15 367 Imports, The value of imports in 1909 (excluding specie) was £E. 22,230,500, as compared with £E. 25,100,000 in 1908, a decrease of £E. 2,809,500, or 11-4 per cent. This large decrease is, however, to a considerable extent only apparent. Owing to a fall in price during 1908 subsequent to the formation of several of the yearly tariflPs, the figures for that year bear an inflated value, estimated at about £E. 1,000,000. During 1909, the exact reverse has happened, and a rise iu price after the tariff had been drawn up caused the real value of the imports to be about £E. 1,000,000 more than the amount shown in the annual returns, which is that on which duty has been paid. The difference in the real value of the imports for the two years should thus be reduced by about £E. 2,000,000. As will be seen, the decrease is distributed over nearly all the categories into which imported goods are divided.

The falling off in the imports of wheat (£E. 104,000), maize (£E. 21,000), sesame (£E. 34,000), and live stock (£E. 32,000) can be regarded as satisfactory, being due to better local crops and the disappearance of cattle plague. There was also a reduction of over 7 per cent, in the quantity of sugar imported, which, coupled with an increase of £E. 11,300, or 23 per cent., in the value of refined sugar exported, shows that the local production of this crop is extending.

On account of the great diminution in building operations, timber and building materials decreased by about £E. 324,000 and £E. 32,000 respectively, or over 20 per cent., compared with 1908. Furniture also shows a decrease of £E. 20,500.

The value of the coal imported was £E. 1,136,000, a falling off of 23 per cent, on 1908. This is attributed in part to the fact that the Nile was much higher this summer than last, and consequently irrigation pumps were worked during a shorter period.

Coal in transit, paying duty, has increased by £E. 132,900 in value and 887,000 tons in quantity. Freights being higher, the shipping companies have used less of their hold space for storing bunker coal than in the preceding year.

Compared with 1908, there was a considerable falling off in the imports of cotton tissues, iron and steel, and machinery.

The only increases of importance are under the headings of rice and chemical manures.

While the export of native-grown rice has increased by £E. 26,700, or 18'9 per cent., the import of the cheaper Indian rice, which is consumed by the poorer part of the population, exceeds that of lust year by £E. 40,000.

Chemical manures, which pay no duty, have increased from £E. 96,000 in 1908 to £E. 178,000, a very satisfactory feature from the agricultural point of view.

Exports.

The value of exports in 1909 (excluding specie) was £E. 26,076,000, as against £E. 21,316,000 in 1908, an increase of £E. 4,760,000, or 22‘3 per cent.

Cotton was exported to the amount of 6,952,000 kantars, valued at £E. 21,478,000. As I have explained above, this figure is, owing to abnormal circumstances, exceptionally large, and cannot form a basis for comparison with former years. The deficiency in this season’s yield will not appear till the returns for 1910 are made up.

In my last year’s report I mentioned that a consignment of cotton in seed was imported from Syria to be ginned in Egypt. Owing, however, to the fears expressed by the Agricultural Society lest Egyptian seed should become mixed with inferior qualities from Syria, the prohibition of the import of cotton seed, hitherto applied only to the American product, was extended in August last to cotton seed from all other countries.

The amount of cotton seed exported was 3,308,000 ardebs, of the value of £E 2,433,000, compared with 3,742,000 ardebs in 1908, valued at £E. 2,471,000, he., a decrease of 11*6 per cent, in quantity and of 1’6 per cent, in value.

The export of eggs has grown from £E. 86,000 in L908 to £E. 153,000 in 1909.

Onions, in spite of a decrease of 7'3 per cent, in quantity, have increased in value by 30'6 per cent., the figures being £E. 260,000 in 1-909 against £E. 199,000 in 1908. The quantity of gold and silver in bars and jewellery exported has increased from . i!E. 3,200 in 1908 to £E. 85,700 in 1909—a sign that the effects of the financial crisis have penetrated down to the lower strata of society.

The import of leaf tobacco has decreased from 8,042,000 to 7,907,400 kilog., Turkey keeping the first place with 45T per cent., and Greece coming next with [384] 0 3 House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.