1839.] Camel Draught to Carriages. 593 



would lead to a constant and serious loss. Supposing however that 

 the horses are provided, and it is only England that can supply them, 

 we must calculate the annual cost, compared with the work they can 

 perform, and again with that of Camels, which, whatever may be the 

 opinion in Europe, are the best, because the natural means of convey- 

 ance for a desert road. Premising that the following calculations are 

 only approximative, inasmuch as the price of provisions varies consi- 

 derably from year to year, I proceed to offer you the following details 

 of expense. 



120 horses, being constantly employed for three hundred days of 

 the year, will consume 1^ roobs of barley per diem ; in all 54,000 roobs, 

 or 2,250 ardebs, of which the price has varied in the last two years 

 from p. 30 to 65, and even more. Taking it at the calculation of 

 p. 40 we have this result, 2,250X40 p. 90,000. Four-fifths of this 

 being for the stables in the desert, or for those in Suez, will require 

 carriage, which, taking the long and short distances into full considera- 

 tion, cannot be computed as averaging less than p. 15 the ardeb, or 

 1,800X1 5= p. 27,000. 



It is calculated that with the above supply of corn, each horse will 

 require per diem 4 okes of cut straw (tibne), which, purchased with 

 the greatest advantage, will, at the Government price, cost 4 paras the 

 oke. Thus 120X4=480X4= 1,920, or paras 48 per diem— 48X300= 

 paras. 14,400. — 



Of the 120 horses, 96 would naturally be either in the desert or at 



Suez, and it would be necessary to carry their supplies to those places ; 



now, though heavy Belladee Camels may carry 200 okes of tibne, it is 



fair to calculate that three of the Bedouin Camels will not take more 



than 384 okes, or the day's supply. Thus 3X30= p. 90X300= p. 



27,000, as expense of carriage. 

 2 

 Forty-eight, or ^ of the horses being at Suez, or near the Nile, 



may be supplied with water at an expense which need not enter 



into calculation ; but seventy-two, or ~ > being in the desert, will 



require (unless boring or other means should supply new sources) 



that water should be conveyed to them. Allowing for a little 



wastage, but on the other hand using the most serviceable (cow) 



skins, each horse will require a quarter of a Camel-load a day. 



Thus 18X30= 540X300= p. 1,62,000. 



It is indispensable that horses in this climate should be turned out, 



say for sixty-five days, to Berseem or clover. Each horse is allowed 



half a feddan, and taking it at about the cost of the present year, 



p. 400 (which happens to. be unusually low) we have 60X400= 



