86 COTTON IN EGYPT AND THE SUDAN. 



The smaller transactions are somewhat differently carried out. 

 During the cotton season, in the centrally-situated districts of the 

 cotton-growing provinces, special cotton markets are held to which 

 the small planter sends his crop. The dealers buy it, after 

 a personal examination of the whole. In the height of the season 

 these cotton markets show a picture of animation. The Egyptian 

 Markets Company, established in 1898, with a capital of ,175,000, has 

 obtained a concession for 30 years for the construction and manage- 

 ment of markets in 120 centres in Upper and Lower Egypt, which 

 have taken the place of the former markets ; these were not held under 

 any roof. Latterly the seed supplied by the Government has been 

 sold in these markets. 



When the fellah sells his seed cotton to a dealer, a special clause 

 in the contract states whether the cotton has to be delivered free on 

 the farm or free to a certain place of destination. 



The method of transportation of the seed cotton from the village 

 to the nearest town which has a ginning factory depends entirely on 

 the distance and the means of transportation which are at the disposal 

 of the fellah. If the distances are not great, camels are used. They 

 carry a bale of cotton on either side, and the general charge for a 

 distance taking 2 to 3 hours is 6 P.T. per camel. Where the roads 

 are in good condition, carts drawn by horses are used for the trans- 

 portation of cotton, and the cost of these means of transportation 

 may be said to amount to a small piastre tarif per kilometre and bale. 

 The few kantars which make up the crop of the small farmer are 

 carried on the backs of donkeys to the markets of which we have 

 spoken above. Such cotton is frequently not even put into bags, 

 but simply wrapped up in a piece of sacking. Country roads with a 

 firjn metal were known until quite recently only in the nearest neigh- 

 bourhood of Cairo and Alexandria, but latterly better roads of com- 

 munication are becoming more numerous in the country. If the 

 village is connected with the town where the ginning station is, either 

 by the Nile or navigable canals, the transport of the cotton is made by 

 water, and as the network of canals is widely spread all over Lower 

 Egypt, we find this means of transport in extensive use. This river 

 transport is also used for forwarding the ginned and pressed cotton 

 from the ginnery to Alexandria. The ginning stations save in this 

 manner on carriage; the railway company charges 5 P.T. to 7 P.T. 

 per kantar against 3 P.T. per boat. The tolls on bridges have now 

 been abolished. As all industrial centres of Lower Egypt are con- 

 nected with Alexandria through the railway, this is used to a very 

 great extent for the transportation of cotton, especially since the rates 

 have been reduced. The railway, which was begun in 1856, and 

 shows to-day 4,120 kilometres, is owned, two-thirds by the State and 

 one-third by private companies. The network of railway is very 

 close in the Delta. Besides the State Railway there are three light 

 railways, the material for which has come mostly from Germany. 

 These are in the hands of private companies, and are fairly remunera- 

 tive. Of all agricultural produce, cotton is the principal item as 

 regards railway freight. The railway service has been organised 

 according to the English system, and the length of the main lines 

 is : 



Alexandria to Cairo, 209 kilometres. 



