The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-22

! OF Egypt, and thought We we're not altogeth-
er misintormed as to the character of the
people, the policy of the government, and
various other facts connected with the land
of the Pharaohs. But our late experience
| shows that the writings of travellers, (no mat
ter how gitted,) conTasted with the more
elaborate works of resident in that country,
are like a collection of landscape views on
the Nile, by the side of typographical atlas
of Egypt: the one amuses a leisure hour
the other, without lacking the power to
amuse, is full of new, important and highly
interesting truths, which no mere traveller
could ever discover.
The first number Of the series and the
! one we now briefly introduce to the reader,
is entitled "A Memoir on the Cotton Of Egypt
II presents the history of the introduction OF
cotton, and the progress of its cultivation on
the banks Of the Nile; gives the reasons for
the increase and subsequent decrease of its
production, and-what is most important to
Americans-shows that there are insupeI aole
obstacles TO prevent Egypt from competing
successfully with our own planters in raising
this, our staple commodity.
In an Introductory paragraph, Mr. Gideon
remarks:
1t was reserved for the enterprising genius
Of Mohammed Ali, to introduce an article OF
produce, which, singly, should exceed in
value all the former productions of Egypt;
and which in eighteen years should effect an
entire change in the features of it's export
trade. This, indeed, was done to an extent
no less detrimental to the prosperity of the
country, and the real interests of the Gov
eminent, (viewed as distinct from that pros,
Psriiy y than dOstruotive of the little ha nDi-
ness that remained to it's inhabitants since
the same soil, which twenty-five years ago
was the main granary of the Mediterranean,
cannot now, owing to the compulsory mis-
direction of their industry, always supply
enough grain and pulse for their support
| To this circumstance is to be ascribed, in no
small degree, that dimnution of human life
which Is visible to every eye, and notorious
to the Government itself. In the year 1900,
it was estimated that the population of Egypt
amounted 10 four millions OF human beings
and in 1895 it had dwindIed to less than two.
! Wars, pestilence, famine, and all the other
| blights of despotism had carried off the resi-.
| By the Sublime Porte, the population of E.
gvpt Proper is considered at the present mo-
ment not to exceed 100000.
This startling fact in regard to the popula'
ton is more fully explained in the subsequent
Memoirs
The cotton now principally raised in Egyp
is called the Jumel or Waho cotton and itE
introduction into Egypt is thus stated:
Turkish officer named Maho Bey, who
had been governor of Dongola and SEMINAR
and who had brought down various seeds o.
Ethiopic plants, which he cultivated in hi
garden at Cairo, about the year 1920 received
a friendly visit from Mors. Jumel, IA French
man we'll known in New York, where ht
resided some years. and in the course of his
hospitalities, Maho Bey took him round thC
garden. The attention of Jumel was attract
ed by the appearance of tree bearing cottoI
pods, whose growth and produce were equal
, ly new to him; but without saying anything
: that might raise Maho Bey's suspicious as Il
the value of the discovery, Jumel CLEANED al
/ the information the Bey possessed on tn
J subject, and procured from him some seed
of the same plant.
, Jumel made his calculations, and present
ed to the Pasha a project for increasing hi
revenues, for which he asked $40, 900. Tn
! Pasha consented, if the scheme should sue
+, coed. but, after many delays. Jumel wa
compelled to seek less brilliant but more SOLE
r results. Asssociating himself with a Cair
e merchant, they took a small lot of ground a
the village of Matereeyeh, near the ObeIis
' of Heliopolis, and commenced small plan
tation.
The produce in 1920 was bales, whicl
were 6nIppeQ 10 1TleSI0S' anu tue duNlCe
D were highly satisfactory. New arrangement
were made. Jumel took the direction Of tn
cotton plantations, which at this time wer
established, on the Pasha's account through
out Lower Egypt; and, buoyed up with mag
nifcent Illusions of personal benefit, brough
large territories into cultivation, contnuin
a for three years these operations.
e The time came, however, when, havin
: brought 10 the Pasha mighty increase Of re
k venue, and having thereby mainly cOntrbu
n ted to his subsequent aggrandizement, june
4 sought to realize his long cherished hopes
a but, partaking Of the lot of most OF those Eu
IS ropeans who have served Mohammed A
s with fidelity, he was fattered, harassed an
IS deluded till. in 1924, he died insolvent, G
g little better. To wind up the tale: after
i lapse of a couple of years, his widow pre-
l. scented hersefto claim from the Pasha's boun
g ~ the tribute due in gratitude, as she tho
i to the memory of her husband; but she W,
e unsuccessful, and returned to America.