by 
 reason of the extremely complicated system adopted for balancing the accounts of the 
 Egyptian Government. This system is imposed on the Egyptian Government by various 
 International Agreements into which it has from time to time entered, 
 
 The Estimates for the year 1894 \were as follows :— 
 
 £E. 
 Reyenue 20 eo eo eo eo ea 10,075,000 
 Expenditure <a ze ee Pi: aa ope 9,545,000 
 
 (oS eee 
 
 re Ps ee 530,000 
 The accounts for 1894 show the following results :— | 
 
 Surplus Aa oe 
 
 £.E. 
 Revenue .. aa as “eo ea a ee 10,304,000 
 Expenditure de Je ad de ae ee 9,519,000 
 Surplus ee oe ve ee ee 785,000 
 
 | ‘These figures may be considered as very satisfactory. 
 is In spite of the fact that, towards the end of the year 1894, collections of land tax 
 
 a to the extent of £ E. 245,000 were suspended, the total revenue exceeded the estimate 
 
 » © by£E. 229,000; on the other hand, the expenditure fell short of the estimate by 
 ‘ae os £ E. 26,000. The net result was £ E. 255,000 better than the estimate, 
 
 Whatever anxiety is felt in connection with the present financial situation of the 
 Egyptian Treasury is due only to the heavy fall in the price of all agricultural produce. 
 Comparing pricesin January 1893 with those in December 1894, I find that sugar( No. 3) 
 has fallen from 41 to 26 fr. per 100 kilog. ; cotton from 204 to 152 plastrest+ per kantar ;¢ 
 otton-seed from 61 to 47, wheat from 8&§ to 68, and beans from 71 to 64 plastres per 
 rdeb||. ears are occasionally expressed that, in spite of recent improvements, notably 
 
 wo 
 
 + l piastre = 222. ae | 
 { 1 Kantar = 99 Ibs, he A): 
 __ § This is the-figure for snub oda quis 
 give the price of wheat for January, 1893 e 
 i . r PEP =)4 
 
 [ 1ardeb = 5) bushels, — 4 iy % . | 
 
 Se ) 
 ie « Wid 
 ‘ 
 
 * ‘The figures are throughout given in Egyptian pounds: £E.1 = 14, 0s. 6d. 
 
 
 
 
 official Return from which these figures are taken does not . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2 
 
 in the system of irrigation, it will not be possible, in view of the heavy fall of prices, to 
 collect the whole of the land tax, which, I need hardly add, constitutes the main 
 financial resource of the country. 
 
 Under these circumstances, it becomes important to ascertain what margin is available, 
 consistently with the maintenance of financial equilibrium, for either temporary remissions 
 or permanent reduction of taxation. 
 
 I have already stated that the surplus of the year 1894 amounted to £ E. 785,000. 
 I have now to explain how much of this surplus is available, in case of need, for the 
 purposes to which J have alluded above. 
 
 The Egyptian revenue is divided into two distinct categories, viz :— 
 
 
 
 & E. 
 Revenues pledged to the debt.. 2 os es -- 6,086,000 
 Unpledged revenues. . ee -. oe oe -. 4,218,000 
 Total SS “64 a; 5 yy .» 10,304,000 
 
 The first charges to be borne by the revenues pledged to the service of the debt 
 are :— 
 
 
 
 : £E. 
 Administrative expenses of the ius tet revenues. 2° ~- ‘1,222,000 
 Debt charges ee ts i: as Ne 8,312,000 
 Total ee ee ee ce ee ee 4,534,000 
 
 Deducting this figure from the total revenue Bue to the service of the debt, 
 the result is as follows :-— 
 
 
 
 £E. 
 Revenue .. we ae st A -- 6,086,000 
 Expenditure (as above) - oe as ‘és .. 4,534,000 
 Surplus ae ee ee ee ee ee 1,552,000 
 
 The total administrative expenditure of the Egyptian Government in 1894 was 
 ‘£ E. 6,206,000; of this amount, only £ E. 6,047,000 was what is termed “ authorized” 
 
 expenditure, that is to say, expenditure incurred with the sanction of the Powers. In 
 making up the accounts between the Egyptian Government and the Commissioners of 
 the Debt, the latter only recognize ‘‘ authorized’ expenditure. Any further expenditure 
 which may be incurred has to be met from the surplus eventually placed at the 
 disposal of the Egyptian Government. This excess expenditure amounted in 1894 to 
 the difference between £ E. 6,206,000 and £ E. 6,047,000, viz., & E. 159,000. 
 
 Ihave already accounted for the cost of administrating the pledged revenues, viz., 
 £ EK. 1,222,000, which is included in this figure of £ E. 6,047,000. Deducting this sum of 
 £ E. 1,222,000 from £ E. 6,047,000, there remains a balance amounting to £ E. 4,825,000 
 of “ authorized ” expenditure. This expenditure is met to the extent of £ H. 4,218,000 
 out of the revenues which are not pledged to the service of the debt. The balance, 
 viz., £ E. 607,000, constitutes a charge on the surplus of the pledged revenues which, 
 as will be seen above, amounted to £ EK. 1,552,000. 
 
 Deducting this sum of £ E. 607,000, the surplus in the hands of the Commissioners 
 of the Debt is reduced to £ E. 945,000. 
 
 A sum of £ E. 408,000 has now to be deducted, being the amount of the economies 
 due to the partial conversion of ‘the debt. This money cannot be touched without the 
 unanimous consent of the Powers. 
 
 The available surplus is thus reauced from £ E. 945,000 to £ E. 587,000. 
 
 Under the original Decree of the 27th July, 1885, which received the sanction of 
 the Powers, this sum of £ E. 537,000 would have been divided into two equal portions, 
 one of which would have been paid into the Egyptian Treasury, whilst the other would 
 have been paid to the General Reserve Fnnd, which is administered by the Commis- 
 sioners of the Debt. 
 
 Since this Decree was issued some further supplementary arrangements, which I 
 need not describe in detail, have been agreed to by the Powers and the Egyptian Govern- 
 ment. ‘The general result of these arrangements is that the Egyptian ‘Treasury receives 
 a bonus of £ E. 45 000 in excess of the half sur plus. 
 
 The surplus of £ E. 537,000 is therefore divided as follows :— a 
 
 eB. 
 
 Egyptian Government, half surplus an 269, 00 », plus. bonus of 7” 
 £ EE. 45,000 , ee 
 
 General Reactive Fund 
 
 
 
 314,000 
 223,000 
 
 
 
 Total) e's _ 537,000 
 
 
 
3 
 
 [ have already mentioned that the total administrative expenditure of the Egyptian 
 Government exceeded the authorized limit of expenditure by £ E. 159,000. Deducting 
 this sum from the figure of £ E. 314,000 given above, there remains £ E. 155,000. 
 
 This latter figure (€ E. 155,000) is therefore the real available surplus for 1894, 
 The remainder of the surplus, amounting to the difference between £ E. 785,000 and 
 £ KE. 155,000, namely, £ E. 630,000, cannot, for one reason or another, be touched by 
 
 -- the Egyptian Government. 
 
 I trust I have succeeded in rendering this complicated subject as clear as is 
 possible under the circumstances. 
 
 The available surplus of £ E. 155,000, together with the amount of land tax 
 temporarily remitted in 1894, viz., £ E. 245,000, make up a total of about £. E 400,000. 
 I need not perhaps go into the complicated calculation necessary to show what would 
 be the financial result if taxation, in whatsoever form, was remitted to the full extent 
 of this amount. It will be sufficient for me to say that, judging by the results of 1894, 
 a margin of about £ EH. 300,000 a-year exists, which, in case of need, could be sacrificed 
 without financial equilibrium being seriously endangered. 
 
 If the economies resulting from the partial conversion of the debt could be applied 
 to the reduction of the land tax, the facts of the case would, of course, be materially 
 changed. The accumulated economies of past years now amount to £ E.1,445,000. 
 The annual economy amounts to about £E.408,000. As the saving’s are invested, the 
 annual amount will, of course, continue to increase. 
 
 There seems to be little prospect of securing the unanimous consent of the Powers 
 to the employment of this money. This is, | think, to be regretted in the interests both 
 of the taxpayers and of the bondholders, the value of whose security would be increased 
 by a reduction of the land tax. It would, however, lead to no practical result to 
 discuss this question at length. Any remarks I might make upon it might, indeed, only 
 serve to increase the irritation which unquestionably exists in connection with the 
 manner in which the subject has been treated. I will therefore only say that, in my 
 opinion, the financial authorities of the Egyptian Government will do wisely to regard 
 the conversion economies in the light of a sinking fund, and to devote their whole time 
 and attention to the manipulation of such resources as are unquestionably at their free 
 disposal. 
 
 1 do not propose in the present Report to undertake a thorough examination of 
 the economic condition of Egypt; but I may perhaps usefully draw attention to a few 
 salient points bearing on the question of the capability of the country for bearing the 
 charges now thrown upon its resources. A very general opinion appears to exist in 
 Egypt that large reductions of taxation, are imperatively necessary. {fam far from 
 deprecating such reductions, provided they can be effected without endangering 
 financial equilibrium. For many years past the efforts of the Egyptian Government and 
 of its European advisers have been persistently devoted to affording fiscal relief to the 
 people of Egypt. Those efforts have, as I shall presently show. been attended with a 
 very fair measure of success. I shall be very glad if it becomes possible to take 
 further steps in the same direction. On the other hand, it is essential that all who are 
 
 -in any degree responsible for the administration of Egyptian finance should bear in 
 
 mind that the first and greatest interest of the people of Egypt is to maintain the 
 Egyptian Treasury in that position of assured solvency which, after great efforts, was 
 secured only a few years ago. Any measures which would endanger that position, or 
 which would in any way shake the credit of Egypt, are strongly to be deprecated. The 
 
 - revenue must be made to balance the expenditure. The commencement of a new floating 
 
 debt is above all things to be avoided. 
 
 That the prevalence of low prices has in some degree checked the wave of pros- 
 perity which has been passing over Egypt during the last few years cannot be doubted, 
 Thus, Mr. Caillard, the Director-General of the Customs, pointed out in his Report 
 for the year 1893 that the total value of the produce exported in 18938, if calculated at 
 the prices which prevailed in 1881, would have been greater by £ E. 5,300,000 than the 
 actual value calculated on the basis of the 1893 prices. On the other hand, at the 
 prices prevailing in 1881, the country would have paid about £ E. 2,400,000 more for 
 its imports. Thus, on this showing, it may be said that Egypt lost nearly 3 millions 
 a-year by the fall of price in twelve years. The whole of the 1894 figures are not yet 
 available, but 1 do not doubt that, inasmuch as prices have fallen since 1893, a 
 calculation based on the facts of 1894 would be more unfavourable to Egypt than that 
 given above. 
 
 In considering this question two main points have, however, to be borne in mind :— 
 
 The first is that increase of production, the result mainly of improvements in the 
 system of irrigation, has in a great measure compensated for the fall in price. 
 
 
 
4 
 
 The second is that the reforms introduced into the fiscal system during the last 
 few years have greatly improved the position of land-owners and cultivators, and have 
 rendered them far more capable than heretofore of standing the strain caused by the 
 agricultural depression. 
 
 As to the first point, the following figures, which show the amount and value of the 
 cotton crop during the last ten years, speak for themselves :— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Price 
 Year. Cotton. per Kantar.® Value. 
 Kantars. Eg ek £ E. 
 eIAGOD LU st ar a 2,905,000 228 6,623,000 
 1886 .. rf ye 3,026,000 240 7,262,000 
 1887 2. ie 2,963,000 249 7,378,000 
 1888... B we 2,786,000 262 7,299,000 
 1889 .. in 2,872,000 294 8,434,000 
 TSo0I ate ee ee 3,638,000 255 9,277,000 
 1891... ee oe 4,195,000 205 8,600,000 
 1892 .. i .| 4,610,000 205 9,450,000 
 1893 ote ee ee 5,073,000 191 9,699,000 
 1894... yi. i. 5,000,000 176 8,800,000 
 
 
 
 * This is the ayerage price, not of the calendar year, but of the year beginning on September 1. 
 
 The following Table gives the figures for sugar :— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Price 
 Year. Sugar. per 100 kilog. Value. 
 nid of 1,000 P.T. £E. 
 kilog. 
 1885 .. ee 4 49,700 116 579,300 
 1886... oe ee 42,570 106 453,300 
 1337 4G. ee oe 49,665 99 489,900 
 {883-%°\.. Hi f, 47,137 115 541,200 
 1889 4). a ae ~ 36,670 135 496,800 
 1890 .. 2 ee 29,915 1138 338,900 
 1891¥ 1.3 os oe 51,955 110 572,700 
 1892) 93, eo ee 55,350 127 704,500 
 1393 .. oe oe 55,113 138 760,800 
 UY See ee ee 56,902 111 629,300 
 
 
 
 It will be observed that, both as regards cotton and sugar, the fall in the total 
 value in 1894, as compared to 18938, has been heavy. 
 
 As to the second point, I have to observe that—including the partial abolition of 
 the corvée, which was tantamount to a relief of taxation—direct taxes have, since 1890, 
 been taken off to the extent of about £ E.1,100,000, thus :— 
 
 £E. 
 
 Corvée a oe a ce i 3 As 400,000 
 Land tax® .. ae 3s oh s 23 at 480,000 
 Professional tax iy? $f MS as ot PS 180,000 
 Sheep and goat tax .. 3 5 ape ra te. 40,000 
 Weighing tax ee ee an oe ee oe 28,000 
 Sundry small taxes .. oe ah os i ry 31,000 
 
 Total .. ve ci if 4 .. 1,109,000 
 
 # Tn addition to this, arrears to the extent of about £E. 1,000,000 have been remitted. 
 
 In addition to this, the salt tax has been reduced by 40 per cent.; the postal and 
 telegraph rates have been reduced by 50 per cent.; large reductions have been made in 
 the railway rates; the octroi duties have been abolished in the smaller provincial 
 towns. The only increase of taxation has been in the tobacco duty, which has been 
 raised from P. T. 14 to P. T. 20 per kilog. The house tax has also been imposed on 
 Europeans resident in Egypt. 
 
