77 429 ill Egypt, so that the villages are depleted of a large proportion of their adult males. It is, however, satisfactory to note that the number of sakias has considerably increased, a fact which points to a growing interest in agriculture on the part of the inhabitants.

Last year’s good Nile and excellent date crop ensured a prosperous season. A census of date trees is being taken and should result in an increase of revenue. The reassessment of the land-tax is also in hand, and will, it is hoped, be completed by the end of 1910. The land and date taxes are the chief sources of rex’enue ; and dates form the bulk of the exports.

The Government school at Haifa, whicli urgently requires a new building, is full to overflowing, and is prospering under the efficient management of the head master, Ahmed Effendi Abou Zeid.

The dervish prisoners now at Haifa appear to be well satisfied with their lot— as indeed they should be—and give no trouble.

34. K A testimony to the flourishing condition of the province is afforded by the yearl} influx of Haussas, Takruris and Fellatas, who, coming to Kassala on their way to Mecca, often take up their abode in it for good or return there after completing the pilgrimage. The crops last year were good and the flocks of the nomad Arabs have multiplied exceedingly.

Cotton was not extensively cultivated in 1909, and the mills at Agordat bought the greater part of what was produced ; the introduction of American seed has been suggested as it has been found to succeed in Erythrea. A new district on the Setit has now been opened up for gum collection, and three villages have been established in a part of the country where there is a large area of gum-producing forest. These measures should result in a considerable development of this profitable industry.

During the twelve months some £E. 20,000 in specie was sent to Khartoum from the provincial Treasury, and the Post Office returns show that a sum of £E. 63,000 was sent in remittances from the province. This would seem to point to a considerable increase of commercial activity.

For the first time in the history of the province, the receipts have exceeded the expenditure. The various sources of revenue have shown a slight all-round increase, but “the province receipts have,” writes Captain MacEwen, “nearly reached their maximum, and, until the country has been further opened up by railway communication, progress will he slow.” T’here is practically no water traffic, and though the arrival at Kassala in the spring of a motor lorry from Khartoum was a noteworthy achievement the difficulties encountered on the journey prove that, for heavy traffic at any rate, the existing primitive roads are not suitable.

There has been a marked improvement in the public health of Kassala, due in no small measure to the energy of Captain Byam in combating the ravages of malarial and other fevers.

35. K Major Wilson reports that the state of the native population continues to improve. The smaller native merchants seem not to have been aifected by the depression, and the cultivators have benefited by two excellent Nile floods and a good rainfall. The crops have given a good yield all over the province, and grazing, which is essential to the prosperity of the nomad Arabs, has been plentiful. The financial condition of the European population, on the other hand, shows little or no improvement on last year. Money is scarce and employment difficult to find, owing to the lack of private enterprise in the way of building, &c.

Fublic health has, on the whole, been satisfactory, and there has been no serious outbreak of any form of epidemic disease. The health of the British troops is good. Khartoum has at last been provided with a supply of pure water, derived I'rom deep wells, which, it is hoped, will give satisfactory results, both as regards quality and quantity, for many years to come.

36. K Cattle plague has, during the past year, affected unfavourably the ivory and ostrich-feather trades, cattle being one of the principal articles of barter. On the [384] G 2 House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.