Syria: An Economic Survey 



to trade centers by the Bedouin approximates 45,000,000 francs, 



as follows: 



600,000 sheep 10,000,000 francs 



100,000 camels 25,000,000 " 



Several thousand horses 1,000,000 " 



30,000 goats 200,000 



Wool 5,000,000 " 



Hides 500,000 " 



Butter (Sheep's milk) 3,000,000 " 



Eggs 300,000 " 



Total .45,000,000 " 



The price of a white sheep varies from 10 to 15 francs, that 

 of a red sheep from 20 to 30 francs. A camel brings from 250 

 to 500 francs. The price of a pound of unwashed wool is .57 

 francs, that of a pound of washed wool 1.15 francs. According 

 to the official report 4,700,000 francs worth of wool, 900,000 francs 

 worth of sheep and goat hides, 70,000 francs of other raw hides, 

 and 2,000,000 francs worth of butter were exported from Syria in 

 1910-1911. 



Peddlers from Safed, etc., go into the desert with their wares. 



V. Trade Monopolies (Salt, Tobacco and Tombelci). 



A. Salt. Since 1881 the salt monopoly has been given over 

 to the Dette Publique Ottomane, which has offices in Aleppo and 

 Beirut. The annual income derived from this monopoly is about 

 2,000,000 francs. The salt is taken from Asia Minor, the Salt 

 Lake of Jebull near Aleppo, and the Dead Sea, and is sold either 

 at the center of production or at railway junctions and ports. 

 Some of the salt is exported. Before the war large quantities of 

 salt were smuggled in by the Bedouin. 



B. Tobacco. The Regie Cointeressee des Tabacs de L'Empire 

 Ottoman has offices in Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia and Beirut. 

 According to an ordinance of 1914 the monopoly consists of (1) 

 the right to control and buy all the tobacco which is planted; (2) 

 the right to tax imported and exported tobacco cut or treated ; and 

 (3) the right to prepare and sell cigars, cigarettes, cut tobacco 

 and snuff. 



This government monopoly is not in force in the Lebanon, 

 where there are about 20 cigarette factories. These factories buy 

 up tobacco both in the Lebanon and also outside the Lebanon by 

 means of contraband, and succeed in selling their wares within 

 the precincts of the Regie. The Regie itself imports tobacco from 



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