Bisbee daily review., 1917-06-03
EGYPT IS ENJOYING
 PROSPERITY, RESULT OF COTTON DEMAND
Crops Will Be Double That of Last Year, With Unpreced- ented Prices; Country Is Showered With Riches.
;By Review Leased Wire)

enjoying an abundant prosperity as a result of the increase in the price of cotton which doubled within three months last fall. declares the Acting Financial advisor in outlining the Egyptian budget for the current year.
 Egyptian cotton" he asserts, rose to heights unknown since the Amer iean civil war. The result is that, notwithstanding the relatively inferior yield of tine present crop. it probably will realize more than f40.000. 900 or about double that of last year.
 "The continued presence in Egypt of a large British force has at the same time exercised it's influence as a second factor in the exceptional prosperity of the country. The re- sources of Egypt and the Sudan have been drawn upon in every conceiv- able manner for military require ments, and the productive activities of the population have been stimuli ated in all directions to meet the de- mand."
 | Resources increased.
 The Acting Financial Advisor esti- mates that during the two and half years which have elapsed since the commencement of the war a sum of e3O,OOO,OOO has been added to the capital resources of Egypt.
 This considerable and unlocked for accession of wealth." continues the advisor, does not permit of any fresh development of the country's economic resources for the present, owing to the difficulty of obtaining the necessary materials, which diff ficulty is, in fact, actually bringing about tendency to retrogression by delaying the necessary upkeep of works already in existence. The sums are consequently being em- ployed in investments abroad, where they operate as a set off to the in debtedness of the country probably to the extent of one-third of the private capital invested from foreign resources, and relieve to that extent the heavy tribute which the country has to pay annually to its creditors abroad"
 Imports Also Jump.
 The advisor showed that imports in 1916 totalled nearly f31, 100000 in value, as compared with e19,OO0,O0O in 1915, and have even exceeded the figures for the year preceding the war. This is not due to any lavish expenditure on the part of the people, but is mainly attributed to the great ly increased prices of practically all imports. Exports in 1916 amounted to e37 37,500.000.
 When one considers" resumes the advisor, ''the general situation in Egypt as compared with that of other countries, it appears as one of singular felicity. Placed at criti- cal point in the theatre of war, the waves of invasion nevertheless beat harmlessly against the well-guarded frontiers, while her inhabitants, in the enjoyment of a sheltered peace, see unlocked for riches bestowed up on them. The reflection that the country is thus profiting from the terrible conflict which is convulsing the world may we'll exercise a re- straining influence on any tendency to waste those profits on extrav- agant living.
 Cotton Area Enlarged. .1o Nf hA area in 1916, coupled with the diff culties attendant on the important of cereals from other countries. has naturally diminished the available supplies of this category of foodstuffs. Some portion of the surplus stock of 1915 has, however,no doubt been avail able to supplement the production of 1916. and no serious shortage is anticipated until the forthcoming harvest"
 "The general level of wholesale prices of commodities produced in the country has risen to 32 per cent over July 1914. This rise is attribut- able, on the one hand. to the in creased demand, both civil and mili- tary, one the resources of the coun- try, and, on the other. to the difficult ty of supplementing those resources by imports. If the war continues. the diminution of the productive power of other countries will become more marked and it may become necessary for Egypt to assist the allied cause yy contributing supplies from her comparative abundance. even though to do so may entail on her further