The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-10-14
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 come to the front.
Its cities rivaled 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 grandeur is still country far
from despicable in resources and pop
ulation. Egypt proper from the cas-
cades Of the Nile to the sea, contains
about 5000 square miles of cultivable
and irrigable land in the Nile Valley
and population of 5,5O0,000. This
is less than the area Of Massachusetts,,
and not much above the population of
the State of New York. But the pro-
ductive quality of the land is such
that 1t might serve to support 20,000,-
900. The annual exports to Great
Britain alone ten years ago amount
ed to $50, ,250,000, while the
imports from Great Britain to
Egypt were but $36,000,000,
showing a heavy balance Of trade
in favor Of Egypt. Since the opening
of the Suez canal Egyptian exports to
England have declined to less than
$3O,000,000 and the imports to less
than $12,000,000, The valley of the
Nile is not all Of Egypt, though it is
all that is vital. The Khedive rules
over a region on the upper Nile cover
ing an area Of 100000 miles, and
embracing barbarous population of
100000. This has been acquired
by conquest since 1873, and includes
Nubia and Durfur. Nubia is that
country which ancients called Ethio-
pia. These conquests may be made
valuable by the construction Of rail
ways, but that will require European
capital
The present dynasty was founded
by the usurper, Mehemet Ali. He was
appointed Pasha, or Governor, by the
Sultan 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-AI1scr, which means king.
The condition of his promotion was
that khedive should pay an annual
tribute of $3,600,S00 to the Sui
tan, the former tribute being but 81, )
100000. This of course is a heavy
tax on the people. The allowance for
the support Of the Khedive or King,
is S750,000 a year, and for his rela-
tives $660,000. But the late Khe-
dive, Ismail, contracted private debts
amounting to more than S40,000,000
and otherwise so wasted the substance
Of the country that in 1879, when
France and England, for the protect
ion Of their people who held Egyptian
securities, appointed each an officer to
control and regulate the finances Of
Egypt, they found an aggregate of
public and private debt amounting to
$450,000,0OO Ismail was ,desposed
and his son Tewfk, the present Khe-
dive, became his successor. These fl
nancial complications led to the pre-
sent difficulties; these and the Mo-
hammedan hatred Of Christians and
foreigners. The rapid decline of Egyp-
tan 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 possessions. And this
fact is the secret Of the adversion Of
the Egyptians to the canal and their
earnest purpose to destroy it if they
can.