The Rock Island Argus., 1882-10-25
STATE LEVY.
Ancient And Modern Egypt.

The ancient Egypt was reckoncd in
its best days to contain population Of
15, ,000, 600, and it was the richest and
most prosperous monarchy IN the world
before Rome came to the front. Its
cities riYaled Babylon and Nineyeh in
their days, and when Amru took Alex
andria it contained over 600, 900 inhabi-
tants and the grandest library collection
in the world. The modern Egypt,
though possessing none of the ancient
grandeur, is still a country far from des-
picable 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 popula-
ton of $500, 600. 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 10000, ,000- The annual exports
to Great Britain alone ten years ago
amounted to 49,, ,250, 900, while the i'm
ports from Great Britain to Egypt were
but $50, 600, 900, showing heavy bal
ance of trade in favor of Egypt. Since
the opening of the Suez canal Egyptian
exports to England have declined TO
less than $40, 900, 900, and the imports
to less than S12,000,000 The valley of
the lower Nile is not all of Egypt,
though it is all that is vital. The khe-
dive rules over a region on the upper
Nile covering an area of / 800, 600 square
miles, and embracing barbarous pop
ulation of 5000, 900. 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 viii require European
capital.
The present dynasty was founded by
the usurper, Mehemet 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 khe-
dive should pay an annual tribute of
$3, GOO, 900 to the sultan. the former
tribute being but $500, 900. This, of
course, is q heavy tax on the people.
The allowance for the support of the
khedive, or king, is $3.50, 900 a year, and
for his relatives $500, 600 But the late
khedive, Ismail, contracted private
debts amounting to more than $4,000
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 amountingto $780,
600, 900. Ismail was deposed and his
son Tewfik, the present khedive. be-
came his successor. These financial
complications led TO the present difficult
ties; these and the MohammedaD hatred
of Christians and foreigners. The rapid
decline of Egyptian trade with England,
formerly her best customer, is attribu-
ted 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 aver
sion of the Egyptians to the canal and
their earnest purpose to destroy it II
they can.