136 COTTON IN EGYPT AND THE SUDAN. 



THE PURCHASE, GINNING, AND PRESSING OF COTTON. 



The purchase of Sudan cotton is mostly undertaken by Greek 

 and Syrian dealers. These industrious merchants and money- 

 lenders from Egypt have also advanced into the Sudan. At Tokar, 

 buyers from some large Alexandrian firms, such as Lindemann and 

 Carver, may be met with at the time of picking. For the Gezira 

 the central collecting place is Wad Medani, where the cotton is 

 ginned in order to be sold via Khartoum. Zeidab sends its own pro- 

 duction to Liverpool. This bill has since, on the 23rd of April, 1913, 

 been adopted by the House of Commons. 



Money, weights, and measures are in the Sudan exactly the 

 same as in Egypt. In order to rid the country gradually of the 

 native measures, which vary from place to place, the metric system 

 has been introduced. 



Maria Therese dollars are not legal tender in the Sudan, but in 

 the trade with Abyssinia they are an absolute necessity, and for 

 this purpose the Government imports this coin. A Marie Therese 

 dollar is worth a little less than 2s. 



Ginning stations are in existence at Suakin, Khartoum (Gordon . 

 College), Wad Medani, Zeidab, and Kassala (Industrial School), and 

 are not quite sufficient for the present requirements. In 1911 as much 

 as 82^ per cent, exported cotton was ginned, whilst in 1910 this 

 percentage was only 28. 



The only real ginning factory of the Sudan belongs to a Syrian 

 at Suakin. It has 50 Platts roller gins, and charges 12 P.T. per 

 kantar for ginning expenses. 



EXPORT OF COTTON. 



The total export of the Sudan has risen from ^E264,000 in 

 1906 to ;E 1,377,000 in 1911, therefore in five years it has risen 

 five times its value ; cotton and cotton seed, which have advanced in 

 this same period from ^E50,000 to ;E267,000, represent the second 

 largest commodity of export, gum being first. 



Cotton and cotton seed together show the following figures : 



Quantities 

 Year. in 1,000 kg Value in E Ginned. Unginned Seed. 



1901 



1902 



1903 



1904 



1905 



1906 



1907 



1908 



1909* 



1910 



1911 12,400 267,000 = 195,270 40,575 31,580 



*Decrease on account of unfavourable flood of the Khor Baraka. 



