Syria: An Economic Survey 



C. Water-Works and Canalization. Beirut and Damascus 

 are well supplied with drinking water by means of aqueducts. 

 There are a few small aqueducts elsewhere, for instance in Acre 

 and in the Jewish suburb of Tel- Aviv, near Jaffa. There is no 

 doubt that in the near future good drinking water will be brought 

 to the other large cities by means of modern aqueducts. So far 

 they use river water. In Jerusalem rain water is stored in cisterns. 

 A small aqueduct from the old Pools of Siloam supplies the 

 neighborhood of the Temple. For decades there has been a plan 

 afoot to bring water to Jerusalem from the wells of Ain-Farah or 

 Ain-Arub but it has not yet been carried into effect, despite the 

 fact that in summer water brought from a distance is sold for as 

 much as 10 to 15 centimes for a can of 5 gallons. It would be 

 expedient to instal sewerage at the same time as waterworks. 



D. Tramways. There are electric tramways in Damascus 

 and Beirut, and horse-cars in Tripoli. Both electric tramway lines 

 belong to French companies. There is a project of introducing 

 electric tramways in Aleppo, Jerusalem and Jaffa. A Constanti- 

 nople firm attempted to obtain a concession for an electric plant 

 (lighting and tramways) in Jerusalem after the beginning of 

 the war, but no definite arrangement was made. In Jerusalem 

 the motive force will have to be supplied by means of coal or 

 petroleum. The water power of the Aujeh can be utilized for Jaffa, 

 from where the tramway service should be extended to Ramleh, 

 Lydda, and the neighboring colonies. 



E. Intellectual and Social Life. Intellectually the cities are 

 undeveloped. The most important institutions of learning are : the 

 Mohammedan theological faculty in Damascus, the medical faculty 

 (formerly in Damascus, now in Beirut), the American Syrian 

 Protestant College and the French University of St. Joseph in 

 Beirut. In Jerusalem there are the German and American archaeo- 

 logical institutes and the Jewish Arts and Crafts School Bezalel, 

 which has had several notable artists among its teachers, for 

 instance, S. Hirschenberg, E. M. Lilien, Eichard Goldberg, etc. 

 In Tel-Aviv there is a Jewish music school. 



The school system has improved during the last years. Al- 

 most every city has a secondary boys' school. In Beirut there is 

 a teachers' seminary. There is little provision made for the edu- 

 cation of girls, excepting among the Jews; the secondary schools 

 in Jerusalem and Jaffa are co-educational. 



Arabic newspapers are published in Damascus, Beirut, Jeru- 



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