- 53 -Savings Banks The number of people who deposited money in savings banks was 1,282,401 in the last year of 1913, of whom 249,997 were Egyptians and 52,489 were British. The balance for depositors was £2,462,678, an increase of 4.12% over the previous year. The ease of depositing money was facilitated for the farmers, as evidenced by the existence of 1,272 savings bank branches throughout the country.

- 9 - Railways and Telegraph The year 1913 was not a prosperous year for the railways; it was the year 1912. The volume of goods and passengers decreased, and consequently, revenues fell to £3,819,000 compared to £26,616,000 in 1912. Most of the decrease was in cotton and its seed, but it also occurred in building materials, sugar, and other goods. The number of passengers also decreased somewhat, mainly due to the establishment of courts for conciliation, which allowed people to settle small disputes without traveling to the cities.

The prices of coal and freight rates in the Sudan remained high throughout the year. A large number of vehicles were utilized, especially barges, for transporting oil. This trade is on the rise.

Wages generally increased, as the cost of living is higher than it was. The increased demand for money may lead to higher wages for laborers without specialized trades or professions. The following table compares the performance of the state railways over the past three years.