The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-09-01
PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
Egypt-Edwnrd Ellas-VitnlIfy OF the Ex.
pOsItIOn-Miscellauy.
From Our Own Correspondent.
nsirA ntra 4


states, fine bearing, open frank manner
who is one of those men. who grasp you
hand earnestly and heartily, and to whom
YOU feel attached at once. / am indebted t
this prominent Egyptian gentleman, who i
also interpreter to the commission, for mucl
valuable Information regarding his countr.
and her aims. / asked him if he oompre
hended the cooperative feature in journal
ism as represented in the American News
paper Union" He replied, 1t is the sam,
principle as the Associated Press dis
patches" He could not have given a NOR,
intelligent answer, because it is exactly SO
The Egyptian commission is composed o
his highness, prince Mohammed TawfC
Pacha, president. His excellency, Cheri
Pacha, minister of commerce, vice president
III. Brugsch Bey, commissioner general
General Stone. NJ. MahmOud Bey, aEtrono
mer.. NJ. ..Mariette Bey, director of the muse
ums Of antiquities. NJ. GastineI Bey, pro
fessor of the medical school. NJ. Rogers, di
rector in the ministry Of public instruction
| NJ. Acton, chief of division. ministry of com
merce NJ. Baudry, architect. NJ. Delehe
valerie, attache. E. Brugsch, chief of trans
pOrtation and installation. A. Behmers, at
tache, secretdfy. Edward Elias, secretary
and Interpreter. NJ. Daninos, attache.
Egypt is an important Powerin the worlds
economy, and is making rapid headway in
| the arts, sciences, and industry.
The territories under the rule of the sover.
eign of Egypt, including those on the upper
Nile and central Africa, are vaguely esti-
mated to embrace an area of Z, III, $50 square
Kilometres and to be inhabited by popula-
ton of $685., 900. of whom about oneihird
are in Egypt proper. The following state
ment gives the area and population of the
various divisions of the kingdom, and its re-
cent annexation, according to government
| estimate, of the year 1875:
Egvl,t proper, 550,630 square Kilometres,
population, 5,252, ,000 Nubia, So, 500 square
kilometres; population, 100000. Former
kingdom of Ethiopia, 2,9lS,000 square kilo-
metres, population 100000. Dsrfur, and
other annexed territories, 444,700 square
| kilometres, population, 100000. Total
square kilometres, 4,777, $50. Total popula-
| tiOn, 16, $4,000.
The great physical popularity of Egypt is
the absence of rain, the land being only ir-
rigated by the annual overflow of the Nile.
The climate is remarkably mild and sound,
| especially south of the delta; and in the
| desert, from Cairo to Alexandria, the air
contains more moisture than to the south.
From the middle of August to December,
west winds prevail; east winds from that
| time till March; after that, unhealthy south
| winds or khamsin till June and from June
! till August the north or Etesian winds.
Earthquakes are occasionally felt, and the
| temperature varies from $40 F. to 800. The
most remarkable phenomenon is, however,
! the regular increase of the Nile, fed by the
fall of the tropical rains, which commence
in 11o north latitude, in the spring; and fall
ing first into the White, and then Blue Nile,
reach Egypt in the middle, and the delta in
the end of June. In the middle of July, the
red water appears, and the rise may be dated
from that time. 1t attains its maximum at
the end of September and begins to decline
visibly in the middle of October, and sub
sides to its minimum in April. At the end
of November, the irrigated land has dried,
i C. or,A &c 1trif
which last till the end of February. In
March is the harvest. The state of the Nile,
in fact, marks the season more accurately
than the variation Of temperature.
Many of the European trees and plants are
found in Egypt the date-palm, the DOOM
palm, the sycamore, acacias, tamarlsks, etc.,
are among its more peculiar botanical pro-
ductiOns also the papyrus, which anciently
supplied material for paper, and the lotus or
water-lily of the Nile. The extensive cul-
ture Of papyrus has been, in modern times,
replaced by that of the sugar-cane, cotton,
indigo, and tobacco, and the plant has al
most disappeared. GOurds and melons have
always abounded. To the wheat and barley
of antiquity have been added maize and dur
ra. Egypt is very deficient in timber trees.