 . In connection with the general economic condition of the dotnet I would also 
 draw your Lordship’s attention to the remarkable figures contained in the note drawn 
 up by Sir Elwin Palmer, and inclosed in my despatch of the 31st January.* 
 
 * See Annex, , : 
 
 
 
5 
 
 Looking to these facts, and to the miscellaneous information which I have from time 
 to time received bearing on the subject now under discussion,* the general conclusion 
 at which I arrive is somewhat as follows :— 
 
 The agricultural depression, coupled with the artificial embarrassments due to the 
 international engagements into which the Egyptian Government has entered, have 
 produced a situation which renders the exercise of strict economy more necessary than 
 ever. The execution of some public works, which would have been of great benefit to 
 the Egyptian population, may have to be postponed. The same may be said of other 
 administrative reforms, which would involve an increase of expenditure. If prices fall 
 still further, the difficulties of the situation will naturally be aggravated. But at present 
 I see no reason for alarm in connection with the financial situation. Nothing has as yet 
 happened to inspire doubts as to the continued solvency of the Egyptian Treasury. The 
 Egyptian Government, in spite of the international engagements by which its freedom 
 of action is curtailed, should be well able to deal with the present difficulties of the 
 situation. 
 
 Notably, it would appear desirable that one important reform should be under. 
 taken. Althoughit has not been proved that the land tax, at about its present amount, 
 constitutes, in the aggregate, an unduly heavy burthen on the country, it is none the 
 less true that the incidence of the tax, as at present assessed, is very unequal. So lon 
 ago as 1878 the Commission of Inquiry, of which I was a member, recommended the equali- 
 zation (“peréquation”’) of the land tax. This work has never yet been undertaken. 
 Relief has so far been given by the adoption of the convenient, if somewhat empirical, 
 system of according a ratable reduction to those provinces where the pressure of taxation 
 was most felt. The reasons for adopting this system have been twofold. In the first 
 place, a reassessment of the Jand tax is a difficult operation, and causes much disturbance 
 amongst the whole agricultural community. In the second place, although the 
 desirability of undertaking the operation at some future time has always been very 
 generally recognized, it was thought desirable, in the first instance, to bring down the 
 total revenue derived from the land tax. The obvious result of a general reduction in 
 the total amount of revenue in the form of land tax on which the State has to rely is 
 that, when the process of levelling eventually ensues, the average rate to be attained will 
 have been lowered, and thus the operation would be made to weigh with relatively less 
 hardship on those who have to be levelled up. These latter, I may observe, would, in 
 any case, constitute a small but influential minority. 
 
 Whatever be the value of these arguments, it would appear that the moment has 
 now arrived when the operation of reassessment should no longer be delayed. I am 
 glad, therefore, to learn that this subject is now occupying the serious attention of the 
 Egyptian Government. 
 
 The general financial situation being such as I have described above, it is obvious 
 that the Budget of 1895 had to be framed with great caution, and on the basis of main- 
 taining the status quo. One or two minor reforms have, however, been effected. Tlie 
 octroi duty on crystallized sugar, which is largely consumed by the poorer classes of the 
 population, has been reduced from 93 to 5 per cent. An arrangement has been made 
 with the Commissioners of the Debt under which bridges will gradually be constructed 
 over the canals at spots where ferries now exist. The population will thus be relieved of 
 the payments of ferry dues. The Government monopoly for transporting specie has been 
 abolished, and the rates charged by Government have been reduced by 50 per cent. This 
 measure, it is estimated, will involve a loss to the Government of about £ E. 15,000 
 a-year. 
 
 ; The Estimates for 1895 are as follows :— 
 
 £E. 
 Revenue .. ee ee te *F PP eo 10,260,000 
 Expenditure ds ise es bis oe ee 9,600,000 
 Surplus .. =f ee ee ae Hh 660,000 
 
 After making a calculation similar to that which I have already explained in 
 dealing with the accounts of 1894, the surplus which will be at the free disposal of the 
 Egyptian Government is estimated at £ E. 11,000. I should add that provision is made 
 on the expenditure side of the account for £ E. 160,000, being part of the cost of con- 
 
 * T append to this despatch (Inclosure 1) a copy of a letter which I recently received from Mr. Hamilton 
 Lang, the Controller of the Daira, and in which he gives the impressions derived during a recent visit to Upper 
 Egypt. The thorough knowledge which Mr. Hamilton Lang possesses of the agricultural condition of the 
 country renders him » very competent witness on the points under discussion. ) 
 
6 
 
 structing a dam near Assouan. In view of the financial situation of the moment, it is 
 probable that this work, which would be most beneficial to the people of Egypt, will have 
 to be postponed for the present. 
 
 I have on former occasions alluded to the redundant balances held, in one form or 
 another, by the Egyptian Government. On the 3lst December, 1894, these balances 
 stood as follows :—* . 
 
 £E. 
 Conversion economies a as oe a Pi 1,445,000 
 General Reserve Fund ee ne on fs ee 2,403,000 
 Special Reserve Fund 44 ee oe a) oe 279,000 
 Total... Te Wi tee we 4 .. 4,127,000 
 
 I need add nothing to what I have already said as regards the conversion 
 economies. 
 
 The Special Reserve Fund, which virtually constitutes the working cash balance of 
 the Egyptian Government, is certainly not excessive in amount. Moreover, it is 
 a pledged for the repayment of certain advances made by the Commissioners of 
 the Debt. 
 
 As regards the General Reserve Fund, amounting to £ E. 2,403,000, which is in 
 the hands of the Commissioners of the Debt, | have to observe that, to the extent of 
 £ E. 1,512,000, it is pledged for the construction of various public works. A considerable 
 portion of the money is, therefore, usefully employed. 
 
 Debt to the extent of 700,000/. (mostly Domains and Daira) was paid off during the 
 year. The total Public Debt of Egypt now amounts to 104,775,0001. 
 
 2. The Salt Department. 
 
 The Salt Department continues to work in a satisfactory manner. The net 
 revenue in 1894 was £ E. 178,000, or about £ E. 8,000 in excess of the estimate. The 
 consumption of salt was about the same as in 18938, namely, 45,000 tons. 
 
 3. Domains Administration. 
 
 The outstanding capital of the Domains Loan, {which originally amounted to 
 £ E. 8,288,000, has now been reduced to £ EH. 3,619,000. There seems a fair proba- 
 bility that the loan will be entirely paid off by 1905. 
 
 The Domains Administration has naturally suffered from the existing agricultural 
 depression. Over 7,000 acres of land, which were formerly farmed, have had to be 
 brought back under direct cultivation. ‘The deficit for 1894, which is payable by the 
 Egyptian Treasury, will probably amount to from £ EK. 105,000 to £ E. 110,000. 
 
 4, Daira Administration. 
 
 During the year 1894 the Daira Administration was able to make some large sales 
 of land in Lower Egypt. With the profits of these sales, and the surplus profits, debt to 
 the extent of 367,500/. was paid off. The outstanding capital of the debt now amounts to 
 6,444,0007. 
 
 It is anticipated that the surplus of 1894 (after paying 49,000/. to the Commis- 
 sioners of the Debt on account of economies due to the conversion) will be about 115,000. 
 Owing to the heavy fall in the price of sugar, it is probable that there will be no surplus 
 Seopa, It is, indeed, probable that the Egyptian Government will have to make good 
 a deficit. 
 
 The reduced value of sugar has not as yet affected the farmers who lease land from 
 the Daira Administration for the cultivation of sugar, as the price paid to them for the 
 canes which they deliver is fixed by contract for three years. The farmers in Middle 
 Egypt, where the sugar-cane is cultivated, are, therefore, not as yet suffering from the 
 agricultural depression to the same extent as the land-owners and cultivators in Lower 
 Egypt, which relies mainly on its cotton culture. 
 
 * A good deal of this money is invested in Egyptian stock. In the above calculation the value of this 
 stock is taken at current rates, 
 
éé 
 
 5. Trade and Customs. 
 
 The following Memorandum has been communicated to me by Mr. Caillard, the 
 Director-General of the Customs :— 
 
 “The estimated total value of exports in 1894 was £ E. 11,884,000, and of the 
 imports £ E. 9,266,000, making a total of £ E. 21,150,000. 
 
 Compared with the figures for the preceding year, these totals show a falling-off 
 of £ E. 906,000 on exports, and an increase of £ E. 548,000 on imports. 
 
 “The decrease of the exports is accounted for under three heads, viz., cotton, 
 cotton-seed, and sugar. The quantity of cotton exported in 1894 exceeded that of the 
 preceding year by 830,000 kantars, but the increase in quantity was more than counter- 
 balanced by the fall in price, the average tariff price for the year 1894 having been 
 only 168 piastres per kantar, compared with 190 piastres, the mean price for 1893, 
 Tariff prices were at their lowest, however, from the commencement of the 1894 
 season, when they fell from 167}%5 in September to 145 in December, and nearly one- 
 sixth of the total quantity (723, 000 out of 4 855,000 kantars) was exported during the 
 month of December at the last-named rate. 
 
 “ As regards cotton-seed, the fall in the average price was even greater in propor- 
 tion, being from 65345 piastres in 1893 to 56745 in 1894, and the quantity exported was 
 also much smaller. 
 
 “The improvement in the price of sugar in 1893 did not last through 1894, the 
 average tariff prices for the latter year being the lowest recorded. 
 
 “The exports of wheat and maize show a considerable i increase, but the prices were 
 very low, the price of maize in December 1894 having fallen 30 per cent. as compared 
 with the tariff price in December 1893. The increase in the quantity of these cereals 
 exported in 1894 was due to larger shipments to Belgium in the last six months of the 
 
 ear. 
 danke The export trade in onions has now become one of the most important items of 
 Egyptian commerce, no less than 58,000 tons, of a value of £ KH. 161,000, having been 
 exported in 1894, chiefly to Rngland and Austria. In the year 1885 the total export of 
 onions amounted to 7,086 tons only, valued at £ EK. 21,600. 
 
 “ About 55 per cent. of the Egyptian products exported were sent to England. The 
 exportation of cotton to America continued in 1894 in increased quantities, ‘and Russia 
 took 22 per cent. of the total quantity exported. 
 
 “The following were the chief items of increase in the importations, as compared 
 with 1893 :— 
 
 { Sue’ 
 §* Coal A ais ye ae we Hes 87,300 
 Wood and w ant Mork. . a ; nis Be 82,100 
 Cotton manufactures .. He age Abs pe o3 164,000 
 Tobaceo ss é Pie ave Se ud pF 74,800 
 Metais, machinery, ta at ae AA ty Le 295,100 
 
 ‘Part of the increase in the latter item was due to exceptional causes, such as the 
 construction of several new railway bridges, sugar-refining works, and oil-presses. The 
 total value of articles imported under the head of metals, machinery, &c., was 
 £ E. 1,050,000, of which England sent £ E. 509,000 worth, Belgium £ E. 206,000, 
 France £ E. 130,000, and Germany £ EK. 26,000. 
 
 The continued i increase in the demand for wood and wood-work, as also for cotton 
 goods and tobacco, may be looked upon as an indication of the general well-being of the 
 country. 
 
 “The following figures illustrate the continued fall in values of certain articles :— 
 
 
 
 Diminution in total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Excess of Value of Imports 
 Imports in 1894 in 1894 
 over 1893. as compared with 
 : 1893. 
 Kilog. £ EL. 
 Flour ie we z Pt + 1,650,000 35,690 
 Cheese : ae a + 157,400 1,494 
 Cottee ate a a ee + 94,700 19,960 
 Indigo fe +. 2a ae + 22,700 7,467 
 Wine = a Sin ae + 225,000 12,541 
 
 
 
 [254] C 
 
8 
 
 ““In some instances the decrease in values is due in part to the importation of 
 inferior articles; such was the case with flour and indigo; in other cases the quality of 
 the articles has remained the same, but the prices have fallen. . 
 
 “In the categories quoted. above the total importation was increased by 
 2,150,000 kilog., whilst the total cost to the importers was reduced by £ K. i 000. 
 
 s.  'The Customs revenue amounted to £ E. 1,757,590 in 1894, viz. :— 
 
 £E. 
 Importation and exportation .. Pye bys “8 ae 824,840 
 Tobacco cS ay, Re ee -, o: ay 932,750 
 
 “The following Table shows the growth of the revenue in each quinquennial 
 period since 1881 :— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1881. 1886. 1891. 1894, 
 
 £E. £E. LE. £E. 
 Imports and exports Ad ve 644,658 628,078 808.972 824,840 
 Tobacco 40 ve .. 115,217 804,474 828,757 932,750 
 Total Me A eae Sak 932,552 | 1,637,729 | 1,757,590 
 
 
 
 “Since the suppression of the tobacco cultivation in June 1890 the revenue 
 derived from the importation of tobacco has been more than doubled. ‘T’he gross 
 revenue from this source in 1894 amounted to £ E. 954,652, but of this total the sum 
 of £ E. 21,903 was repaid to the exporters of cigarettes in the shape of a drawback. 
 
 “The cigarette export trade continues to increase. The total quantity exported 
 was 158,492,000, the total weight of which was 230,800 kilog., and the value 
 £ HE, 135,500,” . 
 
 6. Post Office. 
 
 The net revenue derived from the Post Office in 1894 was £ E. 20,000, as compared 
 to £.E. 23,000 in 1898. The falling-off is wholly due to the suppression of the Postal 
 boat service on the Suez Canal. When the light railway recently constructed by the 
 Suez Canal Company between Ismailia and Port Said was completed, it was obviously 
 no longer necessary to maintain a boat service. 
 
 Saba Pasha, the Director-General of the Post Office, writes to me: “The fall in 
 agricultural prices contributed to decrease the amount of specie, together with the 
 continued operation of the causes which have rendered this service less productiv e, year 
 by year, viz., the greater use of instruments of credit in the transaction of business, 
 and the extension of banking operations throughout the country.” 
 
 Jt is worthy of note that the number of Jetters sent through the post has doubled 
 since 1890, in which ‘year‘a large reduction in the rates of inland postage was effected. 
 
 7.. Public Works Department. 
 
 es 
 
 { annex to this despatch (Inclosure 2) a Memorandum prepared by Mr. Garstin. 
 It affords ample testimony to,the value of the services rendered to the Government and 
 the people of Egypt by the Public Works Department. I would draw special attention 
 to Mr. Garstin’s remarks on two subjects.of general interest, viZ., the construction of the 
 dam at the First Cataract, and the Ghizech Museum. 
 
