86 partial suspension of public traffic may be estimated at about £E, 400,000. The transport of the 1919 onion crop was very seriously interfered with, and a large part of the crop was lost.

A general strike took place during the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of April, and from the 7th to the 22nd of the same month, and during these periods the few trains which ran were worked by the European staff. The general unrest seriously affected the labour of the locomotive department; the workdiops were practically empty during the month of April, tire few workmen attending being mostly Europeans.

The attitude of the British and European staff during the troublous time was generally satisfactory, and many of them have worked loyally under very trying conditions. Inclination or intimidation caused the mass of me Egyptian staff to refuse work and participate actively in the strikes; but the Egyptian platelayers generally woj'ked, under protection, when required to make good damages, and the upper grades usually remained at their poste and worked when called upon.

Later in the year, in anticipation of a possible renewal of strikes, the Administration published a call for volunteers, and opened a volunteer employment office. The response was good, and between the 1st and 15th November 2,339 names were registered, of which 1,953 were Egyptians. Vacant posts are now to some extent filled from these volunteers.

At the same time the Administration has made every effort to relieve the hardships caused by the higher cost of living; wages have been raised, working hours reduced, and a co-operative society formed from which the staff have been able to obtain comparatively cheap supplies of food and other necessaries. The effect of these measures has been satisfactory.

The resumption of commercial relations consequent on the termination of the war has led to a large influx of imports via Gabbary and via Port) Said, and much difficulty is'felt in meeting demands for waggons, especially at the former port. The same difficulty was experienced in transporting the cotton crop of 1919, a large part of which was conveyed to Alexandria by water.

Owing to the shortage of materials no renewals have been effected in the permanent way, but 150 kilom. of track are now on order; orders have also been placed for locomotives and rolling-stock, and a certain amount of rolling-stock is being built locally with successful results.

The following table gives the probable financial results for the year 1919-20 for the State railways, telegraphs and telephones as compared with those of the previous year;— From April to December 1919.

Approximate for January, February and March, 1920.

Total, 1919-20. Total, 1918-19. Difference.

Railway earninprs Railway expenditure Railway earnings, net ..

Telegraph earnings Telegraph expenditure ..

Telegraph earnings, net..

Telephone earnings Telephone expenditure ..

Telephone earnings, net..

£E 4,919,123 3,491,384 1,427,739 201,317 170,195 31,122 153,823 135,462 18,361 £E. 1,911,701 1,563,795 £E. 6,830,824 5,055,179 £E. 6,888,303 3,610,915 347,906 67,106 56.732 10,374 1,775,645 268,423 226,927 41.496 51,274 45,154 205,097 180,616 6,120 24,481 3,277,388 237,726 166,676 71,050 £B. - 57,479 + 1,444,264 - 1,501,743 J- 30,697 -p 60,251 - 29,554 251,005 139,511 111,494 - 45,908 + 41,105 87,013 9 The estimated capital account on the 31st March, 1920, including stores in stock will be £E. 30,188,835.

The damage done to the southern section of the auxiliary railways of Upper Egypt during wie riots of 1919 was not great, but the lines in the northern section had to be closed for passenger and goods traffic from the 17th March until the 1st House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.