St. Landry democrat., 1882-09-16
Ancient and Modern Egypt.

The ancient Egypt was reckoned in
its best days to contain population of
100000 and it was the richest and
most prosperous monarchy in the world
before Rome came to the front. Its cities
riva!ed Babylon and Nineveh in their
days. and when Amru took Alexandria
it contained over 100000 inhabitants
and the grandest library collection in
the world. The modern Egypt, though
possessing none of the ancient grand
eur, is still a country far from despica-
bic in resources and population. Egypt
proper, from the cascades of the Nile to
the sea, contains about 5000 square
miles of cultivable and irrigable land in
the Nile valley, and population OF
100000. This is less than the area
of Massachusetts, and not much above
the population of the State OF New
York, But the productive quality of
the land is such that it might serve to
support 2O,OO0,OO0. The annual ex-
ports to Great Britain alone ten years
ago amounted to SS2. 100000, while the
imports from Great Britain to Egypt
were but S36, 100000 showing heavy
balance of trade in favor of Egypt.
Since the opening OF the Suez Canal,
Egyptian exports to England have de-
clined to less than $40, 600, 900, and the
imports to less than 100000. The
valley of the lower Nile is not all of
Egypt, though it is all that is vital. The
khedive rules over region on the upper
Nile covering an area of 1,50O,O 900
square miles, and embracing a barbarous
population OF 16, O00,o0 This has been
acquired by conquest since 1873, and
includes Nubia and Darfur. Nubia is
that country which the ancients called
Ethiopia. These conquests may be
made valuable by the construction of
railways, but that will require European
capital.
The present dynasty was founded by
the usurper, Mehemit Ali He was APP
pointed Pasha, or Governor by the Sui
tan of Turkey in 1906. and five years
after he compelled his master to make
him Viceroy. This title was continued
through the descendants of Mehemet
Ali down to the fifth, Ismail, who. in
1866, received the title of Khedive-el-
Misr. which means King. The condi-
ton OF this promotion was that the
Khedive should pay an annual tribute
u IC,OOo.OOU " Tue SuIlau, LIE lOIlllCI
tribute being but s1,S0O.OOO This, of
course, is a heavy tax on the people.
The allowance for the support of the
Khedive, OF King, is $3.50. 600, and for
his relatives $4,000 But the late
Khedive, Ismail, contracted private
debts amounting to more than so, O00,-
600 and otherwise so wasted the sub
stance of the country that in 1879, when
France and England, for the protection
of their people who held Egyptian Sc
curities, appointed each an officer to
control and regulate the finances of
Egypt, they found an aggregate of pub
lie and private debt amounting to $780,
100000 Ismail was deposed and his
son Tewik, the present Khedive, be-
came his successor. These financial
complications led to the present diff
culties; these and the Mohammedan ha-
tired of Christians and foreigners The
rapid decline of Egyptian trade with
England, formerly her best customer,
is attributed to the Suez Canal, which
enables England to trade on better
terms with India and her Oriental pos
sessions. And this fact is the secret of
the aversion of the Egyptians to the
Canal and their earnest purpose to de-
stroy it if they can.--London Times.