EGYPT. 



EGYPT, a tributary of Turkey in North- 

 eastern Africa. The ruler of Egypt, who has 

 the title of Khedive, is Mohammed Tevfik, 

 born in 1852, the eldest son of Ismail Pasha, 

 who resigned June 26, 1879. The eldest son 

 of the Khedive is Prince Abbas Bey, born 

 July 14, 1874. 



The area of the entire Egyptian territory 

 is estimated at 2,987,000 square kilometres, 

 with 17,400,000 inhabitants. Egypt proper 

 has about 1,021,354 square kilometres, with a 

 population of 5,517,627. The number of for- 

 eigners, in 1878, was 68,653, of whom 29,963 

 were Greeks, 14,524 Italians, 14,310 French, 

 3,795 English, 2,480 Austrians, 1,003 Span- 

 iards, 879 Germans, 752 Persians, 358 Rus- 

 sians, 139 Americans, 127 Belgians, 119 Nether- 

 landers, and 204 others. 



The movement of population is shown by 

 the following table: 



The total value of Egyptian commerce was 

 estimated, in 1855, at 275,000,000 of Egyptian 

 piasters (one piaster = four cents) ; in 1870, at 

 1,028,000,000; in 1875, at 1,333,000,000; in 

 1877, at 1,275,000,000; in 1879, at 1,344,- 

 000,000. 



The value of the principal articles of import 

 and export in 1879 (in piasters) was as foJ- 

 lows: 



The aggregate length of the railroads was, 

 at the end of the year 1879, 1,494 kilometres. 

 The number of post-offices was 83, the number 

 of letters mailed 3,900,000 ; the aggregate length 

 of the telegraph lines was 8,569 .kilometres. 



The Suez Canal extends from Port Said to 

 Suez. Its total length is one hundred and 

 sixty kilometres, or ninety-seven miles. Its 

 width varies from fifty-eight to one hundred 

 metres, and its depth is eight metres. The 

 total cost for building and opening the canal, 

 inclusive of repairs, etc., amounted at the close 

 of 1878 to 479,175,683 francs. The buildings 

 and property of the company were estimated in 

 1874 at 21,795,545 francs. 



The state of the capital account was as fol- 

 lows at the close of 1879 : 



Francs. 



400,000 shares, of 500 francs each 200,000,000 



833,833 obligations, of 500 francs each, bearing in- 

 terest at 5 per cent 166,666,500 



200,000 u bons trentenaires," issued at 

 100 francs each, bearing interest at 

 8 per cent., and redeemable at 125 

 francs each 25,000,000 



Less 80,000 still unissued 10,000,000 



15.000,000 



400,000 " bons de coupons." or bonds of 85 francs 

 each, bearing 5 per cent, interest, issued for the 

 consolidation of unpaid coupons on shares 34,000,000 



The year 1872 was the first to show a sur- 

 plus, which amounted to 2,071,279 francs. In 

 1879 the total receipts amounted to 30,949,148 

 francs, and the expenditures to 28,059,800 

 francs. The dividend paid to the shareholders, 

 after placing five per cent, to the sinking fund, 

 according to the statutes, amounted to four 

 francs eighty-seven centimes in 1879. 



The movement of shipping in the canal was 

 as follows from 1874 to 1879 : 



In 1879 the number of vessels belonging to 

 each nationality, and their tonnage, were as 

 follows : 



The number of travelers passing through the 

 canal in 1879 was 82,144. 



At a meeting of the Council of Ministers, 

 with the English, and French Comptrollers- 

 General, held in June, the Khedive said : u I 

 am asked to institute a Constitution, and to 

 open a Parliament, This I am ready to do, but 

 when I feel that I do not possess the elements 

 for a Parliament that the people do not know 

 their country, that there are pashas who seek 

 nothing but their own interests I can not 

 leave the welfare of my country in their 

 hands. I hope, however, that, when the 

 population is instructed, the necessary ele- 

 ments will be found, and then, at that time, 

 believe me, I will grant a Constitution." The 

 Council of Ministers thanked his Highness tor 

 his kind intentions, and the Ministers prom- 

 ised to cooperate with him in every way in 