 As.to the first-point, | have already mentioned. that, for the time being at all events, 
 the construction of any dam is arrested for want of funds. It is, however, satisfactory 
 to know that, if the financial difficulties can be overcome, a plan has been framed which 
 appears to conciliate the interests: represented respectively by the engineer and the 
 archeeologist. | 
 
 As to the Museum, there appears at last to be a fair prospect that before long the 
 construction of a thoroughly BreL Tat building will be commenced. 
 
 3 | 8. Railways, he 
 The railway receipts during 1894 amounted to £E. 1, 774, 000, pein © B, 155,000 
 in excess of the receipts of 1893. The working expenses were oe E. 767, 000, or about 
 43 per cent. of the gross receipts, 
 [£ée 
 
a¢ 
 
 9 
 
 In 1890 large reductions, amounting to as much as 50 per cent. for long distances, 
 were made in the passenger tariff. It is satisfactory to note that, in consequence of 
 these, reductions, the passenger traffic has more than doubled: the numbers conveyed 
 being 4,696,000 in 1290, as compared to 9,828,000 in 1894. 'The chief increase has 
 been in third-class passengers. During the same period the gross receipts derived from 
 passenger traffic have increased by 35 per cent. 
 
 Contracts have been made for the construction of three small local lines, in all 
 74 miles long. A new terminal station has been opened at Cairo. Two new bridges 
 across the Nile are in course of construction, one at Dessouk, in the Delta, and the other 
 in Upper Egypt. 
 
 Since 1876 the revenues of the Railways, Telegraphs, and Port of Alexandria have 
 been pledged to the service of the Privileged Debt, any deficit being made good out of 
 the revenues pledged to the Unified Debt. The interest charge on the Privileged Debt 
 amounts to £ EK. 1,003,000. In 1894 the net revenues derived from the Railways, 
 Telegraphs, and Port of Alexandria amounted to £ E. 1,024,000. This is the first time 
 that these revenues have themselves sufficed to pay the whole of the interest charge. 
 
 9. Telegraphs. 
 
 About 770,000 telegrams (local and foreign) passed over the Egyptian telegraph 
 lines in 1894, being 82,000 in excess of the figures of 1593. In spite of this increase, 
 the receipts have remained stationery at about £ KE. 39,000. This is due to the fact 
 that the money due from Turkey for the Egyptian share of the telegrams received vid 
 El Arish has not yet been paid. 
 
 The expenditure was £ E. 39,000. The Telegraph Service, therefore, pays its 
 expenses, but does not yield any net revenue. 
 
 10. Port of Alexandria. 
 
 The net revenue derived from the port of Alexandria in 1894 was £ E. 117,000, as 
 compared to £ E. 108,000 in 1893—an increase of about £ E. 9,000. 
 
 1,382 steam-ships, with a tonnage of 2,053,000, cleared in 1894, as against 1,272, 
 with a tonnage of 1,901,006, in 1893. There was a notable increase in the number of 
 British steamers, the figures being 699 vessels, with a tonnage of 998,000, in 1894, as 
 compared to 605 vessels, with a tonnage!of 876,000, in 1893. 
 
 On the Ist July, 1894, the new direct pass into the port of Alexandria was declared 
 open with a depth of 28 feet at dead low water. Ships are now able, therefore, to enter 
 the port at night and in all weathers. Dredging operations are in course of execution 
 with a view to increasing the depth to 30 feet. 
 
 11. Lighthouses. 
 
 { am glad to be able to report that some real advance has at last been made both 
 in the direction of constructing new lights in the Red Sea and in that of reducing the 
 light dues. | 
 
 Although the facts have already been made public, it may perhaps be desirable 
 that I should recapitulate them. 
 
 In October 1889 a Commercial Convention was signed between Great Britain and 
 Egypt in which it was stipulated that the light dues should be reduced by £ E. 40,000 
 a-year ‘*as soon as the tariff provided by the Convention is applied to all the Powers.” 
 Subsequently Commercial Conventions were signed between the Government of Egypt 
 and the Governments of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. 
 
 As time went on it became apparent that a long delay would probably ensue before 
 Commercial Conventions would be concluded with “all the Powers.” It became, 
 therefore, necessary to consider whether some steps could not be taken to render the 
 question of reducing the light dues independent of the conclusion of future Commercial 
 Conventions. 
 
 An opportunity for discussing this question arose in 1894 in connection with the 
 financial arrangements consequent on the reorganization of the Quarantine Board to 
 which the Powers agreed at the Conference of Venice. 
 
 The basis of the settlement which has now: been made, and which has received the 
 
 [254 | 
 
10 ‘ 
 
 ssent of the Powers, is that, on the one hand, the Egyptian Government gives up, from 
 
 the 1st January, 1894, € E. 40,000 of the revenue heretofore derived from the light 
 dues; on the other hand, the Egyptian Treasury is relieved of all obligation to make 
 good any deficit in future years on the Budget of the Quarantine Board. 
 
 The money which will thus be placed at the disposal of the Powers is to be applied 
 in the following manner :— 
 
 1. € E. 40,000 is to be applied to the erection of the buildings, &c., required for 
 quarantine purposes at Suez, El] Tor, and Moses’ Wells. 
 
 2. The deficits on the Budget of the Quarantine Board for the years 1894-96 (both 
 inclusive) are to be made good out of the £ E. 40,000 ceded by the Egyptian Govern- 
 ment from the light dues revenues. It is at present impossible to state with accuracy 
 what will be the aggregate amount of these deficits. Jt certainly should not exceed 
 £ KE. 15,000. 
 
 3. The balance which remains over on the accumulations of the £ E. 40,000 for the 
 three years ending on the 31st December, 1896, is to be applied to the construction of 
 new lights in the Red Sea. ‘This balance should amount to about £ E. 65,000. 
 
 4. After the 1st January, 1897, a sum representing the average Quarantine Board 
 deficit for the year 1894-95 will be set aside. The balance of the £ E. 40,000 will be 
 applied to the reduction of the light dues. It is probable, therefore, that from the 1st 
 January, 1897, the Tariff will be reduced to such an extent as to diminish the revenue 
 by from £ E. 30,000 to £ E. 35,000 a-year. 
 
 Thus a sufficient sum of money will be provided for the erection of lighthouses at 
 Mocha, Abu Ail, Zebayr, and Jebel Tier, where they are much required. Further, a 
 considerable reduction in the present tariff is insured from the Ist January, 1897. As 
 the spots where it is proposed to erect lighthouses are in Turkish territory, the arrange- 
 ments for their construction do not depend on the authorities in Egypt. One of the 
 main difficulties has, however, heen overcome. The money necessary for the construction 
 of the lights has been provided. 
 
 I may perhaps add, whilst dealing with this subject, in which I have for many 
 years taken a great personal interest, that, although the new lights are without doubt 
 much required, at the same time an examination of the Wreck Chart rather leads to the 
 conclusion that many of the mishaps which now occur in the Red Sea are due to 
 careless navigation, and that they were not caused by the absence of lighthouses. 
 Wrecks frequently occur in close proximity to the lights. 
 
 12. The Army and the Soudan. 
 
 With the exception of the Soudanese Camel Corps having been increased by one 
 company, the strength of the Egyptian army in 1894 remains practically unaltered. 
 
 The total numerical strength of the army, including Staff, Commissariat, and 
 irregulars, &c., is as follows :— 
 
 Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men oe 4 ae 4663 
 Field guns oe oe ee ee an oe ee 18 
 Guns of position YY ae sip “b - - 132 
 Maxims o8 oe “fs 2 0 ¥, Bs 4 
 Horses, mules, and camels 45 2 “% % ee SAL elf 
 
 The estimated cost of the army for the current year is £ E. 475,000. 
 
 A light telegraph line now connects the Oasis of Kharga, in the Western Desert, 
 with the Nile, thus enabling the military authorities to give timely warning of possible 
 incursions on the part of the Dervishes. The necessity for this arose owing to a sudden 
 raid on the village of Beris in 1898. 
 
 In connection with the scheme of defence for the Western Desert, strong block. 
 houses have now been constructed at Nakhlai and Shebb Wells, some 70 and 100 miles 
 respectively due west of Wady Halfa. The efficiency of these defences was demon- 
 strated only a few weeks ago, when a large mounted party of Dervishes attacked the 
 fort at Shebb, but was forced to retire by the small Arab garrison there. 
 
 It should, however, be noted that water-bearing districts have been discovered still 
 further to the west, and, in consequence, there is considerable difficulty in rendering the 
 desert routes into Egypt impracticable to marauding parties of Dervishes. 
 
 Steps are being taken to run a light telegraph line to the Wells of Murrat, midway 
 between Korosko and Abu Hamed. This post was also the object of a Dervish attack 
 in November 1898; since that date it has been considerably strengthened. 
 
Lil 
 
 The Eastern Sondan and the neighbourhood of Suakin have been undisturbed 
 during the past year. I attribute this fact principally to the occupation of Kassala by 
 the Italians. The attention of the Dervishes has naturally been directed to that part of 
 the country, and they have concentrated in considerable force on the Atbara, but 
 whether for offensive or defensive purposes is not yet apparent. 
 
 The information given by the Rev. Father Rosignoli, the last remaining captive priest 
 of the Austrian Roman Catholic Mission in the Soudan, who was rescued from Omdurman 
 in November, goes to show that the power and authority of the Khalifa Abdulla are 
 still paramount; and while admitting that there is great discontent among tive local 
 population owing to the tyranny of the Baggaras, he does not consider there is much 
 likelihood of any important change in the present situation. 
 
 A considerable force of Dervishes is maintained in the Dongola district for 
 defensive purposes, but this does not preclude the likelihood of raids on the Nile 
 frontier. 
 
 The position of the Khalifa’s forces in other parts of the Soudan remains practically 
 the same as in 1893. 
 
 13. Justice. 
 
 As regards the Department of Justice, | need not add anything to the Memorandum 
 annexed to this despatch (nclosure 3) which Sir John Scott has kindly communicated 
 to me. 
 
 14. Interior. 
 
 The most important change that occurred during the year, and, I may add, in its 
 ultimate effects one of the most radical reforms that have been introduced into this 
 country, was the reorganization of the Ministry of the Interior. 
 
 The three principal Departments of this Ministry, viz., Police, Prisons, and Sanita- 
 tion, had for long been under English control, but the Mudirs, the supreme represen- 
 tatives of the Administration in the provinces, and the natural agents for the execution 
 of the instructions issued by these Departments, came in no direct way under their 
 sphere of influence. As regards the Prisons ana the Sanitary Services, the inconvenience 
 arising from this state of affairs was slight, inasmuch as their work was mainly of a 
 technical character, with which the Mudirs had neither the desire nor the necessary 
 knowledge to interfere. It was, however, quite otherwise with the Public Security 
 Department. Their work comprised by far the most important and difficult part of the 
 Mudir’s functions, and in the interests of good government it was indispensable that the 
 two should work harmoniously together. 
 
 The original theory on which it was attempted to work the system of police that 
 existed heretofore consisted in the organization under English officers of an efficient 
 body of armed men to be placed at the disposal of the Mudirs for the preservation of 
 public security. in practice, however, it was impossible for Englishmen not to insist 
 upon seeing that the instrument they had created was not misused. They had little or 
 no control over the Mudirs. Consequently, there was was an increasing tendency to 
 push that functionary on one side, and work the police directly from head-quarters. 
 The provincial police gradually assumed a semi-independent position towards the Mudir, 
 which impaired the prestige of the latter, and divided the responsibility for the preser- 
 vation of public security. In a word, the dualism—to use Nubar Pasha’s favourite 
 term—which is a necessary consequence of the British occupation, instead of being 
 restricted, as in other Administrations, to a few high English officials and native 
 Ministers, displayed itself at the other end of the administrative hierarchy between 
 native local officials relying on the support of their English chiefs at head-quarters and 
 other local officials who should naturally have been their immediate superiors. It is 
 incontestable that, under this system, much good work has been done and a great 
 improvement effected in the public security in the country. The parts of the machine 
 were, however, displaced from their normal position, with the result that there was a 
 maximum of friction for the amount of work done. 
 
 Under these circumstances, I was prepared to cordially support Nuhar Pasha in 
 his endeavours to reorganize the Ministry of the Interior on a more satisfactory basis. 
 During the summer the main features of the changes which he desired to introduce were 
 
 ut into a practical and acceptable shape, and shortly after my return to Egypt in 
 October 1894 the sanction of the Egyptian Government and of His Highness the 
 Khedive was given to an arrangement which, while obviating the inconveniences 
 
 (254) D 2 
 
12 
 
 pointed out above, secured in a form palatable to the Egyptian Ministry that morai 
 control and supervision over the internal administration of this country which Her 
 Majesty’s Government are bound to exert so long as the British occupation continues. 
 
 The main features of the arrangement were as follows :— 
 
 1. The post of Inspector-General of Police was abolished, and the various services 
 centralized under this official were divided and placed under the direct orders of the 
 Minister of the Interior. 
 
 2. The English Police Inspectors living in the provinces in charge of fixed districts 
 were recalled. In their place a few English Inspectors were attached to the Ministry 
 of the Interior, one or two to inspect the discipline and interior economy of the police 
 force, and the rest to inspect and report upon the manner in which the Mudirs and 
 other local officials performed their duties. 
 
 3. The provincial police was placed, practically as well as theoretically, under the 
 control of the local civil authorities, in future solely responsible for the maintenance of 
 public security. 
 
 4, An English Adviser was attached to the Ministry of the Interior. This official 
 was to have no executive functions, but was to have the right to be kept fully informed 
 of all the affairs of the Ministry, and to obtain all information he might consider neces- 
 sary for the efficient discharge of his duties. 
 
 For many reasons it was considered desirable that the latter post should be held 
 by a civilian. Consequently Mr. Gorst, hitherto Under-Secretary of State for Finance, 
 was appointed. 
 
 The new system has not yet been working long enough for me to give any account 
 of the result. It is satisfactory that so considerable and far-reaching a change has 
 been effected without any great perturbation in the provinces, and without, even 
 temporarily, relaxing the guarantees for the maintenance of public security. There was 
 a momentary but real danger that the native officers in the police force might imagine 
 that they had been abandoned by those to whom they had been accustomed to look for 
 help and support, and that a feeling of discouragement might impair their zeal and 
 energy in the execution of their duties. Happily this has not been the case. Steps 
 were at once taken to reassure them, and to make them feel that they could not but 
 benefit by a change which practically amalgamated their service with the general Adminis- 
 tration, and thereby threw open to them the possibility of promotion to the highest 
 posts. 
 
