The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-29

, those of the Manchester and American cottons I asked what wages the boy weavers received, and was told 10 cents a day.
 The New Omdurman.
 The British government Is rapidly im- proving Omdurman. When the mahdi lived here it contained 6000O0 800, 600 people; and 1t still covers about the same space as then. although its population is not more than 70,000. It Is city of mud huts. There are not a dozen two story houses in it, and the place still looks somewhat like a large native camp. When 1 first rode through it, 1 asked my guides whether the holes in the walls had not been made by cannon balls at the time of the battle. He replied, Why man, those are the windows The houses have no other windows than those." The huts are all 1at-roofed, with drain pipes extending out into the streets, so that the water pours down the necks of the pass ersby when it rains. The stores are mere square rooms, facing the streets they rent for Sl so a month-and everything is simple and exceedingly cheap.
 The government Is improving things gradually. It Is making a new plan for the city and has already laid out many wide streets. It has taken the 60 acres which the khalifa had for his speciai headquarters and will build dwellings of the first class upon it. This tract IS still surrounded by great wall, F or To feet high ard four or five feet in thick ness. It once contained an open-alr mosque and also the chief buildings of the knaifa In another part of the town there will be second-clhss dwellings; and in a third dwellings of the third class The civil engineers have already laid out a park in the center of the city, and the vegetation in it is watered by women, who bring the supply from the Nile m great jars on their heads. In this park the band will play every Friday after noon
 The Native Hospitals.
 Omdurman has now hospitals, which have been recently established by the Sudan government. 1 was taken through them by the governor and the English and Egyptian doctors In charge gave me every opportunity to see their work. was even offered the chance to be present at several surgical operations, including the cutting off of the leg of patient who had just come in, but l declined The hospitals cover five six acres. Their buildings are of one story and they are made of sun-dried brick, but they are cool and well lighted. The patients are black men and women of many tribes. There were several hundred in the va rious wards and the doctors told me that during the past year they had given treatment to 12,00O sick who had been brought to the doors of the hospital. and in addition to the 800 or 900 patients who were kept in the hospital itself. The British are greatly improving the sani- tary conditions of the natives. They have cleaned up the city and 1t now looks remarkably well for a native town. It is rapidly growing. and will probably be the commercial capital of the Sudan. It will keep It's African character, but will be modified by the new Africa; and, as such, will be one of the most interesting cities of the continent.
 Slavery In the Soudan.
 The British are doing what they can to break up slavery in the Sudan. This re- zion was once one of the chief slave markets of the continent. Slaves were brought by the thousands from Central Africa to Khartum and Omdurman and they found their way thence down to Egypt. During the Egyptian rule there were military stations in different parts of the country, and they became centers of the slave trade, and when the naviga- tion of the White Nile was declared free 1t was made slave route Later on the Arabs raided the natives of Central Africa and sent up their slaves to Khar- tum. The trade was somewhat checked while Gordon ruled but 1t broke out again under the mahdi, and when the British took hold Omdurman was one of the chief slave markets, and slaves