EGYPT. 



269 



were as follows, according to the same au- 

 thority : 



The three staple exports from Egypt are cot- 

 ton, cereals, "and sugar. The production and 

 export of cotton have been steadily on the in- 

 crease. In 1867, 1,260,946 quintals (1 quintal 

 = 220.46 Ibs.) were exported, which figure had 

 risen in 1875 to 2,615,120 quintals. The prod- 

 uce of wheat differs greatly according to the 

 state of the Nile. Thus, while in 1868 1,147,147 

 ardebs (1 ardeb = about 5 English bushels) were 

 exported, in 1874 there were but 186,723 ar- 

 debs, and in 1875 836,997 ardebs. The quan- 

 tity of sugar exported rose from 8,194 sacks 

 (about 55,000 quintals) to 159,185 sacks (equal 

 to 986,000 quintals) in 1875, after having at- 

 tained 433,853 sacks in 1874, and 269,378 sacks 

 in 1872. The chief articles of import are manu- 

 factured cotton goods, silk, coal, charcoal, 

 building materials, oil, wine, spirits, and ma- 

 chinery. Great Britain stands first as a source 

 of supply, for about 45 per cent, of the whole ; 

 Turkey and Syria next, for about one-fifth ; 

 France, for rather more than one-tenth ; Aus- 

 tria, for about one-fifteenth ; Italy, for one- 

 eighteenth ; and Barbary, Greece, Belgium, 

 Russia, and Sweden, for the remainder, in the 

 order mentioned. 



In May, 1877, the aggregate length of rail- 

 ways which were in operation was 1,763 kilo- 

 metres (1 kilometre = 0.62 mile). The tele- 

 graph-lines, according to J. C. McCoan, had, in 

 1876, a length of 5,500 miles, and the tele- 

 graph-wires of 10,400 miles. 



There are at present 140,977 pupils under in- 

 struction in the schools. Of these, 111,803 are 

 in primary Arab schools, 15,335 in those at- 

 tached to mosques, 1,385 are educated by Gov- 

 ernment, 8,961 by missions and religious com- 

 munities, and 2,960 in the municipal schools. 

 There are only two female schools returned, 

 those organized by the Khedive ; but in the 

 Copt and mission schools, little girls may be 

 found, though very few indeed. 



The new Turkish Constitution, published at 

 the close of 1876, met with little favor in 

 Egypt. By successive firmans, the country had 

 Arrived at semi-independence, and this reform 

 'was looked upon with very suspicious eyes, as 

 it did not expressly recognize any of the con- 

 cessions that had been won from the Porte. It 

 simply declared that the Ottoman Empire is in- 

 divisible, and all subjects of it, without distinc- 

 tion, are Ottomans. Egypt, on the other hand, 

 wished to maintain an individuality as distinct 



as possible from the rest of the Empire. Cer- 

 tain of the clauses of the new Constitution 

 seem not only to disregard the firmans of Ab- 

 dul Aziz, but also to overlook the important 

 transactions which have taken place between 

 the Khedive and Europe those relating to the 

 reorganization of the native administration of 

 justice, and providing for complete equality of 

 taxation, are in direct conflict with the agree- 

 ment made by the Khedive with foreign Powers. 



The Russian declaration of war was received 

 with little interest in Egypt, although a tribu- 

 tary to Turkey. At first sight, indeed, it 

 seemed to be almost impossible for Egypt to 

 hold herself aloof. As a part of the Ottoman 

 Empire, she was bound, in case of danger to 

 the territorial integrity of the Empire, to fur- 

 nish troops, money, and all other aid in her 

 power. But to comply at that time with all 

 the demands of the Porte would have been to 

 break faith with Europe. The arrangement 

 entered into with Mr. Goschen and M. Joubert, 

 approved by the Khedive in November, 1876, 

 was looked upon as an international obligation. 

 Both England and France were too deeply in- 

 volved to allow the revenues of Egypt to be 

 applied to anything but the public debt, with- 

 out making a protest. Under these circum- 

 stances, hesitation on the part of Egypt as to 

 the course to be pursued was natural. Envoys 

 came from the Porte, calling for aid, and Egypt 

 answered that, while troops were ready, the 

 expenses of transport and maintenance were 

 beyond Egypt's power. The Egyptian Parlia- 

 ment was convoked to consider the question, 

 and at first adopted the same policy. Later on, 

 however, it voted a special war-tax, which was 

 to be raised on the land, as an additional im- 

 post of 2s. per acre. About 10,000 men were 

 collected in Alexandria, and were placed un- 

 der the command of the Khedive's third son, 

 Prince Hassan. On June 9th, 6,500 of the 

 Egyptian troops were embarked on a large 

 number of vessels belonging to Egypt, and 

 set sail for Constantinople, escorted by five 

 Turkish men-of-war, while the remainder fol- 

 lowed in the course of a month. 



In February, the Khedive appointed Colonel 

 Gordon Governor of Soodan. In a private let- 

 ter, dated Cairo, February 17th, Colonel Gor- 

 don, speaking of his appointment, says : 



His Highness, to-day, has signed the firman. He 

 could not have given me greater powers. He hne 

 given me over the Soodan, in addition to the prov- 

 ince of the Equator, and the littoral of the Red Sea, 

 absolute financial authority^ etc. I am astounded 

 at the powers he has placed in my hands. < With the 

 Governor-Generalship of the Soodan, it will be my 

 fault if slavery does not cease, and if these vast 

 countries are not open to the world. So there is an 

 end of slavery, if God wills, for the whole secret of 

 the matter is in the government of the Soodan, and 

 if the man who holds that government is against it, 

 it must cease. 



The remonstrances of the Antislavery So- 

 ciety with the English Foreign Office, concern- 

 ing the slave-trade in the Red Sea, reached the 



