Brookings County sentinel. (Brookings, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1890, 1882-08-31
ANCIENT AND MODERN EGYPT.

The ancient Egypt was reckoned in its
best days to contain population of 15,-
600, 200, and it was the richest and most
prosperous monarchy in the world be-
fore Rome came 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 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 n population of 5,500,000
This is less than the area of Massachu-
eetts, and not much above the population
of the state of New York. But the pro-
ducive quality Of the land is such that
it might serve to support 20,000.000.
The annual exports to Great Britain
alone ten years ago amounted to S82,-
250,000, while the imports from Great
Britain to Egypt were but S36, 600, 900,
showing q heavy balance of trade in
favor of Egypt. Since the opening Of
the Suez Canal Egyptian exports to
England have declined to less than $40,-
100000, and the imports to less than
$12, 100000. The valley of .he lower
Nile is not all of Egypt, though it is all
that is vital. The khedive rules over q
region on the upper Nile covering an
area of 1,500, 900 square miles, and en-
bracingl a barbarous population of 49,
100000. This has been acquired by
conquest since 1873, and includes Nubia
and Darfur. Nubis is that country
which the ancients called Ethiopia.
These conquests may be made valusbl e
by the construction Of railways, but that
will require European capital.
The present dynasty was founded by
the usurper, Mehemet Ali. He was ap-
pointed pasha or governor by the sultan
of Turkey in 1906 and five years after he
compelled his master to make him VIC
eroy. The 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 condition Of this promotion
was that the khedive should pay an
annual tribute of $500, 900 to the sui
tan, the formal tribute being but 81, 800
900. This, of course, is heavy tax on
the people. The allowance, for the sup
port of the khedive or king, lis $3.50, 90 0
a year and for his relatives 1850, 900.
But the late khedive, Ismail. contracted
private debts amounting to more than
$40, 900, 900 and otherwise 80 wasted the
substance of the country that in 1879,
when France and England, for the pro-
lection of their people who held Egyp-
tisn securities, appointed each an officer
to control and regulate the finances of
Egypt, they found al aggregate of pub
lie and private debt amounting to $780,
O00,CO0. Ismail was deposed and his
son Tewfk, the present khedive, became
his successor. These financial complica-
tions led to the present difficulties; these
and the Mohammedan hatred OF Chris
tians and foreigners. The rapid decline
of Egyptian trade with England, for
merly her best customer, is attributed
to the Suez Canal, which enables Eng
land to trade on better terms with India
and her Oriental possessions. And this
fact is the secret of the aversion of the
Egyptians to the canal and their earnest
purpose to destroy it if they can.