Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-25
DAsAscry.
Tfs Oldest ct, m sic wer,e-sn TRADE ana

IL fa'Diall OF ftSS-'e4 was exceed
'nris forrdart. ard crops were rich and
psenliicl during the past yea. Wheat
and barley were therefore cheap. and
the poorer classes and the pcasantry in
general were m a fairiy-thriving coudl-
tfou. Trade, however. as IN other
parts OF the world, was dull. and small
proiits were realized. Very little gram
was exported to Europe compared
to other years The cheap rate
at winch wheat from America
could be supplied TO the European ports
curiaiieo the demand from Syria. ana
the consequence was an accumulation
of grain IN Damascus. Wheat sold NJ
from IL TO 20 pas the kile O Constan-
tinople during the year. as against 232
pIas IN 1882. Barley also was cheaper.
the kile being from 9 to Ia pias, while
IN 1872 II was from II to u pias.
Grain merchan Is necessarily complained
Of low prices. and the peasants were
unable to turn their produce into cash.
which IN the end entailedupon them the
hardship of having 20 borrow money at
high interest in order 10 meet the de-
mands OF Government taxation. Little
trade was done with the inland dis
tricts, and merchants in general had
more stock than they could convenient
ly dispose of. The fruit CROP was
also very abundant, and the trade IN
dried apIicots and apricot-pa ste kama
leddiDn) with Egypt assumed fair pro-
portions, though the export trade on the
whole was less than that of the pre-
yious year. The olive crop was bad
one. During the year 1884 the new
system Of levying the 1.-THE called the
= Iakhmees," or average fifth. was
introduced into the province of Syria.
The ordinary MODE Of collecting the
tithes bad for many years given rise TO
complaints. The oppressive proceed
hrs Of the tlthe-farmers had at last
drawn the attention o. the authorities
TO the subject, and at the suggestion
Of the Governor General it was re-
solved TO acopt tire new system. which
had already. 1t seems. found favor at the
Porte. The "1akhmees. a" or - average
fifth" consisted III tire payment Of
fixed annual tax IN place OF the 1.-THE
collected IN kind. and was calculated by
the average Of the last five years pro-
Guce being taken, with 5 per cent. added
for incidental expenses. The principle
Of the new system was no doubt good
one, as the old abuse attendant Oh the
1.-THE farming would be done away
with, but Its application was another
matter. Reports were called for
from the difieren; officials in the
outlying districts. and the assers-
ment Of villages ard the estates
Of landowners commenced. Corrup-
ton. however, soon had & large share
II the arrangement Of this question.
and II general It was a contest as %
v 40 could obtain the lowest estimate
OF the annual produce OF his property
Most OF the rich landowners were able
TO secure for themselves a very small
average as the result Of the inquiry
whereas the villagers and middle-class
proprietors had, In many cases. the
produce Of their lands over-estimated,
Tire last five years. moreover. were ex-
ceptionally abundant ones. and were
hardly fair indication Of the annual
yield for any heightened period. When
the products also showed q steady
yearly increase, the last year was reck-
Oned as the proper average.
Some Of the cases where bribery came
into play can be pointed out without
much difficulty. a village. for exam
pie, close to Damascus, owned hall by
the villagers themselves and half by q
rlch LANDED proprietor, was assessed as
follows: Seven hundred pas to be paid
annually by the wealthy landlord and
600 by the villagers. These abuses
have necessarily caused many com
plants, and the peasantry IN general /
have been dissatisfied. Should there /
be harvest. or should the peasant be /
unable TO dispose of mis- produce on &C /
count o. trade berg dull, ne Is obliged /
70 borrow at heavy interest 10 pay tx,
and this only increases his difficult /
ties. Ii Is reported that III several 4
places the peasants have threatened 10 /
abandon altogether the cultivation Of /
their lands, and some OF the smaller
proprletors have already given up tier
estates 70 grazing purposes. There is
10 doubt that the revenue Of the pro-
vIncial treasury mas increased BY the
introduction Of the new 1.-THE tax, but
the complaints against the measure
have been so numerous that the local
author. es have, II Is stated, thought Il
advisable TO recommend It's abolition.
The total amount Of imports aud ex-
ports Il 1854 reached EC75.702. a.
against 4gOl.y45 ID lss2. showing .
considerable decrease. The tosai
imports IL 1851 were 23G3.302, and
II 1852 E45g. 000 The amount of
british imports was Gl9g.445. as con-
pared 10 E2I7.766 II 1852. and Man
chester goods showed a diminution Of
EI45. go. a. against Gl7S.9OO IL 1882
Iron was fairly steady. but copper and
hardware showed az increase on 1889.
The export trade mas also been less
than that Of 1882. the amount OF ex-
ports IL 1854 being E3O7 400. as AGAINST
G442. 94j IL 1852. There mas been a
decrease IL the expOrta-
ton OF wheat to Europe from the HRnan
district. bat there has also been de-
crease IL the export Of wool, aprlcots
dried and II paste. and raisIns. though
native manufactures show al increase
over 1882. the demand along the coast
and IL Egypt having been steady.
The number Of caravans that arrived
from Bagdad II the course OF the wear
averaged about one every two months,
consisting Of from 300 to 400 camels
zach. The goods imported were prin-
,ipally silk, timbac. carpets spices, and
iates. About the same lumber started
rom Damascus, although the outgoing
aravans were much smaller. avera-
ing from $50 10 200 camels.
they carried native manufactures. J
opeS, ard few European goods.
little mas been accomplished IN
be past year with reference to }
,ubiic works. The municipal authori- :