Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎51v] (102/176)

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229. The motor road from near Qena to Qoseir has been remapped on the
1 : 100,000 scale, and triangulation A surveying technique in which the position of a network of points is determined by creating a series of triangles between them and measuring at least two of the internal angles and one side length. and topographical mapping has been extended
over about 1,000 square kilom. of an hitherto little-known region north of the road.
230. A triangulation A surveying technique in which the position of a network of points is determined by creating a series of triangles between them and measuring at least two of the internal angles and one side length. net has been carried across the great limestone plateau
north-eastwards from Assiout connecting the Nile Valley and the Red Sea nets, and
a considerable amount of topographical mapping of this part of the Eastern Desert
has been accomplished.
231. Thirty prospecting areas, totalling 71 square kilom., have been located and
beaconed, chiefly in South-Western Sinai and in the neighbourhood of Qoseir.
37. Bureau of Commerce and Industry.
232. This recently established bureau has considerably extended its activities
during the past year, and among the measures taken towards the development of
Egyptian trade I may note the following : an industrial survey of Egypt, of which
about one-quarter, embracing some 20,000 returns, has been completed; the inspection
of industries throughout the country; the formation of a reference library of foreign
trade catalogues, and of an index of Egyptian importers and exporters; and pro
posals for legislation designed to put a stop to the false lapping, folding and marking
of piece goods, which is so prevalent in this country. The bureau is about to
inaugurate a new cereal market at Alexandria, the profits of which will for the first
ten years be equally divided between the Government and the Alexandria
municipality.
233. The permanent exhibition of local manufactures and industries attached
to the bureau has proved itself a successful means of propaganda on behalf of
Egyptian trade interests. Some 10,000 visitors have passed through the turnstiles
during the year, and the numbers increase daily. Numberless applications from
would-be exhibitors have to be refused owing to lack of space, whereas when the
exhibition was first opened all exhibits had to be purchased. An order department
exists for the benefit of visitors who otherwise would be unable to obtain the goods
which they require; a large proportion of these purchases are despatched abroad,
another valuable form of trade propaganda. The object of the exhibition is largely
to nurse the small industries until they are in a position to stand on their own feet.
The bureau has earned the gratitude of many small traders working in remote
corners of Egypt who in some cases have been enabled to treble their output.
234. The bureau has completed to purchase of exhibits for the Egyptian Court
at the Imperial Institute in London (which exhibits are the property of the Egyptian
Government) and where a full range of articles of commercial value can now be seen.
235. The restriction of the import trade by the war led to an appreciable revival
of local industries, some of these, such as the manufacture of starch and jam, have
almost disappeared again, but others have continued to develop It is estimated,
for example, that in addition to the cotton mills of the “ Filature nationale " at
Alexandria, which produced in 1921 9,000,000 metres of cotton goods and
4,000,000 pounds of yarn, there are some 8,000 to 10,000 cotton looms in the country,
with an output of 9,000,000 metres, 2,000 looms producing 3.000,000 metres of silk
material, and an equal number producing 4,000.000 metres of woollen goods, and
300 flax looms producing 500.000 metres of linen.
230. In conjunction with the Department of Technical. Industrial and
Commercial Education and with the co-operation of the mudirs and the provincial
councils the bureau is endeavouring to assist the weavers to adopt a more up-to-date
loom which could double and treble their present output.
237. The Egyptian cement trade shows steady and encouraging expansion.
The Ma‘asara Cement Company has now a yearly output of 25,000 tons, which it
is prepared to increase considerably in the future. The brick and tile works of
Messrs. Sornaga and Co. at Kafr Ammar, where some 700 Egyptian workmen are
regularly employed, is another important industry, and has recently commenced
the manufacture of ceramic art pottery, on which the owner has expended large
sums during the experimental stages. Works in connection with the manufacture
of paints from natural earth pigments are in process of erection at Helwan and
should develop into an important industry.
238. Amongst other progressive industries are the following : rug-making,
basket-making, "matting, rubber manufacture, leather and leather ware, bedstead
manufacture, pottery, tarbushes, boot and shoe making, ivory work, confectionery,
soap, oils, wicker-work furniture, felt roofing, &c.