Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎74r] (147/176)

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537. The passenger services on the main and suburban lines have been further
extended during the year, and the Sunday train service between Cairo and Alexandria
has been improved. The services are now regarded as adequate to the needs of the
travelling public.
538. A new system of police control over goods in transit has recently been
instituted, with the result that claims for loss and damage have diminished by more
than 50 per cent.
539. Both the Upper Egypt Auxiliary Railways and the Western Oasis Railway
are worked at a loss. The former are unable to compete successfully with other
modes of transport; the latter might be profitable if it were extended 150 kilom. to
Dakhla Oasis, which is more fertile than Kharga and has a population of 20,000.
540. Progress has been made in providing improved telephone facilities, and
the difficulties experienced in obtaining material have now been largely overcome.
New exchanges have been opened at Ezbekieh (Cairo), Ibrahimieh (Alexandria), Mit
Ohamr, Bilbeis, Mellawi and Maghagha. Fifteen new trunk circuits have been
erected and twelve new call offices opened in provincial towns during the past year.
New plant is mrw being put down in the Cairo Central Exchange to accommodate
3,000 subscribers and a new trunk position has been provided. A building has been
erected at Kubba (Cairo) with the view to installing an exchange there in 1922-23 for
720 subscribers, with an ultimate capacity for 2,000. A switch-board extension for
900 subscribers is being installed at the Alexandria Central. The Tanta switch
board has been extended to provide for more subscribers and a new trunk position.
It is proposed to erect a central exchange and headquarters in Cairo on a suitable
site already acquired for the purpose.
541. Communication with ships at sea has been established through the opening
of a wireless station at Ras-el-Tin, Alexandria.
86. Post Office.
542. The foreign postal rates, though they w T ere increased during the year,
remain below the maximum authorised by the Madrid Congress; inland rates were
not changed.
543. The receipts for the year were £E. 691,881 and the expenditure
£E. 690,314. The Post Office has therefore just paid its way, without making a
profit, which is probably the most desirable state of affairs.
544. The correspondence passing through the Post Office during the year was
approximately 114,222,800 letters, postcards, &c., or an increase of 1 per cent, on
the previous year. The number of parcels decreased by 7 per cent, to 1,709,175.
Cash-on-delivery parcels from Great Britain regrettably diminished by 47 per cent.,
from 68,438 to 36,081. .
545. Egyptian postal orders issued increased by 9 per cent., foreign money
orders issued by 20 per cent, and British postal orders by 17 per cent., the value of
the last named being £E. 56,539.
546. Inland money orders diminished by million pounds, foreign money
orders paid by 22 per cent, and British postal orders by 37 per cent., to a value of
£E. 25,495.
547. 242.152 accounts were open at the savings bank on the 31st December. 1921,
93,357 of which were habitually active. There were 4.576 new depositors during the
year, and the total amount on deposit was £E. 1,268,134. being an increase of #
£E. 115,838 over the previous year.
87. Ports and Lighthouses.
548. The revenues of this administration during the last two years have been as
follows :—
1920.
1921.
Port of Alexandria
,, Port Said
„ Suez ..
„ Painietta
,, Rosetta
• •
£E.
142,818
40,442
58,792
210
30
£E.
162,240
42,577
62,402
286
36
Total
..
242,298
267,572