- 19 -- 7 - Savings Banks I had the opportunity to notice that the savings banks established in 1900 and attached to the postal service had greatly benefited small depositors in the early stages. However, they did not succeed in encouraging the inhabitants of villages and hamlets to deposit their available funds in them. Undoubtedly, their lack of success among this group stemmed partly from the farmers' reluctance to deposit their money in banks at all. But the main reason for their failure was that the savings bank system was not sufficiently coordinated to maintain constant contact with the inhabitants of villages and farms.

Therefore, the government undertook a new project to improve this situation and bring the savings banks closer to the people by authorizing the village disbursers to receive deposits from people and pay them out upon request. Thus, the operations of these banks would reach every area, no matter how far from administrative centers.

Since the purpose of these banks was to encourage farmers to save, the minimum deposit amount was set at a very small figure. Efforts are being made to spread the principles of the benefits of saving and to make the advantages of these banks understood by the people. This is being done by administrative officials directly educating the people and delivering simple speeches in mosques and schools.

- 8 - Trade and Customs Customs revenues reached £3,833,747 in 1911, broken down as follows: Imports Exports Miscellaneous Revenues Tobacco £ 1,853,726 276,436 38,617 1,668,568 This total exceeded the total revenues of 1910 by £314,166, making it the highest total customs revenue ever achieved.

The total value of exports and imports, excluding goods that passed through Egypt or were re-exported from it, and excluding currency, amounted to £5,582,600, compared to £5,249,700.