 Since the new arrangement has come into force some changes have been made in 
 the administrative staff in the provinces, which will make it evident that in future a 
 higher standard will be demanded from those who occupy these posts. Some time 
 must without doubt elapse and further changes be made before the local officials will 
 be able to show a satisfactory record, but a considerable improvement in their work may 
 be looked for even now when they begin to feel that their advancement or their dismissal 
 will depend upon their merits. 
 
 As regards the general lines upon which it is proposed to improve the internal 
 administration of this country, I may remark that there is no Department in which the 
 zeal of the earnest reformer is more to be deprecated. The habits and customs of a 
 people, and especially of an Oriental people, must not be trifled with lightly. A reform 
 which appears irksome, even without reason, to those for whose benefit it is intended, 
 fails of its purpose. I do not doubt that in the work of reorganization these principles 
 will be borne in mind. The scheme proposed by Nubar Pasha, which is now under 
 consideration, regulating the nomination and position of the village Omdehs and Sheikhs, 
 is an attempt to utilize an ancient and venerable institution in the interests of progress 
 and civilization. The point of departure is the practical recognition of the power and 
 influence of the Omdeh or Headman of the village. An endeavour will be made to 
 insure the selection of the best possible man for the post, to confine his authority within 
 legal limits, and to punish and reward him according to his deserts. If the new plan 
 succeeds, and there appears to me to be no reason for supposing that it should not, a 
 very important step will have been taken towards putting public security in the villages 
 on a sounder and more economical footing than would have been possible under the old 
 system. 
 
 15. Prisons. 
 in few branches of the Egyptian Administration has greater progress been made 
 
 curing the last few years than in the Prison Department, of which Dr. Crookshank is the 
 Director-General. Those prisons which have been built under Dr. Crookshank’s 
 
18 
 
 superintendence by prison labour can bear comparison with any similar institutions in 
 Europe. Over-crowding, with all its attendant evils, however, still exists in the 
 provincial prisons ; neither can it cease until considerable sums of money, which it is 
 impossible for the Government to provide at present, are spent. A portion of the 
 General Reserve Fund might very usefully be devoted to the construction of new 
 prisons. 
 
 The prison receipts amount to about £ E. 2,000 a-year, which are employed in 
 improving and extending existing prison accommodation, but this is not nearly sufficient 
 to meet the requirements of the Department. 
 
 [ am glad to be able to add that a sum of 1,500/. has been granted for the 
 adaptation of an existing building at Alexandria to the purposes of a small juvenile 
 reformatory, capable of holding from 100 to 150 boys. An institution of this sort is 
 much required. It is impossible to go over any of the prisons in Egypt without being 
 struck by the youth of many of the prisoners, who should certainly on every ground be 
 separated from adult offenders. 
 
 16. Sanitary Department. 
 
 The remarks which I have made in respect to the Prisons Administration apply 
 equally to the Sanitary Department. Under the intelligent direction of Rogers Pasha 
 much progress has been made. New dispensaries have been opened. The number of 
 patients treated in Government hospitals has increased. An infectious diseases hospital 
 at Cairo has been completed. An English specialist is about to be placed in charge of 
 the lunatic asylum. Three new hospitals at Damanhour, Fayoum, and Beni Souef are 
 in course of construction. Slaughter-houses are being built in several provincial towns. 
 A Vaccine Institute has been completed. Sixty-six mosques have been placed in a 
 sanitary condition; 121 cemeteries have been dealt with under the Cemetery Decree 
 passed in January 1894. 
 
 But the Department is much crippled for want of funds. Thus, Rogers Pasha 
 writes to me :— 
 
 “Tt is an undoubted fact that the population is gradually beginning to appreciate 
 the advantages of medical institutions, whether hospitals or dispensaries. 
 
 “Demands are now constantly made for the creation of new dispensaries and 
 hospitals throughout the country, and it is a matter of the deepest regret that the 
 resources of the Department should be so limited as to prevent these demands being 
 complied with. ‘The inhabitants of Benha have just subscribed a sum of 260/., and 
 forwarded it with the request that it should be devoted to constructing even a small 
 hospital in their town, a practical proof that they recognize the necessity of such an 
 institution.” 
 
 ‘It is to be hoped that some portion of the General Reserve Fund will be eventually 
 devoted to sanitary improvements. 
 
 17. Education. 
 
 During the latter part of 1893 and the early part of 1894 a somewhat reactionary 
 tendency was manifested in dealing with the affairs of the Education Department. Since 
 the change of Ministry in April 1894 matters have taken a more favourable turn. 
 Abuses have been checked, and several important measures of educational reform have 
 been taken in hand. I need not describe these measures in detail, but I may allude 
 briefly to one of special importance. 
 
 In a Department of which the Head has been changed thirty-one times during the 
 past thirty-two years, it is obviously desirable that special provision should be made for 
 continuity of administration. Two Standing Committees—one the School Management 
 Committee, composed of six professional experts presided over by the Under-Secretary 
 of State, the other the Superior Council of Public Instruction, presided over by the 
 Minister, and numbering among its members influential representatives of the wider 
 educational interests of the country, as well as the most important officials of the Depart- 
 ment—offer valuable guarantees for stability and enlightenment in educational policy. 
 Under the late Ministry the School Management Committee was constantly ignored, and 
 the Superior Council was never assembled. Both of these bodies have now resumed 
 their proper functions. 
 
 The statistics both of attendance and of revenue from school fees testify to stead- 
 fast growth. ‘The total number of pupils in attendance at schools under tae Ministry of 
 
14: 
 
 Public Instruction, which was 1,919 in 1887, 7,880 in 1892, and 9,095 in 1898, rose in 
 1894 to 9,516. The percentage of paying pupils, after an uninterrupted rise from 30 in 
 1881 to 76 in 1898, increased in 1894 to 78. The receipts from the ‘*‘ Government,” 
 “National,” and ‘“ Wakfs”’ Schools, on account of school fees, which in 1881 had amounted 
 to £ E. 2,323, and had steadily advanced to £ EK. 23,011 in 1893, rose in 1894 to 
 £ KE. 24,782. As the application for admission to not a few schools is far in excess of 
 the accommodation, and.as the readiness to pay school fees is every year becoming more 
 clearly marked, the Superior Council of Public Instruction has this month proposed that 
 the all but nominal fee charged in most of the schools should be slightly raised, and that 
 the system of gratuity should be further restricted. 
 
 The Tewfikieh Normal School for the training of native teachers of French, and the 
 Khedivieh Training College for native teachers of English, have been placed on a more 
 satisfactory footing by the thorough revision last year of the general regulations for 
 the organization of these establishments. 
 
 The admirable results obtained from the experiment of placing the: Tewfikieh 
 Normal School under the direction of a French Principal encouraged the Public 
 Instruction Department to take the important step last October of nominating an English 
 Principal of high professional standing to be the Head of the Khedivieh Training 
 College for teachers of English. Attached to the Khedivieh Training College for 
 teachers is the largest secondary school in Cairo, and it is already evident that the 
 appointment of an English Principal will give a higher degree of efficiency to secondary 
 education and to the training of teachers. 
 
 Special facilities have been given during the past year to dispensing chemists, who 
 are practising in Cairo without a diploma, to join as students of the School of 
 Pharmacy. 
 
 A Veterinary School, attached to the School of Medicine, was opened for the first 
 time last October. é ' 
 
 The Polytechnic School still lags behind all the other professional Colleges, and the 
 serious diminution of the number of students in attendance gives confirmation to the 
 general opinion that this school is incapable of improvement under its present teaching 
 staff. 
 
 As the result of experiments carried on in the Boulak Technical School by an expert 
 whose services were temporarily secured by the Public Instruction Department, a Report 
 has been published which seems to prove the feasibility of a manufacture of glazed 
 pottery as a remunerative industry in Egypt. 
 
 It is matter for regret that it has not yet been possible to provide Alexandria with 
 a good secondary school, or to inaugurate a better system of education for Egyptian 
 girls. In fact, the very important question of female education in Egypt has not yet 
 received nearly the attention it deserves. 
 
 Your Lordship is aware that the work of the Education Department was recently 
 criticized in a very hostile spirit by the Legislative Council. The criticisms of the Council 
 have been answered by the Director-General of Education. They appear to have been 
 based on imperfect information. Nevertheless, the attention paid by the Council to this 
 subject affords satisfactory proof of the interest now felt by the natives of Egypt in 
 educational matters. A great change in Egyptian public opinion has, indeed, taken 
 place since Mr. Senior, speaking of the days of Mehemet Ali, wrote :— 
 
 “Knowledge was then so unpopular that mothers blinded their children to keep 
 them from school.” * 
 
 To use the words of Yakub Pasha Artin, a “ réveil intellectuel’’ has taken place 
 within the last few years. “Il n’y a pas,” he said in a recent Report, “‘ une dizaine 
 d’années que le public en général, non seulement ne s’intéressait pas 4 Vinstruction de 
 ses enfants, mais encore y était opposé, quoique dans une moindre mesure qu'il y a 
 soixante ans.’’+ } 
 
 18. College of Agriculture. 
 
 Mr. Williamson Wallace, the Director of the College of Agriculture, writes to me 
 as follows :— 
 “This College is now in its fifth year. Students who were first admitted completed 
 
 * “ Conversations,” &c., vol. i, p. 170. 
 
 t “Considérations,” &c., p. 4. 
 
 { (Translation.)—‘ Scarcely ten years ago the general public not only did not interest themselves in the 
 education of their children, but were indeed opposed to it, though in a less degree than sixty years ago.” 
 
15 
 
 their four years’ course of study in June last, and were examined by external examiners 
 appointed by the Ministry of Public Instruction. Ten out of a class of twenty-two 
 succeeded in passing the final examination, and eight of these obtained situations 
 connected with agriculture; the two others, sons of wealthy parents, preferred to wait 
 for an opportunity of joining the Government service. 
 
 “In analyzing the natural manures of the country, it was found that large clay 
 deposits, long used as manure in- Upper Egypt, contained nitrate of soda as the principal 
 ingredient, an average of 5 per cent. being present in the forty-five samples examined 
 in the chemical laboratory. This would account for the value of the clay as a manure, 
 although present in too small a proportion to pay for extraction and export. 
 
 “The white scale-insect (Icerya Algyptiaca) has this year greatly increased in the 
 gardens of Cairo, while those of Ghizeh have been kept comparatively free from the 
 pest by the introduction of the New Zealand lady-bird (Vedalia cardinalis), and 
 preparations are being made to supply colonies of these lady-birds to other gardens. 
 
 “Samples of foreign barleys grown on the College experimental plots were sent to 
 several English brewers, who valued two varieties of the same at not less than 30s. per 
 quarter, which is greatly in excess of the price obtained for native barleys, Twenty 
 acres of these varieties have been sown, and arrangements made for the malting of the 
 produce in England. 
 
 “With the object of finding a partial substitute for cotton, ramie, or China, grass is 
 being cultivated, and the produce will be treated by a new chemical process of preparing 
 the fibre.” 
 
 19. Slavery. 
 
 The incidents which occurred last summer, to which J] need not now allude in 
 detail, drew attention both to certain defects in the existing laws relating to slavery, and 
 to the special procedure adopted for trying persons who infringe those laws. It 
 appears, in fact, to be desirable to recast the Convention signed in 1877 between the 
 Governments of Great Britain and Egypt. ‘The matter is now under consideration. 
 
 I should mention in connection with this subject that there appears litile doubt that 
 ‘now that the importation of slaves into Egypt is rendered very difficult, if not altogether 
 impossible, slaves are brought in considerable numbers from the centre of Africa to 
 portions of the coast, which are little frequented, lying immediately eastward of Tripoli. 
 Thence they are taken, often in Greek boats, who also smuggle arms, tobacco, &c., to 
 some other part of the Ottoman dominions. It is much to be desired that the Govern- 
 ment of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan should take whatever measures are possible to 
 put a stop to this traffic. 
 
 20. Conclusion. 
 
 In conclusion, I need only say that the present Ministers and the superior English 
 officials in the various Departments of the State are working cordially together, to the 
 great benefit of the population of Egypt and of all interested in Egyptian affairs. It is 
 to be hoped that no untoward event will occur to mar the good understanding which at 
 present exists. 
 
 . L have, &c. 
 (Signed) CROMER. 
 
 
 
 Inclosure 1. 
 
 Memorandum by Mr. Lang. 
 
 
 
 = 
 
 Middle Egypt. 
 
 THE cultivators in that region were favoured in 1894 with very good cotton and 
 sugar-cane crops. Cotton growers in general received full compensation for the fall in 
 price from a larger yield than they have been accustomed to. Sugar-cane-growers were 
 unatlected by the fall in the value of sugar, as the factories have not reduced the 
 
 
 
16 
 
 price at which they buy the canes delivered. The grain and bean crops of 1893-94 were 
 light and prices low, but our tenants have paid their rents with great regularity, which 
 is the best proof that their general situation is satisfactory, and such I believe to be 
 the case with the agricultural population in general in that region. 
 
 Upper Egypt. 
 
 The grain crops were light, but prices fairly good. Our rents in that region have: 
 been well paid, showing that our tenants have made two ends meet with ease. 
 
 I was also glad to notice in coming down the river from Assouan that the growing 
 crops of grain and beans are luxuriant and promise much better returns than last 
 
 ear. 
 q Of these regions I can speak with considerable confidence, and I have no hesitation 
 in saying that in general there is no severe agricultural depression. 
 
 I have not yet visited the Fayoum, but our rents there have come in with great 
 regularity in 1894. What the Fayoum requires to a greater extent than any other part 
 of Egypt is more water to cultivate in summer its proper proportion of cotton. 
 
 (Signed) R. HAMILTON LANG. 
 
 February 14, 1895. 
 
 Inclosure 2. 
 
 Note upon the Public Works Department for the year 1894. 
 
 IRRIGATION BRANCH. 
 
 
 
 Summer Irrigation. 
 
