The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-01-10
ANcIENT DAMASCUS.
The Financial status Of That Historic
MosIems Absorbing AN the Trade and
Growing Richer, While the Chris
tiniis and Jews. Are Grow
ing Poorer.

ing Poorer.
The British consul in Damascus,
in a report which has lately been
issued by the foreign office, gives.
some interesting information in re-
gard to the condition of THAI city
and its neighborhood, says the Lon
don Times. Damascus sends to
Beyrout and other towns in Syria
flour, grain and fruits, while in re
gard to the necessaries of life it is
practically self supporting, with the
exception Of Manchester manufac-
lures Cotton goods were formerly
all home made, but the great cheap
ness of British cottons has destroyed
the home production. The trade
of the piAcs is almost stationary
from year to year; il there is an in
crease in the trade in an article one.
year there is corresponding de-
crease the next, for luxuries are
scarce and the necessaries of life
will only fuctuate with the popula-
tion, while the exports depend on
the harvest, which rarely fails.
The population is given at about
100000, of which about 10000 are
Moslems. The number is supposed
to be increased, but it must be
slowly, for the old walls still sur
round the greater part of the popu
lation, and the houses built outside
are very few. The poverty of the
Christians and Jews is remarkable,
the Moslems having of late years
absorbed the trade and wealth which
were formerly in the hands of the
others The Moslems steadily in
crease in wealth, while the Chris
tians 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 difficulties
which those who are not Moslems
encounter in business and to the in
solvency of the government. The
Damascus bonds, which were repu-
dated to the extent of 95OO,OO0,
were mostly held by Christians and
Jews, and the rcpudiation was a
heavy blow to them.
But it appears that the wealth of
the place has considerably increased
in the last thirty years, and it is
probable that Damascus will still
further increase when the railways
now projected from the coast are
constructed. The expectation OF
licorice root, however, seems to be
doomed by the discovery of a root
of superior quality in Asia Minor
and elsewhere. Apricots form one
of the chief products of Damascus.
1t is estimated that in good year
no fewer than 1900 tons are gath
cred. Large quantities are sent
fresh into the neighboring 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 i'm
portance. The chief is weaving
There are about 1000 looms for
cotton, wool and silk weaving. The
first produce calico. curtains and
divan covers, the material used for
the long coats worn by Moslems and
for the cloaks which cover the ma
tive women from head to foot. A
hand loom can turn out thirteen
yards of striped cotton cloth per
day, but the average days work
does not exceed seven yards. The
cotton looms are constantly at work,
while the wool and silk looms are
frequently idle. The manufacture
of ropes, harness, hammeren iron,
copper and brass work is among
the other industries. The orna-
mental brass work and mother-of-
pearl inlaid work are chiefly sup
ported by the travellers, who pay
exorbitant prices.
Trying To Do Too Much.