The rocks of Egypt afforded the stones used
in its ediices and sculptures granite,
syenite, basalt (at Assouanl, breccia Tin the
COssier Rood, porphyry (from the quarrIes
OF Gebel DoShan.l
The National museum of Egypt sends rare
coins, in gold, silver and copper, beautiful
collections of Arabic ornaments. Ancient
glass lamps from the mosques. The mu-
scum also sends Legumes Tuberculous Ali
mentaries tobacco seeds, some rare pearls,
Arabian literature. Also from the musem
comes q list of the names of the caliphs and
sultans who have reigned in Egypt from
Omar to Ismail Pacha, khedive of Egypt.
List also of the Pharaohs. Let disputants
over Rhamses, and Sesostris being or not be-
ing one and the same study this list. Col.
Long now a hey in Egypt, will soon return
on a visit to his old home. He is a gallant
soldier and a gentleman, and will be well
coined back to his native land by host OF
friends. He is now in Paris en- route. A
handsome display of woods also adds to the
Egyptian attractions.
THE VITALITY OF THE EXHIBITION.
No one can say, that there is any loss of
vitality in the exhibition. The protracted
heated term from days to weeks, while 1T i'm
peded the current, that bore hundreds of
thousands to the grounds, was but tenn
porary obstruction. An abatement of the
torrid influence and again the flood gates
were opened, and now the volume of vista
tiOns is pouring in, on their pilgrimage to
Cosmopolia, the Mecca of the intelligent
world, strong men and delicate women,
courage and beauty-science and industry
honest labor-pomp and pageantry-syno-
nym too often those two P's ps OF plg-head-
ism and poppy cOckism. Yet, in the case of
the nations centennial all mix in one har-
mOnious whole, high, low, rich and poor,
wise and igorant, the good, bad, and the
sorter tolerable. the latter those milk and
wishy-washy fellows who do no good Tor tear
or harm. Yes, all of them find their level in
the imposing contemplation of the wonders
of the centennial. Lost to self in admira-
ton of works, whose grandeur teach lndl-
viluality of his littleness and abjectness
when facing international society, and which
individual If not inclined to forego his strut,
and return to q proper pOise from his swag-
ger had better go into his hole and pull it in
after him.
PERFECT JAIL.
Among the valuable articles on exhibition
in the Govt. building the most attractive is
Cook & Heath's perfected system of prison
1t is the best Jail in the coun-
try and is worthy the attention of state,
county and municipal authorities.
MISCELLANY.
The magnificent lamp that ornaments the
entrance to the Russian section is valued at
81 600 so the polite attache informed me.
| declined purchasing, using for economy,
the eight OF other days" better to read by,
for future reference at least, than the one of
nv Russian friend and safer than coal oil.
The lace exhibit in the Belgium section is
valued at SZOU,UOU III Is al JTtdJ IOT Tie
ladies to examine these beautiful specimens
of Belgium industry in valenciennes. gui-
pure, applique, Brussels net and point, in
parasol covers, ball dress, hounces, edgings
and handkerchiefs. small farm if well |
sold will buy a handkerchief, and a hand
some city residence, if sold on flush market
would buy three floInces for a ball dress.
No goods are permitted to leave the exhi-
bition until it closes. The construction
placed bv the commission upon the law of
congress is, that duplicates may be sold,
but, not the originals. The Kansas and
Colorado state commissioners have presented
a rifle to Mrs NJ. A. Maxwell, whose reputa- |
ton as a huntress is natural. Admissions
to date Il, ,524, ,3O9. 10000 varieties of Eng
Iish and American gladiolus are on exhibi-
ton at horticultural hall. The exhibit is
competition between Europe and America
and will continue two weeks. Cherries
have been received from Oregon fourteen
DAYS out, and yet fresh. The benzoin is an
aromatic resin, used for medicinal pur-
poses. 1t is from the province of Rio
Grande do Nasta, Brazil. 1t is a powerful
stimulant and tonic and also valuable in
perfumery. Seeds of cacao are also from
this district; they largely used as a
basis in the preparation of chocolate, and of
liquors. One thousand plants of theobroma
cacaO will produce approximately one thou
sand kilogramnes of fruits and berries dur
ing the space of eighty years, the period of
its life. The BOnlbir Mori from which Bra