 THE supply in the river throughout the summer was exceptionally abundant, 
 and the distribution of water was in consequence comparatively easy. Rotations of 
 canals were applied as usual, but were not enforced to such a strict degree as had been 
 found necessary in previous years. Where difficulties as to water supply arose was in 
 the northern tracts, which have been lately reclaimed. These difficulties increase 
 annually with the extension of the fringe of fresh land brought under cultivation. The 
 sales held by the Ministry of Finance prove how eagerly these new lands are being bought 
 up. There is little room for doubt that the limit of area which can safely be cultivated 
 with the available supply of water has been reached, and the Government must 
 make up its mind either to stop the sales of new lands altogether or to take steps for 
 increasing the water supply in summer. It must not be forgotten that the summer 
 discharge of the river during the last two years has been an exceptionally good one, and 
 yet, as far as the newly reclaimed lands were concerned, it was only by careful and 
 watchful distribution of the water on the part of the Irrigation Staff that serious 
 difficulties were avoided. How will it be when years of low supply, like 1877, 1889, 
 and 1890, recur, as they are certain ere long to do? Most undoubtedly the resources 
 of the Department will be strained to the fullest extent, and, given the utmost 
 care and vigilance on the part of its staff, it is hardly to be hoped that the crops 
 over the largely extended and expanding area now under cultivation can be completely 
 saved. | 
 
 The Irrigation Service has for some years been engaged in improving and enlarging 
 the main and tributary channels which supply the northern tracts, so that when the 
 years of low supply shall arrive, and the stress be felt, it may have the power of tempo- 
 rarily{forcing*large volumes of water down to the areas affected. All the improvements 
 made have tended to increase the economical distribution and the duty of the water, 
 and we are undoubtedly now in a better position to meet a bad year than we were 
 in 1889 or i890. The fact, however, remains that a given area of land requires a 
 given quantity of water with which to save its crops, and, if the requisite supply of the 
 former be not forthcoming, the latter must undoubtedly perish, 
 
uy 
 
 Ale The chief improvements, of the kind above mentioned, carried out in 1894 were as 
 ollows :— 
 
 The Rayyah Belcas and its branches were enlarged at a cost of £ K. 3,967. 
 
 The enlargement of the Kasid, Difra, and Taalib Canals, which was commenced in 
 1893, was continued in 1894 at a cost of 1,1731. 
 
 A new feeder canal, taking off up-stream of the Barrage, was dug for the purpose 
 of increasing the supply of the Rayyah Menufiyah. This channel has increased the 
 discharge of the canal by 1,000,000 cubic metres per diem, and cost £ E. 6,639. 
 
 The improvement of the Kudaba and Rashid Canals, with a view to the suppression 
 of the Mehallet El Amir dam, was pushed forward in 1894 at an expenditure of 
 £ HK. 3,870. The works remaining to be carried out will be completed early in 1896, 
 so that the construction of this dam will in future be rendered unnecessary. 
 
 The Mehallet E] Amir Dam has for the last ten years been placed in the Rosetta 
 branch of the Nile, with a view to prevent the ingress of the sea-water during summer, 
 and thus to enable the canals and pumping-stations higher up the river to draw fresh 
 instead of salt water. The total cost of the remodelling works, which, when completed, 
 will enable us to dispense with the dam, is £ EK. 10,609. The average annual cost of 
 the dam itself has been £ E. 8,941; a very substantial economy will thus be realized. 
 
 In addition to the above works, the great project in the Behera Province known as 
 the alterations to the Khatatbeh Canal was brought to completion in 1894 as far as regards 
 the first stage of its operations. The old and faulty alignment of the Khatatbeh Canal 
 was abandoned, and the Mahmoudieh Canal supplied by means of the two new channels 
 known as the Right and Left Khandaks. 
 
 The Atfeh pumps were used for five days during the month of August for the 
 purpose of increasing the Mahmoudieh Canal supply when the Rayyah Behera has been 
 closed, and before the river has risen to a sufficient height in the Rosetta branch. In 
 order to obviate the necessity for using these pumps, a new regulator is being constructed 
 in the Rayyah Behera, but this I will discuss later. 
 
 The Flood of 1894. 
 
 The flood was an exceptional one, inasmuch as that it resembled no previous flood 
 of which we had any record. In the first place, it was preceded by a very high summer 
 supply, which is contrary to the rule with high floods. In the second place, it remained 
 at an abnormal height to an exceptionally late period of the year. The river began to 
 rise early, and continued to do so steadily until the 22nd August, when 17 cubits were 
 registered on the Assouan gauge. ‘The water remained above this level until the 
 5th September, when it fell below it for a few days. On the 12th September it passed 
 it again, and remained above the height of 17 cubits until the 23rd September, when it 
 finally began to fall. It was this second and late rise which caused the high level 
 reached at Cairo, and which brought the flood of 1894 within the category of those 
 dangerous to the country. As far as Lower Egypt, indeed, is concerned, the flood just 
 passed may be classed with the four other great floods of the last twenty years, and in 
 some respects it tested the river banks to a greater extent than any of the foregoing. 
 
 In my note upon the Nile flood of 1892 I explained that it is the length and late 
 occurrence of a flood which renders it a danger to the country rather than the maximum 
 height attained by it. I also stated that a flood is considered to be dangerous when it 
 passes the level of 17 cubits at Assouan and 24 cubits at Rodah. Should it rise early 
 and pass off while the Upper Egypt basins are empty or only partially full, there is 
 little likelihood of a dangerous height being reached at Cairo. Should its rise, on the 
 contrary, approach the date of the “Salib” or time of ‘‘Sarf” of the basins, there is 
 every probability of its attaining to a high level at Cairo, and continuing at this height 
 until late in the year, the reason being that the basin water must be discharged into an 
 already overcharged river. 
 
 A glance at the following Tables will show that this last is exactly what happened 
 in 1894. - 
 
 [254] 
 
18 
 
 Table I.—RtvER above 17 cubits at Assouan. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r Remained over Fell below Reached 
 ors 17 cubits. 17 cubits. Maximum. 
 aX G ae o» .-| 45 days ..| September 27 ..} September 6 
 FSIS! tins 2 ON EST Bien ..| October 12 ..}| October 1 
 ABS) fon « ie pet Ube e«| September 23 ..| September 1 
 1892)... af, ei} Ot) ee| October ees 3 20 
 18045). ee BPY ie ine, -.| September 24 ..| August 25 
 
 
 
 Table II.—Rrver above 24 cubits at Rodah (Cairo). 
 
 
 
 | 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 V oars Remained above Fell below | Reached 
 7 24 cubits, 24 cubits. Maximum. 
 18 (oe aS% bis ..| 47 days ..| October 25 ..| October 6 
 ISTE ieA a6 3,89 ZS ..| November 1 .. i} lg 
 18874 ves oe nel Skis, --| October. 14/, 7 September 25 
 B92 es is et eer aes --| November 1 .., October f 
 1894. Mone ta Te rN 
 
 
 
 From the above we see that the duration of the flood of 1894 at Cairo was equal in 
 length to that of the four preceding ones, and that it reached its maximum and 
 commenced to fall at a later date than any of the others. 
 
 The date of the “Salib,” or time for opening the basins, is the 26th September, 
 and the discharge of the water cannot be postponed many days after the above date if 
 the winter crop is to be sown in time to allow of its ripening before the summer heat 
 arrives. It is true that the flood of 1894 did not reach so great a height at Assonan as 
 any of the four recorded in the Tables; but as the fall did not commence until two 
 days before the “Salib,” the period of danger at Cairo was much prolonged, and the 
 river at this point did not attain its maximum until the 27th October, or sixteen days 
 later than in any of the years above quoted. The maximum level reached in 1894 
 (at Cairo) was 5 kirats, or about 11 centim. below that touched in 1892; when once, 
 however, the 24-cubit level has been passed, a few centimetres more or less make little 
 difference. 
 
 It is satisfactory to relate that no breach of any kind occurred in Lower Egypt, 
 this result being due to the precautions taken by the Inspectors-General of Irrigation 
 and their subordinates, and to the skilful manner in which the emptying of the basin 
 chains into the river was managed by Major Brown. Few people in Cairo during 
 October last had any idea of how dangerous a flood was passing to the north, and how 
 great was the strain upon the Nile banks throughout the month in question. Every- 
 thing was quietly managed, and care was taken to prevent needless alarm, The Mudirs, 
 Inspectors of Irrigation, and their subordinates worked together in the most satisfac- 
 tory way, and the extra expenditure entailed was very considerably less than that 
 of any previous year. Although extra watchmen had to be called out to guard 
 the banks, their numbers were very much less than in either 1887 or 1892. See 
 Appendix (A). 
 
 Crops in 1894. 
 
 An unusually large area of land was planted with cotton in 1894. Unfortunately 
 the cotton-worm, during the summer and the cold and fogs during the autumn months, 
 caused between them such damage to the plants that the yield is estimated to be 
 from 10 to 15 per cent. less than that of 1898. By this I mean the average yield 
 per. feddan planted. As regards the total out-turn, the Alexandria Produce Association 
 estimates that, in consequence of the large area of land planted with cotton in 
 1894, this will be little, if at all, inferior to that of the year 1893, when it reached 
 5,200,000 kantars. 
 
 The rice and maize crops were both fair ones as regards yield and quality. 
 
 The sugar-cane produced an exceptionally good croup, but the out-turn of wheat was 
 hardly up to the standard of previous years. | 
 
19 
 
 Upon the whole, however, the agriculturist in Egypt had little to complain of 
 regarding the quantity and the quality of his produce in 1894. What did affect him 
 seriously was the heavy fall in the price of agricultural products of all kinds. For each 
 and every crop the price obtainable was the lowest ever before reached. As regards 
 the wheat crop, the rate realizable per ardeb is now so low as to make it scarcely worth 
 cultivating if any ordinary expenditure be thereby entailed. What has saved the 
 cultivation of wheat in Upper Egypt up to the present is that it costs comparatively 
 little; it is sown broadcast upon the slime, and left to itself until the time for reaping 
 arrives. No ploughing or manuring of the fields is necessary here. Should, however, 
 prices fall mnch lower, it is difficult to see how the lands under flood irrigation, and 
 which produce one crop a year, can be profitably cultivated. For these, 1 think, the 
 substitution of perennial for flood irrigation is an urgent necessity. 
 
 Making allowance for the fall which has lately taken place in the price of sugar, the 
 cane crop is still by far the most profitable one in Egypt to the producer. The whole 
 of the basin lands at present under wheat might, were sufficient water available in 
 summer, be cultivated with sugar-cane and other summer crops. Supposing, moreover, 
 that the whole area of Upper Egypt were to be put under sugar-cane cultivation, the 
 increase as regards the total consumption of the world would be so smal{ as not to 
 justify the assertion sometimes made that increased production would result in a further 
 fall in the price. 
 
 With regard to cotton cultivation, the state of the landed proprietor is undoubtedly 
 bad, and mnch worse than it was some years ago when good prices were the rule. It is 
 not yet, however, desperate, and the accounts of the distress prevailing have been much 
 exaggerated. Cotton in Egypt has not yet reached a point at which it does not pay to 
 cultivate it; the year just passed was an exceptionally unfortunate one as far as this 
 crop was concerned, otherwise it is probable that the increased yield would have largely 
 compensated for the diminished price. A bad crop in America or a reduction of the area 
 of land cultivated in that country would, [ think, certainly cause a rise in prices in 
 Egypt. Moreover, in addition to the cotton crop, the proprietor of land perennially 
 irrigated is able to sow clover and other winter crops. He is not then, I maintain, in 
 anything like so dangerous a position as are his fellows in Upper Egypt, who are entirely 
 dependent for their existence upon one single crop, and one which, moreover, is yearly 
 decreasing in value, 
 
 Principal Works carried out in 1894. 
 
 
 
 
 
 The Barrage. 
 
 I will commence with this, as being of the greatest importance. 
 
 The work of staunching the springs which have found their way under a portion of 
 the flooring of the Damietta Barrage was continued in 1894. The formation of a clay 
 apron covered with concrete blocks was carried on almost to completion with the 
 satisfactory result that the leak did not appear under the pressure due to a head of 
 water varying from 25 to 34 metres, whereas in previous years the springs blew out 
 whenever the head of water reached 2 metres. In 1894, even with a head of over 
 3: metres upon the Barrage, the down-siream springs were tewer in number and 
 worked more feebly than in the years preceding, and the results of the dye test would 
 seem to show that these springs are not now caused by water passing throughout the 
 length of the flooring, but rather have their source under the work itself or in the stone 
 apron down-stream of it. The above results are very encouraging, and we may fairly 
 hope that in a year or two we shall succeed in staunching these troublesome springs 
 altogether. 
 
 The cost of these repairs amounted in 1894 to £ F. 2,300, while the total main- 
 tenance charges of the Barrages, including river training, were £ E. 10,889, as against 
 £ E. 11,548 in 1893. In the above expenditure is included a sum of £ E. 1,320, being 
 the cost of one of Stoney’s patent roller gates set up in 1894 at the head of the Rayyah 
 Behera. This gate was erected with the object of permitting the International Com-, 
 mission to examine the type of shutter which it is proposed to introduce in the sluices of 
 the great dam at Assouan. | 
 
 i cannot leave the subject of the Barrage without recording my regret at the loss 
 which the Irrigation Service has sustained by the death of Liernur Bey, for some years 
 Director of this work. It isin a great measure due to his untiring and faithful sree 
 vision that the repairs above mentioned have proved so successful. His place will be 
 extremely difficult to fill. 
 
 [254] | E 2 
 
20 
 Masonry Works, Upper Egypt. 
 
 Omitting the great Etsa project, of which separate mention will be made, the 
 following masonry works were carried to completion in Upper Egypt during the past 
 year :— 
 
 New Works. 
 
 Ten regulators, two bridges, and four escapes. 
 
 Existing Works altered and repaired. 
 
 Five regulators, four syphons, one escape, and nine bridges. These were all put 
 into thorough repair, and altered so as to suit the present conditions of water 
 distribution. 
 
 The cost of the above works amounted to a total of £ E. 14,000. 
 
