Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-12-15
DAMASCUS TIE ANCIENT.
Noslems Steadily Growing Richer, Chris
tians and Jews Poorer.

| tians aud Jews Poorer.
! The British consul in Damascus in a re-
! port issued by the foreign Office, gives some
| interesting informariou IN regard to the
| cOB3ition "a that city and it, neighborhood
| Damascus sends to BeyroOt and other
| towns in Syria -four. grain and fruits,
| =ni!1 in regard to the necessares of life
! Z Is practically self supporting, with the
| exception OF Manchester manufactures
| Cotton goods were formerly all homemade
| but the great chcapness of British cottons
has destroyed the home production. The
trade of the place is almost stationary from
| year To year: if there is an increase in the
| trade in an article one year there is cor
responding decrease the next, for luxuries
| are scarce aud the necessares of life viii
| only Huctuate with the population, while
the exports depend on the harvest, which
rarely fails
Ihr population * given at 2!u.taO, of
which aboas 10000 are MoSicmS The
/ number IS surprised Ia be increasing. but
II InHSi he slowly. for the old walls still
surround The greater part 81 the popula-
tiua az: a." lpa-t.S built uut> side are very
! few. the I45N ny Of thu Christians and
jews l. rcnl.sF'.;,iic the hO~icms having
| Of late years absorbed he trade and wealth
Wh!.. were formerly in the hands of the
others In" McSlcr,E~ steadily increase in
wealth, wniie the Christians and Jews as
steadily decline. This unusual state of
things is said to be due TO the loss of the
through trade to Bagdad. to the difficult
ties which those who are not Moslems en-
counter in business, and to the insolvency
of the government. The Damascus bonds.
which were repudiated TO the extent of
100000, were mostly held by Christians
and Jews, and The reputation was a heavy
blow to them.
But 1t appears that the wealth of the
place has considerably increased in the last
thirty years, and it is probable that Da-
mascus will still further increase when
the railways now projected from the coast
are constructed. The expectation of liquor
Ice root, however, seems to be doomed nv
the discovery of roots of a superior quality
IN Asia Minor and elsewhere. Aprcots
form one of the chief products of Damas-
Gus. 1t is estimated that in a good year no
fewer than Il, 600 tons are gathered. Large
quantities are sent fresh into the neigh
boring towns and villages, while the rest
IS dried or made into paste and exported to
Egypt. Hemp, too, is AN important local
production.
Local industries are numerous and some
are Of Importance. The chief is weaving
There are about 1900 looms for cotton.
wool and silk weaving. The first produce
caliao, curtains and diyan covers the ma
terial used for the long coats worn by
Moslems, and for the cloaks which cover
the native women from head to foot. \
hand loom can turn out thirteen yards OF
striped cotton cloth per day, but the aver
age day S work does not exceed seven yards.
The cotton looms are constantly at work,
while the wool and silk looms are frequent
lyidle. The manufacture of ropes harness,
hammered iron, copper and hrasswork
are anon. the other industries. The or
naIneutal brasswork and mother Of pearl
inlaid work are chiefly supported by trav-
eiers, who pay cHorhitant prices. London
Times