The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-08-02
Egypt Enjoys Prosperity
Midst the War.
NATIVES NOT MUCH AFFECTED
The Constant Need OF Army
Supplies Stimulates Her
Various industries.
BUT TOURISTS COME NO MORE

| LohuOh, July "A INOulCi WI
spondent with the Egyptian cxpedi
tionary force writes: Certain it /
that this c. untry remains marvellous
ly untroubled in the midst Of tn
universal uproar, though its peace /
constantly threatened, for there cal
be no doubt that it was long ast
marked down by our enemies as on
of the prizes of successful war. Blu
the British line in the desert keep!
the active and watchful enemy on oui
Eastern frontier in check. The fanat
ical hordes of the Western Deser,
and Darfour- have received Lessor
which will probably last them al
least until the end of the war, and
in the interim the real Egypt, tbs
green strip of the Nile valley and the
Delta, the Egypt of the peasant cul.
tivator, of the teeming green fl eids
and the mud-built villages has not
been touched by war. 1t has not
heard a shot fired or paid a penny
of extra taxation.
The European element in the
country has felt the near neighbor-
hood of war. The shortage of ton
mage has aected business in many
cases, although in others business
men, in spite of high freights and
high prices, are doing better than
they ever did before. Many French
men and Italians have been called
to the colors in Europe. The
Germans, Austrians and Turks
have been removed or intern
ed. But the natives are hardly af-
fected at all. They are not asked to
serve and only the merest handful
of Egyptian reservists have been
called up to serve as camel drivers.
They have no interests in the cas-
.ualty lists. All that the war means
for them is higher prices for their
produce and their labor, and much
larger amount of money in circula-
tiOn among the poorer classes than
was ever the case before. In these
times of short tonnage and high
prices everywhere, it is naturally
the policy of the army authorities
in Egypt to utilize, as far as possible,
the produce of the country and to
import only what Egypt does not
supply or can only supply at excess
sive prices.
There is a military Local ResOur-
ces Board at Cairo. which, with the
aid of civilian advisers familiar with
the country, Systematically col
lects, transports and utilities all
Egyptian produce. wherever obtain
able, that can serve the turn of the
army. Naturally, foodstuffs and es-
pecially grain are the first need. All
the wheat. maize and barley requir-
ed is bought in Egypt and at prices
which invariably show substantial
increase on the pre-war prices. Pur-
chases are made in a wholesale fash
ion. The army, for instance, took
the whole of the last maize crop at
an abnormal price, and a larger
acreage under cereals than ever be-.
fore.
Egypt does not supply the troops
with meat. 1t cannot rival the fro
zen meat from Australia and New
Zealand but all the fresh vegetables
for the army are bought in Egypt,
and enormous quantities of fruit are
bought by the soldiers on their own
account. Oranges, of which this
country is a large producer, fetched
unprecedented prices last season.
The cultivator is not slow to OBJ
serve these things and is growing
much more garden stuff than ever
before. In particular. the very high
price of potatoes last winter has en-
couraged him to devote more land
to growing this indispensable vege-
table. There is. in fact. nothing
that he can grow that does not pay
him better than in ordinary times.
The army is mighty purchaser of
camels and needs vast quantities of
fodder. which 1t buys from the Egyp-
tian farmer, The army has resuscl.
tated the moribund salt Industry at
Damiett. 1t has created a timber
industry. which never existed befor,
in Egypt. The country is not rich
In timber, bat large quantities are
reeded. and the army buyers have
looked around till they found sup
plies In various parts of the country
The army is also a large employ
er of labor. II is calculated tina
the military authorities have som.
$4,000 native laborers on their pay.
roll. and these men besides helm,
fed. lodged and>elothed. earn higher
wages than they did in peace time