 The Etsa project, mentioned above, and alluded to in my last year’s note, was 
 completed in 1894. The benefit of this work will therefore be felt during the 
 flood of 1895. It consists of a canal 3 kilom. long, taking direct from the river, 
 passing under the railway, the Ibrahimiyah and Safsafah Canals, by means of a large 
 syphon of five barrels, and leading direct into the basins, which previous to its construc- 
 tion were cut off by the railway and the above-mentioned canals, and thus were 
 prevented from receiving their supply of silt-laden water direct from the river. The 
 area which will in future benefit by the above work amounts to some 20,000 feddans. 
 Major Brown calculates that in a very few years the increase in value of the produce 
 over this area will amount to P. E. 50 per feddan, or, say, £ E. 10,000 over the total area. 
 As the whole cost of this work has only been £ E. 15,000 (or £ E. 1 per feddan benefited), 
 the result, if only partially realized, will amply warrant the expenditure incurred. 
 Major Brown has good grounds for making the above statement, as he has constructed 
 several similar works in Middle Egypt; in each instance the increase in the yield of the 
 basin has been very large. 
 
 Masonry Works, Lower Egypt. 
 
 Excluding the new regulator on the Rayyah Behera, the following masonry works 
 were executed in Lower Egypt in 1894 :-— 
 
 New Works. 
 
 Sixteen regulators, two bridges, three syphons, and two sets of offices for the 
 Irrigation Staff. 
 
 Existing Works altered and repaired. 
 
 Twenty-eight regulators and one escape. 
 
 The total cost of the above was £ E. 24,799. 
 
 The most important work put in hand in 1894 was the Rayyah Behera regulator 
 above mentioned, the cost of which is not included in the above figures. ‘This work, as 
 has before been explained, is for the purpose of enabling us to regulate upon the canal 
 in a rising flood, and to then obviate the necessity of closing it altogether, as is at 
 present done, by means of an earthen dam. Once this regulator has been completed, 
 it will be possible{to pass sufficient water down the channel to supply the Mahmondieh 
 Canal until the river rises to a sufficient height at Atfeh to allow of the intake there 
 being used. The necessity of pumping from the Rosetta branch by means of the Atfeh 
 pumps will then disappear. 
 
 It will be seen from the foregoing that much useful work has been carried out 
 during the past year in the way of improving regulation and distribution of water, and 
 thus enabling us to economize our supply. Our budget for work of this kind was 
 unfortunately greatly crippled owing to a large bill for land in Upper and Middle 
 Egypt taken up previously to 1892 having to be met. A sum of £E. 26,000 was 
 paid by us last year for the above, which, had it not been for this unfortunate necessity, 
 might have been employed upon the construction and repairs of many other useful 
 works. 
 
21 
 Earthwork executed inf1894. 
 This may be divided into two categories, namely, earthwork carried out by means 
 
 of dredging machinery, and that done by hand labour. 
 The following are the cubes dredged in 1894 :— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cubes. Cost. 
 
 LE. 
 Upper Egypt we we of aa 448,026 m® 16,890 
 Lower Egypt me = wr eee yeol O0On.. 48,208 
 Total ee eo ee! 1,739,626 3 65,098 
 
 
 
 __ This work was well and satisfactorily executed by the Evropean Companies charged 
 with the dredging of the canals. 
 The cubes done by hand labour in 1894 were — 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cubes. Cost. 
 
 £E. 
 Upper Egypt a3 ae os ee! 12,642,926 m? 156,730 
 Lower Egypt “ic ee ae wa 6,299,501 ,, 108,093 
 Total iy A! J. | 18,942,427 5, 264,823 
 
 
 
 This gives the average contract rate per metre cube of earthwork executed, 
 P, BE. 1°39. 
 
 The above rate, although a little higher than the average of 1898, is still surprisingly 
 low if the nature of the work be taken into consideration. 
 
 A very large proportion of the above was executed by native contractors, whose 
 numbers are increasing yearly, and whose efficiency is, 1 am glad to record, also 
 increasing. 
 
 Drainage. 
 
 In all, £ E. 41,826 was spent in 1894 upon this most necessary work; 141 kilom. 
 of new channel were dug, and many of the existing drains widened and deepened. The 
 above sum contains two items which deserve special mention. These are: the amount 
 of £ HK. 4,000 expended upon the transfer of the Khatatbeh pumps to Mex, and that of 
 £ EK. 4,218 spent upon the Wadi Tumilat drainage project. 
 
 The former work has been undertaken for the purpose of lowering the level of 
 water in Lake Mareotis, which at present forms the receptacle for the greater portion of 
 the drainage of Behera Province. Drains have of late years been so vigorously pushed 
 on in this district, and so much water has in consequence been poured into the lake, that 
 in spite of the work done by the two large Gwynne pumps erected in 1892 it has been 
 found impossible to keep the level down to a sufficiently low depth, and in winter a 
 considerable area of low-lying land adjoining the lake has been flooded. The two 
 Khatatbeh pumps now being erected are for the purpose of increasing the pumping 
 power of the station, which by lifting the water from the lake into the sea keeps the 
 level of the former down. ‘The four pumps will certainly be sufficient for this purpose 
 unless the drainage of the province be largely extended. In this latter case, even with 
 the extra pumping power available, we shall be unable to prevent the lake level from 
 rising. As the cost of pumping is borne by the Government, and in 1894 amounted to 
 £ E. 7,950, it becomes a question for serious consideration as to whether it is desirable 
 to extend the drainage of Behera on any large scale at present. Unless the Government 
 should desire a proportionate return in the shape of an increased tax-paving area, I do 
 not think it is desirable to largely extend the drainage area, and am inclined to suspend 
 operations for the present, except in the case in which the water can be turned into 
 Lake Edku. ‘The funds at our disposal can, I think, be more advantageously diverted 
 io the work of completing the drainage of the Gharbiyeh, Dakahliyeh, and Sharkiyeh 
 
 rovinces, where the lands can be drained by gravitation. 
 
99 
 
 The estimated cost of the transfer of these pumps is £ E. 15,000. It is expected 
 that one of them will be in working order by February 1895, and the other some few 
 months later. 
 
 The Wadi Tumilat project is another instance of pumping being required for the 
 drainage of a waterlogged tract. In this instance, however, the proprietors of the 
 Jands destroyed, i.e., the Department of Public Instruction, have borne a large proportion 
 of the cost of the work. Both the new pumps are iu position and at work, and a portion 
 of the new drainage system has been completed. ‘The water is at present lifted into 
 Lake Mahsama, a brackish lake in the desert, but the level of this latter has risen to 
 such an extent that it seems probable that an outfall drain will have to be carried down 
 to Lake Timsah at Ismailia. 
 
 Much still remains to be done before the drainage system of Lower Egypt can be 
 said to be complete. Thanks to the help accorded by the Ministry of Finance in the 
 shape of a special credit of £ E. 25,000, a good start was made in the year under 
 discussion. There appears to be good hope that money will be available in 1895 for 
 this purpose, and if we can obtain sufficient funds we may calculate upon the drainage 
 question being practically mastered in the course of a few years. 
 
 In these days of low prices for agricultural produce, it is of the most vital importance 
 that every means be taken to increase the yield obtained from the soil, and to economize 
 the cost of production. Nothing will more effectually conduce to this result than a 
 system of good drainage. Without irrigation it is true that cultivation is impossible, 
 but irrigation unaccompanied by drainage may, and probably will, do more harm than 
 good by turning lands originally productive into salt and waterlogged tracts. It may 
 be taken as an axiom in Egypt that wherever “sefi” cultivation is practised every 
 drop of water turned on to the soil, with the exception of that evaporated by the sun’s 
 rays, should be passed through it, and carried away by means of an effective drainage 
 system. 
 
 River Protective Works: 
 
 By the above is meant the work which is yearly undertaken for the purpose of 
 guiding and training the river into a regular course, preventing it, on the one hand, from 
 eroding its banks, and, on the other hand, from forming large sandbanks which cause 
 obstacles to navigation, and which, by forcing the current into narrow side channels, 
 may create a dangerous and unexpected set upon the bank itself. In all rivers the above 
 action is continually at work, and, if left uncontrolled, causes in time considerable changes 
 in the course and section of the channel. In a river like the Nile, which is confined by 
 artificial banks between which the water is raised in flood to a height of sometimes 
 13 feet over the country, the consequences of leaving the current to take its own course 
 would almost to a certainty be disastrous. For the past two years this Department has 
 been steadily endeavouring to guide and train the river, and may, I think, fairly claim 
 that the result of the floods of 1887, 1892, and 1894: having passed without doing injury 
 to the country, prove that its efforts in this direction have so far proved a success. 
 
 In the year just passed a considerable amount of protective work has been carried 
 out. Exclusive of the repairs to and the strengthening of the Nile banks, which works 
 are included in the earthwork cubes, a great many stone groins and bank revetments 
 have been executed. In Lower Egypt, z.e., on the Damietta and Rosetta branches of 
 the Nile, a sum of £ EH. 20,704 has been expended. 
 
 In Upper Egypt, 2.e., between Cairo and Assouan, £ EK. 2,024 was spent upon 
 spurs, but £ E.1,795 was spent upon stone revetments in front of certain towns built 
 upon the river bank, which would, without such protection, have been in danger from 
 the severe action of the current. 
 
 Canal Protective Works. 
 
 These consist of similar works to those described in the preceding paragraphs, and 
 are for the same purpose, although constructed upon a somewhat smaller scale. Their 
 chief object is, however, to preserve a uniform section and velocity in the channel, and 
 thus prevent the enormous deposits of silt which are invariably produced in a canal 
 if the velocity of the water be suddenly checked or altered. 
 
 The amount spent upon the above in 1894 was :— 
 
 £ EK. 
 Ibrahimieh Canal nS ry | as tye ot ste typ FO 
 Rayyah Behera .. ar ee a oe ws +» 1,838 
 
 
 
 Total ee ee ee be ee oe 9,348 
 
93 
 Basin Bank Protection. : 
 
 The faces of the basin banks have to be revetted with stone in order to protect 
 them from the action of the waves, which in the larger basins exposed to the prevailing 
 winds is surprisingly destructive. The total amount expended upon such work in 1894 
 was £ EK. 10,645. Once the revetment of the entire system shall have been completed 
 large economies will be realized in the yearly maintenance charges, and in the number 
 of watchmen called out for the purpose of guarding the banks during the period of high 
 
 Nile. 
 Agricultural Roads. 
 
 Two hundred kilom. of new road were opened in 1894; of the above, 
 34 kilom. were in the Fayonum Province, and the balance in Lower Egypt. These 
 roads cost, including bridges, £ E. 23,589. There now exists a total length of 
 849 kilom. of road in Egypt completed since 1890, when the project was first taken 
 in hand. . Each year sees fresh demands for their construction, and the prophets who, 
 at the commencement, foretold failure to the scheme, have proved to have been wofully 
 mistaken. In Egypt, asin other countries, the land-owners are quick to see the advantage 
 of increasing facilities of transport. As in this country it is the people interested who 
 themselves pay for these roads, they show in a practical manner that they consider their 
 construction to be both necessary and beneficial. I hope that ere long we shall be able 
 to induce the people to co-operate and start light railways or tramways with animal 
 traction upon some of the principal roads. I am convinced that these would, if properly 
 started, prove a success, and would very soon be introduced generally by the land-owners 
 themselves, 
 
 The Nile Reservoir Projects. 
 
 As the submission of the above to the Technical Commission is now matter of 
 history, | shall make very brief mention of them in this note. The majority of the 
 Commissicn approved, with certain modifications as to detail, the proposals of the 
 Government engineers for a dam and reservoir on the First Cataract at Assouan. This 
 scheme as originally submitted entailed the submersion of the Philee temples, and upon 
 this being brought to the notice of the different Archeological Societies of Europe, these 
 latter lodged strong protests with the Egyptian Government against this proposal being 
 carried out. The Ministry of Public Works consequently reconsidered the project, and 
 eventually submitted to the Government a modified scheme. This consisted of a dam of 
 more moderate height than that originally designed, which would leave the Nubian 
 monuments unsubmerged, and which would for a short period annually put under water 
 a portion of the more unimportant temples on the Philee Island. 
 
 In accepting this modified scheme, the Egyptian Government signified its intention 
 of adding the cost of a scientific and archeological investigation of the whole of Nubia 
 to the cost of the dam itself. It further stated that it would, should the reservoir 
 project be ever put in execution, ask the European Societies interested to send out 
 qualified persons to undertake and complete this important work. The topographical 
 portions of this survey have been already commenced, and will be completed during the 
 winter of 1894-95. With the above compromise, the English archeologists have 
 practically declared themselves to be satisfied. 
 
 The modified project will cost less than the original one, but the area of country 
 benefited will of necessity be smaller than would have been the case had the bigger 
 scheme been carried out. At the same time there are many arguments in favour of 
 proceeding slowly and progressively. and there is little doubt that once the first reservoir 
 has been completed, and its benefits been felt by the people, the construction of a 
 second to the south will be merely a question of time. See Appendix (B). 
 
 The Canal and Drainage Act. 
 
 This Law, which was first put in force in 1890, was revised in 1894, and brought out 
 in an amended and more practical form. This revision was necessitated by the 
 experience of the preceding years, which showed that certain modifications and additions 
 to the original were required. As it at present stands, it is a valuable addition to the 
 legislation of the country, and assists the interests both of the Government and of the 
 
24 
 
 people. Unfortunately, not having been approved of by two European Powers, its 
 provisions cannot be applied to European subjects. 
 
 The Irrigation Staff. 
 
 The foregoing pages will, I hope, have shown the manner in which the officials of 
 the Irrigation Department performed their duties in 1894. <A Service must be judged 
 by the results which it obtains, and these results | have tried to record in this brief 
 note. 
 
 The Department suffered a serious loss in the retirement of Mr. Foster, Inspector- 
 General of Irrigation in Lower Egypt, who has accepted an appointment with a 
 European Agricultural Society in Egypt. His place has been filled by Major Brown, 
 late Inspector-General in Upper Egypt, who, again, has been replaced by Mr. Wilson. 
 
 WoRKS OTHER THAN IRRIGATION. 
 
 The Alexandria Pass. 
 
 
 
 The work contracted for has been completed, and the contractors paid off. ‘The 
 pass has been lighted and opened for traffic by night as well as by day. Certain 
 portions of the channel having silted in, after being dredged during the progress of the 
 vontract, are now being cleared by the Ports and Lighthouses Administration. It is 
 expected that the required depth of 30 feet will be everywhere obtained early in the 
 summer of 1895. 
 
