Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-02-23
PEOPLE IN PALESTINE.
NUMBER OF VISITORS IN
CREASING EVERY YEAR.
Nearly One-Half the Total Number Who
Make the Journey From Joppa to
Jerusalem Hail From the
United States.

There has been much written about
the Jews in America, but in his latest
report to the department OF state
Consul Selah Merrill reverses the
usual order and writes very in
teresting article on Americans in
Jerusalem, this in response to a
series of questions from the depart
ment. According to Mr.. Merrill s
records the number of Americans
residing during last year in the
Jerusalem consulate was Alb, of whom
$40 were naturalized. The average
number resident in this district for
the past ten years was 80, of whom
27Q were naturaliZed.
Mr.. Merrill! explains that the az
tempt to ascertain the number of
transient Americans arriving at and
departing from the Jerusalem consul
lar district during the past year was
most difficult. because travellers come
in such variety OF ways-with tour
list companies, with private dragO-
mans, or simply by themselves. 1--WE
reckon as the tourist season from the
LIST of June until the lst of June the
following year, and | have put the
number of American travellers arriv-
ing in Palestine from June /, 1891,
to June l, 1892, at 450. and from fig
ures actually in my possession | am
certain that the number Is not over
stated. This is about 40 per cent of
all the travellers that have been re-
corded as arriving in Palestine during
the period mentioned.
1T may be necessary for me to say
to avoid any misrepresentation, that
we do not reckon as "travelers" or
''tOurists' people who visit this coun-
try as "pilgrims,' of which class
there are from 5000 to 1000 every
year. Last year, however, owing to
nearly four months of quarantine,
the number of pilgrims has been
small.
''As to the number of transient
Americans arriving and departing
from the Jerusalem consular district
TO- the past ten years, it is not posi-,
bic to answer, except, | can say that
the influx of travellers to this country
steadily increases from year to year.
The question in regard to the APP,
prOXimate amount of funds drawn
from the banks and bankers in the
Jerusalem consular district by Amer.
leans under letters of credit, drafts
checks, etc, during the past year is
likewise very difficult one. TO get
at it. even approximately, requires SO
much work and the asking of so many
favOrs from the bankers that | will
not attempt a reply. Moreover, the
Palestine trip is so mixed up with
Europe, and especially with Egypt,
in so far rs a travellers money is con-
cerned that no satisfactory statement
of the nature required in the ques,
ton could be given. In place of the
answer required, | venture to lay be-
fore you an estimate Of the amount OF
money left in Palestine the past year
by American tourists or visitors.
Some travellers visit Jerusalem and
the neighboring places only, while
others go through the country to
Damascus and leave il at Beirut
The number of American travellers
was 100. Three hundred at ten days
each equals 5000 days; $50 at thirty
days each: $500 days; total number
of days, 400. From information
from agents of tourist companies, ho-
tel proprietOrs, or dragOmans, added
to my own experience and Observa-
ton Il have resided in this country
upward of eight years altOgether), a
person can not make the Palestine
trip for less amount than S. day,
while most travellers spend three
even fOur-times that amount. At
$40 per day for each person we have
S1j.OJO.
This should be regarded as the
minimum estimate, and embraces
American travellers alone, who, as |
have stated, are 40 per cent of the
entire number for the current year.
Some years the number of American
visitors to this country forms fully
80 per cent Of the whole number. On
the other hand, Americans spend
money more freely than, say, the
German travellers, although | do not
think they exceed the English in this
respect. Thus, it will be seen that
through travellers large amount OF
money is every year brought into
this impoverished land"