 The Mansour Palace. 
 
 The transformation of this building into Government offices is proceeding rapidly, 
 and the work is expected to be completed by the 1st March, 1895. As soon as the 
 Governor of Cairo and the City Police transfer their offices to the above building, the 
 construction of the new Native Court of Appeal and the prison will be put in hand. 
 These, when completed, will meet a great want, as the existing accommodation is both 
 insufficient and insanitary. 
 
 The whole cost of the above is estimated at £E.79,000, which sum has been 
 accorded by the Commissioners of the Public Debt. 
 
 The Drainage of Cairo. 
 
 This project remains in the same state as when my last year’s note was written. 
 The European Powers not having as yet replied to the proposals made to them in 
 July 1893 for a Law empowering sanitary inspection and expropriation of land required 
 for a public purpose, the drainage scheme cannot be undertaken, as without such laws 
 it would be absolutely ineffectual. 
 
 Cairo Tramways. 
 
 A contract for a complete system of electric railways has been signed with a well- 
 known Belgian Company,. “La Société des Chemins de Fer Economiques.” The 
 contract requires that the entire system shall be open for traffic within two years from 
 the date of signing the contract. 
 
 The Ghizeh Museum. 
 
 This Museum has at last been made safe against fire—as far, that is to say, as it lies 
 within the power of the Government to guarantee the safety of a building which is very 
 largely constructed of wood. A large and specially powerful fire-engine has been 
 brought to the site in addition to the one formerly on the spot. An abundant water 
 supply has been assured, and a new set of Shand and Mason’s hydrants set up at a 
 sufficient distance from the building to insure the possibility of using them even were 
 
if 25 
 YY ee 
 - the adjacent walls in flames. A complete system of electric communication, with 
 -_ ajarm-bells, has been introduced into every room, these, again, being connected with 
 _ the station at which the police patrol is in attendance. A European police officer with 
 a sufficient staff lives constantly on the spot, and telephonic communication has been 
 established between the Museum, the Ghizeh Waterworks, and the Cairo Fire Brigade 
 
 oe Office. 
 
 The proposed new Egyptological Museum. 
 
 The Public Debt Commission having voted a sum of £ E. 150,000 for the 
 construction of a new Museum to be built in Cairo itself, designs have been called for 
 from the architects of Europe and America. These must be submitted by the 
 Ist March, 1895, when prizes will be awarded by a special jury for the designs adjudged 
 the best. } 
 
 
 
 Hydrants in the Town of Cairo. 
 
 A long-felt want has been met by the erection of 100 hydrants in the principal 
 streets of Cairo. More will be wanted before every street can be considered properly 
 supplied, but even the above numbers constitute considerable progress in the way of 
 protection against fire. Wherever these hydrants exist the old system of feeding the 
 fire-engines by means of water-carts will be abandoned. 
 
 Engines in Towns. 
 
 Many fatal accidents having occurred owing to insufficient inspection of engines set 
 up in towns by private individuals, a special Regulation has been added to the existing 
 Law. By this the Technical Service has power to withdraw their licences from 
 proprietors not conforming with the rules laid down. A competent Inspector of 
 
 _ Engines has been appointed, whose duty it is to personally inspect all engines erected 
 within the limits of all towns containing more than 6,000 inhabitants. Unfortunately, as 
 in the case of the Canal Act, this Regulation is not in its fullest sense applicable to 
 Europeans, 
 
 (Signed) W. E. GARSTIN, 
 
 Under-Secretary of State, Public Works Department. 
 
 Cairo, February 19, 1895. 
 
 Appendix (A). 
 Number of Watchmen called out to guard the Banks during Flood. 
 
 For purposes of comparison, I give the figures for 1887 and 1892, the unit of 
 100 days being taken in each instance :— 
 
 
 
 Number of Men per 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100 days., 
 
 1894— : 
 Upper Egypt .. . 's ae 33,223 
 -Lower Egypt .. : . oe 26,794 
 Total q a *; ee 60,017 
 
 1887— 
 Upper Egypt .. : 36,371 
 Lower Egypt .. : : 50,749 
 Total - vs aa 87,120 
 
 1892— 
 Upper Egypt .. a8 7 -E os 35,726 
 Lower Egypt .. Z ; é ae 48,665 
 Total ae i a 84,391 
 
 [254 
 
26 
 In the flood just passed, therefore, the number of men per 100 days was lesr by 
 24,374 than in 1892, and by 27,103 than in 1887. 
 It may be of interest to give the numbers of men called out in 18838, which was the 
 last year of what may be called the ancient régime. 
 These are as follows :— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Number of Men per i 
 "100 days. i 
 18838— 
 Upper Egypt .. as 4 os oe 90,005 
 Lower Egypt .. ste a a ole + 112,545 
 Total ee eo eo oe 202,550 
 
 
 
 Cost of the Flood of 1894. 
 
 I will again take into comparison the cost of the three great floods which have 
 occurred within the last ten years :— 
 
 £ E. 
 1887, total expenditure .. ss 6 3 of °. 44,673 
 1892, ; 5. oe :» os -. -. 23,049 
 1894, 5, “ 2 ie ae fs Jon Teed 
 
 If we deduct from above the cost of useful material, such as stone, &c., available 
 for use after the flood, the above figures become :— 
 
 £5, 
 1887.. fe if a mA - by ». 27,520 
 1892 .. ad fh Sy G 4 ve 11,681 
 1894, 9 ‘a Hi if F a .. 6,142 
 
 Appendix (B). 
 
 The estimated benefits obtainable from the modified reservoir scheme are as 
 follows :— 
 
 
 
 Direct Annual 
 Gain 
 to the State. 
 
 Increase in | Increase in 
 Annual Produce. | Annual Rental. 
 
 
 
 Ee re re ee se ee | ee ne 
 
 
 
 oe 
 
 
 
 
 
 ee a ee 
 
 
 
 
 
 £E, £E. £E. 
 1, If Middle Egypt be selected .. 7: 5 572,000 4,685,600 | 2,346,900 
 2. If Lower Egypt be selected, these figures become. 278,000 3,290,000 | 1,600,000 
 
 | 
 
 U 
 
 
 
 Even if it is allowed, as has been asserted, that the above estimates are too sanguine, 
 the figures are so high that a very large deduction might be made from them and yet 
 leave a margin of profit sufficient to warrant an expenditure in excess of that which it is 
 proposed to incur. 
 
 The final detailed estimates cannot be submitted until Mr. Willcocks returns 
 from England, but the total cost of the project as modified will not exceed 
 £E. 4, 000, 000, or about £ E. 1 ,000,000 less than that as originally submitted. 
 
 
 
 Inclosure 3. 
 Note by Sir J. Scott on the Native Tribunals. 
 
 THERE have been no important reforms in the administration of native justice, 
 but- distinct progress has been made in the development of the important changes 
 introduced into the Native Tribunals in the last four years. 
 
 _ The system of the single Judge sitting in all cases of moderate importance, both 
 penal and civil, is worth notice, as it has more than answered expectation. One more 
 Court has been added to the number instituted up to last year, and there are now 
 thirty-seven Summary Courts sitting thronghout the country, in addition to the six 
 

 
 27 
 
 
 
 Tribunals of First Instance at the principal centres, and the Court of Appeal at Cairo, 
 which administered justice before 1890. 
 __ The number of civil cases presented this year have outnumbered by one-third those 
 decided in 1893 (31,000 instead of 24,000). The receipts of the Native Courts have 
 returned this year a surplus of £ E. 23,000. Another decisive proof that the Summary 
 
 _ Courts have obtained the confidence of the public is found in the fact that small cases 
 
 where Europeans are concerned are now constantly transferred from. the Mixed Courts 
 to the Summary Native Tribunal in order to obtain a swift and fairly just decision. 
 
 As regards the number of cases presented, it may be worth while to state that in 
 1892, 18,000 (I omit the hundreds), in 1893, 24,000, and in 1894, 31,000 cases were 
 brought before Summary Courts and decided. 
 
 The appeal is presented to the nearest provincial centre, where a Tribunal of three 
 Judges decides finally. The care given by these Summary Judges to the consideration 
 of the case is shown in the fact that last year only 1,100 appeals were presented 
 altogether, and in 700 cases the original decision was confirmed. It should be added 
 that, in spite of the heavy increase of work, the Judges have kept up to the level of 
 their list, and at the beginning of this year there was only an average of sixty cases 
 unheard out of the year’s list for each Summary Tribunal. Such small arrears as exist 
 on the Civil side mostly arise from the desire of one or other of the parties to retard the 
 final decision. 
 
 In the Courts of First Instance, where cases over £ E. 100 in value are still heard, 
 and in the Court of Appeal, to which such cases go, there has been no change worthy 
 of notice. The amount of work has not materially altered from the previous year. 
 
 On the Criminal side the Native Tribunals show the same improvement. ‘The 
 relations between Police and “ Parquet ”’ are now well established, and the old friction has 
 disappeared, ‘The police officers do their criminal work better, and the proportion of 
 convictions has risen in consequence. In misdemeanours the convictions are six to one 
 acquittal. In serious crime the proportion is not so satisfactory. Thus, in murder cases 
 in 1894, there were 145 convictions out of 215 cases presented to Court, whilst in 1893 
 the convictions were 135 out of 186. But the proportion of convictions in all crimes 
 taken together is fairly satisfactory—28 per cent. for a country new to an impartial 
 administration of justice. Greater certainty of punishment is producing its effect on the 
 offence of theft, the number of cases having fallen from 11,700 to 7,700, a diminution of 
 4,000. ‘There are various reasons why serious crime is not yet sufficiently brought 
 home to its author. In a large proportion the motive is jealousy or vengeance, and the 
 moral sentiment of the country inclines to justify the act. Moreover, the people are not 
 sufficiently on the side of order to volunteer evidence or to sacrifice their time by 
 attendance ona Judge. Again, they fear reprisals if they give adverse testimony, and 
 the accused returns to the village acquitted. Time and education alone can cure these 
 defects, but everything meanwhile should be done to insure celerity of procedure and 
 certainty of punishment. In most cases of crime the intervention of the Juge d’Instruc- 
 tion is unnecessary, and only causes great delay. ‘The main reasons why misdemeanours 
 are punished with greater certainty is that Police’ and Parquet present them at once for 
 trial.* 
 
 An important reform has been made in the composition of the Court of Cassation, 
 which is the Court of final appeal on points of law. Originally it was composed of all 
 the Appeal Judges, then the number was reduced to seven, and now it is composed of 
 five specially chosen for a year’s service. The appeal, which hitherto has been allowed 
 as a matter of course, is now only admitted on written request, with primd facie reasons 
 given sufficient to justify the hearing. 
 
 The Egyptian School of Law, under the able direction of M. 'Testoud, is doing excel- 
 lent work. An evening course has been formed for pupils who are engaged in the day, and 
 
 there are now altogether 138 young men being trained fer the legal profession, more than 
 
 double the number that attended before M. Testoud’s appointment. Each branch of 
 the law has its own Professor, instead of one man having to lecture on three or four 
 subjects. ‘The annual examinations have been made more difficult, and an Egyptian 
 diploma is now fully as much valued as one obtained in an European School of Law. 
 The number of students is more than sufficient to supply the needs of the Judicial 
 Department, and it would be well to establish an administrative side at the school, so 
 as to secure a special training for future Mamours and Mudirs. 
 
 * Promptitude, however, is secured much more than formerly. In the case of the three sailors of Her 
 Majesty’s ship ‘‘ Scout,’ who were attacked by a mob with sticks, the aggressors were taken the same day, the 
 ease was heard in First Instance in three days, and the appeal was finished in ten days from the date of the 
 
 attack. 
 (254) F 2 
 
 ei ee acneecas inne Mig teas ori 
 
28 
 
 I would add one remark of a more general nature. The Native Judiciary have now 
 passed the point of rapid promotion, and have got beyond the special interest which 
 always attaches to new work. In fact, they have settled into harness, and it remains to 
 be seen whether the present standard of excellence can be maintained. It is too soon, 
 perhaps, to expect that sturdy independence of character and desire to do work well for : 
 its own sake and from a sense of self-respect which is to be found in Western Europe. © 
 Such qualities are the result of centuries of education, freedom, and self-government. 
 There is, however, much bonne volonté amongst the young Egyptians, and a certain 
 esprit de corps has already grown up amongst the Judges. But to insure steady progress 
 not only is encouragement necessary, constant inspection and supervision are absolutely 
 essential. This supervising control is provided by the Committee of Inspection, which 
 has worked very steadily now for four years. Its staff has been increased by an English \ 
 element, and five Inspectors, two of whom are English, are now constantly engaged in 
 the examination of judicial and police work, and make reports to the Committee of ' 
 Control, which sits twice a-week. 
 
 This English branch of inspection is at present confined to the work of Parquet and 
 Police. It would be well to extend it to the whole administration of criminal law. 
 
 Whilst the work done by the Egyptian Inspectors is most useful, there is no doubt that 
 Kuropean supervision has more authority in the eyes of native officials. The Central 
 Committee is composed of three European lawyers, but European Inspectors in 
 
 their circuits could, by personal influence and discussion on the spot, do a great deal 
 without the intervention of the central authority. 
 
 (Signed) J. SCOTT. 
 February 19, 1895. 
 
 Lord Cromer to the Earl of Kimberley.—(Received February YT.) 
 My Lord, Cairo, January 3Y, 1895- 
 The preamble to the Report of the Legislative Council on the Budget of 1894, 
 expressed the opinion that the Egyptians were steadily progressing down the 
 path of poverty and depression, basing this assumption on the figures recording private 
 indebtedness registered at the Courts throughout the country. The figures advanced 
 stated this indebtedness to have amounted to a total exceeding £ H. 20,000,000 in 
 1891 as against £ H. 12,000,000 in 1881, while the quantity of land mortgaged was 
 reckoned at about 1,300,000 feddans. 
 Riaz Pasha, who was in office at the time, in his reply recorded his conviction | 
 that these figures were exaggerated, and announced that the Government would at 
 once proceed to investigate them, while the Financial Adviser at the same time 
 addressed a note to the Ministerial Council assigning a number of reasons why the | 
 figures quoted from the registers of the Tribunals must necessarily be regarded as 
 totally misleading. 
 It appears that as a general rule no erasure had been made in the registers when. 
 property had been sold in virtue of a decision of the Courts, while mortgages paid off 
 by private contract among the parties concerned still remained on the books in order 
 to escape the payment of dues to the Government. Moreover, where property 
 mortgaged as a whole was situated in different departments, the total amount of 
 indebtedness, was in each case inscribed in:each of the districts among which it was ; 
 apportioned while in cases of a second mortgage raised on the same land, the / 
 number of feddans was repeated a second, and occasionally a third, time, so as to | 
 double and treble in appearance the actual average under mortgage. These and other _ | 
 ' 
 i 
 ; 
 | 
 
 irregularities of the system of registration proved that no reliance could be placed 
 upon any statistics derived from the books, and a thorough revision was necessary 
 before any such conclusions as those advanced by the Legislative Council could be 
 deduced from them. 
 
 These investigations have now been made, and Sir Elwin Palmer has just 
 presented a note to the Ministerial Council containing a Table showing the indebted- 
 ness of landed proprietors throughout the country, classified according to the size of 
 their holdings. 
 
 I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of the note and the Tables, and I 
 venture to draw your Lordship’s attention to this important document, which is of 
 particular interest as proving how totally erroneous were the statistics put forward by 
 the Legislative Council and how unjustifiable were the conclusions drawn from them. 
 
r 
 
 29 
 
 In the first place the total indebtedness under mortgage, so far from exceeding 
 £ EH. 20,000,000 is found to be but little over « third of that amount, while instead 
 of 1,300,000 feddans being burdened with this encumbrance, as was represented, 
 the actual total falls short of 400,000. 
 
 The distribution of this debt is especially interesting and significant. Given a 
 total of 661,380 landed proprietors, it appears that 71 per cent. of the whole debt is 
 
 bore by the 11,560 large landowners whose properties exceed 50 feddans in area, 
 nearly a seventh part of their holdings being thus burdened. The class of small 
 proprietors, on the other hand, whose holdings do not exceed 5 feddans in area and 
 who constitute about five-sixths of the total number, can only be credited with little 
 more than 7 per cent. of the indebtedness, while barely 24 per cent. of their lands are 
 burdened with mortgage at all. 4 
 
 These figures, therefore, so far from proving any deterioration in the position of ~ 
 the small landed proprietor, point, on the contrary, to an ever growing appreciation of 
 land. The money borrowed on mortgage appears to be almost invariably applied to the 
 purchase of new land, and consequently the Tables show in a progressive ratio 
 throughout the classes that, as the holdings increase in area, the greater is the propor- 
 tion of land under mortgage. It appears, therefore, to be tolerably clear that the 
 burden of debt weighing on the poorer proprietors is inconsiderable, while the 
 indebtedness of the wealthier class is willingly incurred as a stepping-stone to more 
 extended economic development. 
 
 I have, &c. 
 (Signed) CROMER. 
 
 
 
 Inclosure. 
 Extract from the “ Journal Officiel”’ of January 30, 1895. 
 
 MINISTERE DES FINANCES. 
 
 
 
 Note au Conseil des Ministres. 
 
 DANS le Rapport élaboré par la Commission du Conseil Législatif sur le Budget 
 de Vannée 1894, il était dit que la dette hypothécaire dépassait la somme de 
 £ H. 20,000,000 et que les terres hypothéquées avaient atteint une superficie de 
 1,300,000 feddans environ. Au cours de la note que j’ai eu ’honneur de présenter au 
 Conseil des Ministres sur ce Rapport, j’ai avancé que les chiffres cités étaient 
 totalement erronés et ev. donnant les raisons qui justifiaient cette assertion, j’ai ajouté 
 que certains indices me portaient a croire que la plus grande partie des dettes 
 hypothécaires ne grévent pas les terres des paysans mais bien plutdt celles des 
 propriétaires notables qui se procurent ainsi des ressources pour augmenter leur 
 domaine ou pour améliorer leur culture. 
 
 Pendant le courant de année 1894, je me suis occupé de la question et j’ai 
 Vhonneur de soumettre au Conseil des Ministres le résultat des renseignements que 
 mes recherches m’ont permis de recueillir sur la véritable dette hypothécaire. 
 
 Le Tableau suivant établit la situation qui ressort de ces informations :— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Nombratdes Superficie _ Rapport 
 Propriétaires fonciers Propriétaires de possédée par Superficie i la superficie Mantantide li Rapport 
 classés par catégories de te chaque | Rees de D au total de Ja 
 : vie que fxd ivpothequee. 1 ette. D 
 superficie possédée. Pues categorie de chaque ette. 
 categorie. Propricthik pie Bie 
 roprietaires. categorie. 
 a NR | TT — See Ty — —_— eo 
 Feddans. Feddans.' Pour cent. £E. Pour cent. 
 5 feddans et au-dessous — «» 513,080 933,700 21,400 2°29 -573,300 7°82 
 De 5410 feddans ee 75,130 552,700 16,000 2°90 392,200 3°35 
 Del10a20 ,, ie 39,620 560,300 20,400 3°64 407,700 5°57 
 De 20430 ,, e. 13,140 326,100 19,600 6°00 307,200 4:20 
 De30a50 ., es 8,980 347,800 25,900 ‘ 7°44 409,900 5°60 
 Plus de 50s, Re 11,430 2,000,700 292,300 14 60 5,233,000 71°46 
 Total oe ee 661,380 4,721,300 395,600 8°38 7,323,300 100-00 
 
 ae 
 L’examen de ce Tableau démontre que la dette hypothécaire, bien loin datteindre 
 le montant cité par le Conseil Législatif, n’en représente qu’da peu prés le tiers; en 
 
 SOP ee 
 
30 
 
 
 
 second lieu il résulte des chiffres de ce méme Tableau, que les quatre cinqguiémes au 
 moins de la dette sont & la charge des propriétaires fonciers possédant une superficie 
 supérieure & 10 feddans et que parmi ces derniers, les proprictaires de 50 feddans et au ~ 
 dela répondent & eux seuls de plus de 71 pour cent du total de la dette hypothécair 
 
 constatée. | \ 
 La répartition ci-dessous fournit des détails intéressants pour chaque province :-—— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 me * 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ‘< 
 ] LY 
 Rapport \ 
 Superficie Superficie Montant de la de la superficie — 
 Provinces. Contribuables. : ae dette hypothéquée : 
 min osée. hypothaquée. hypothécaire. alasuperficie 
 imposée. , 
 : Nombre. Feddans. Feddans. £E. Pour cent. 
 Bass&-HGyPre. 
 Menoufieh .. 3 P 93,480 350,700 25,200 553,700 7°20 
 Kallioubieh .. an . 36,380 188,700 14,300 297,300 7°58 
 Gharbieh ee ee ee 80,280 705,800 59,900 1,445,500 8°48 
 Dakahlieh ee ee 49,080 448,300 43,200 1,131,500 9°63 
 Charkieh ie oe 44,480 459,900 57,400 975,800 12°40 
 Béhérah ae ee . 37,760 670,500 84,100 1,318,000 12 54 
 Total ale ae 341,460 2,823,900 284,100 5,722,100 10°05 
 Havure-Eeyrre, 
 Hédoud AS ee os 31,990 72,100 1,000 10,300 1°40 
 Kéna 49 AS 36,330 298,100 6,700 85,000 2°24 
 Fayoum qo a3 ee 31,050 158,100 6,800 44,900 4°30 
 Minia 5 . 24,310 264,500 13,500 141,400 5°10 
 Assiout ee ee os 69,530 374,000 22,500 270,900 6°00 
 Béni-Souef dé AG 25,140 218,200 14,100 348,100 6°46 
 Guerga a ee 74,410 333,600 24,100 420,600 1722 
 Guizeh . ee 27,160 178,800 22,800 280,000 12°75 
 Total oe oe 319,920 1,897,400 111,500 1,601,200 5°87 
 Total général pour Egypte 
 entiére ae ee 661,380 4,721,300 395,600 7,523,300 8°88 
 
 } 
 
 
 
 (Signé) ELWIN PALMER. 
 Le Caire, le 24 Janvier, 1896. 
 (Translation.) 
 
 MINISTRY OF FINANCE. 
 
 
 
 ~ Note to the Council of Ministers. 
 
 IN the Report drawn up by the Committee of the Legislative Council on the 
 Budget of the year 1894, it was stated that the indebtedness under mortgage exceeded 
 £ HK. 20,000,000, and that the area of the mortgaged land was about 1,300,000 feddans. 
 In the note on this Report, which I had the honour of presenting to the Council of 
 Ministers, I maintained that the figures quoted were entirely erroneous, and, in giving 
 the reasons which justified this assertion, I added that certain indications led me to 
 believe that the greater part of the mortgage debts did not burden the land of the 
 peasants, but rather that of land-owners of the upper class, who thus obtained funds to 
 enable them to add to their estates or to improve their cultivation. 
 
 The question has engaged my attention during the year 1894, and I have the 
 honour to submit to the Council of Ministers a summary of the information which I 
 have been able to collect as to the true extent of the indebtedness under mortgage. 
 
 The following Table shows the state of things as disclosed by my investigations :— 
 
 
 
 Proportion in 
 
 Area of Land which each 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Number of Proportion Amount of 
 Classification of Land-owners. | Land-owners He es by San Ares. of Aang of ve Mortgage eee ae 
 of each class. } J ro ees mortesec: mortgaged. debts. pad ii Baped 
 and.owners. in the total 
 indebtedness. 
 : Feddans, Feddans. ~> Per cent. £E. Per cent 
 Owners of 5 feddans and under 513,080 933,700 21,400 - 2°29 573,300 7°82 
 *f 5 to 10 feddans 75,130 552,700 16,000 2°90 392,200 3°35 
 LE aewmO 4,209. 4; 39,620 560,300 20,400 3°64 407,700 Sey, 
 ee DO» sO) 55 13,140 326,100 19,600 6:0 307,200 4°20 
 ys Ons, OG , ry 8,980 347,800 25,900 7°44 409,900 5°60 
 », more than 50 feddans 11,430 2,000,700 292,300 14°60 5,233,000 71°46 
 Total 661,380 4,721,300 395,600 8°38 7,323,300 100°00 
 
 
 

 
 31 
 
 An examination of this Table shows that the indebtedness under mortgage so far 
 
 ore-third of that sum; and, in the second place, it is clear from the figures *in 
 
 Yfersiica of the sum mentioned by the Legislative Council only amounts to about 
 
 ws 
 
 Fu 
 if. 
 
 tie Table, that at least four-fifths of the debt falls to land-owners possessing more 
 _ than 10 feddans of land, and that among these, owners of 50 feddans and more are 
 
 answerable alone for more than 71 per cent. of the total ascertained indebtedness 
 
 under mortgage. 
 
 fe 
 
 The following analysis furnishes interesting details for each province :— 
 
 
 
 Provinces, 
 
 oes 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Lower Ecyrt. 
 
 Menoufieh ne ae ee 
 Kallioubieh ., aa os 
 Gharbieh ar at re 
 Dakahlieh Aa 6 
 Ckarkieh oe 
 Beherah or oe 
 
 Total Ae Fie 
 
 Uprrer Eoyrpr. 
 
 Hedoud RG ae ac 
 Kena A as ‘ 
 Fayoum Ae ee oe 
 
 : M inia ae ee ee 
 Assiout Ae ct av] 
 Beni-Souef .. Ae A 
 Guerga fc es ee 
 Guizeh a #. 06 
 Total ate ae 
 
 Grand Total for the whole of 
 Egypt Ap 
 
 Taxpayers. 
 
 
 
 Number. 
 
 93,480 
 36,380 
 80,280 
 49,080 
 44,430 
 37,760 
 
 341,460 
 
 
 
 
 
 31,990 
 36,330 
 31,050 
 24,310 
 69,539 
 25,140 
 74,410 
 27,160 
 
 
 
 oe 
 
 319,920 
 
 
 
 
 
 naa 
 
 661,380 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Area taxed. 
 
 
 
 Feddans, 
 
 350,700 
 188,700 
 705,800 
 448,300 
 459,900 
 670,500 
 
 a a re | ee a 
 
 2,823,900 
 
 
 
 72,100 
 298,100 
 158,100 
 264,500 
 374,000 
 218,200 
 333,600 
 178,800 
 
 
 
 1,897,400 
 
 4,721,300 
 
 eee cine ee | eet nen 
 
 Area mortgaged. 
 
 —— os 
 
 Feddans. 
 
 
 
 25,200 
 14,300 
 59,900 
 43,200 
 57,400 
 84,100 
 
 284,100 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,000 
 6,700 
 6,800 
 13,500 
 22.500 
 14,100 
 24,100 
 22,800 
 
 sees 
 
 111,500 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 395,600 
 
 Total 
 indebtedness 
 under 
 Mortgage. 
 
 £ #, 
 
 553,700 
 297,300 
 1,445,800 
 1,131,500 
 975,800 
 1,318,000 
 
 5,722,100 
 
 | mes Ce Cee | Hee 
 
 10,300 
 85,000 
 44,900 
 141,400 
 270,900 
 348,100 
 420,600 
 230,000 
 
 1,601,200 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7,323,300 
 
 
 
 Ratio of 
 area mortgaged 
 to area taxed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Per cent, 
 
 7°20 
 7°58 
 8°48 
 9°63 
 12°40 
 12°54 
 
 
 
 “40 
 “24 
 30 
 10 
 ‘00 
 46 
 22 
 
 12°75 
 
 5°87 
 
 STO GOV em DO 
 
 8°88 
 
 
 
 Cairo, January 24, 1895, 
 
 (Signed) 
 
 ELWIN PALMER, 
 
EGYPT. No. 1 (1895). 
 
 
 
 
 
 Report on the Finances, Administration, anc 
 Condition of Egypt, and the Progress of Reforms. 
 
 [In continuation of “ Egypt No. 1 (1894) :” 
 C. 7308. ] 
 
 ———eEe=—=—————— 
 
 
 
 Presented to buth Houses of Parliament by Com- 
 mand of Her Majestu. April 1895. 
 
 
 
 Sa ae Laie : e 
 
 ‘LONDON: 
 PRINTED BY HARRISON AND 80NS. 
 

 
UA 
 
 3 0112 058