Cotton From. Egypt

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 3, 4 January 1941, Page 1 (Supplement)

Cotton From. Egypt

UIJGYPT-LAXD"' wi\s once known as the jjrapary of the world. It *-« was also then, as now. the perfect country for the cultivation of cotton. From this, one would expect that as far back as Egyptian history is known, cotton would figure largely as a staple industry. This, "however, is not the case. Though cotton was certainly grown Jn the far-off day.* wluch the archaeologists have brought so near, it became extensively cultivated in Egypt «>"ly in the early Christian era. The early history of Egyptian cotton cultivation is most uncertain. 'Mummy wrappings, which have lieen found in all states of preservation, are always lineu. and not cotton. However, the Bilile states that Pharaoh presented his friend Joseph with a cotton garment, and cotton i» also mentioned on that wonderfully inscribed slab, the Rosetta Stone. We may therefore assume that cotton was a highly prized material, linen being the common covering of all. In the Middle Ages Egypt had acquired n reputation for it* spun cotton poods Strangely enough, at that time and for a considerable period later, Egypt spun only its coarser yarn? from native cotton and imported raw cotton from Syria. Ethiopia and India. tliis fjbro being far better than the nome product. W hen Napoleor\ came to Egypt, hi* officers found cotton being cultivated fairly generally, but in a haphazard and uneconomical manner. In 1820 a French engineer named Jumel found a cotton tree hearing a fine-stapled eottpn growing in a Cairo garden as an ornamental plant. He recognised it as a huge improvement upon the usual Egyptian plant, and before lflng seed from this tree was 'm-injr extensively used. To this day Egyptian cotton is often known as J time), particularly in France. At this per'pd {he co tton industry was managed solely by the State, which to°k over the crop from the cultivator at a fixed price and re-sold it to Alexandria exporters. The difference between the buying and the selling price was a big spurco of revenue to the State, but the small price which the cultivator obtained was not an inducement for him to extend his field* or improve the standard of l|is cotton. In 1850 the State monopoly was relaxed, but it was not until the American War of Indc|>cnd,cncc that Egyptian cotton really tame into its own. Up till that time Lancashire had relied entirely mi the cotton Holds of the former American colonies for its raw material. When the North blockaded the cotton-growing States. Lancashire found herself in very serious straits nnd the price »f raw cotton was quickly trebled. Naturally this an enornuiits stimulus lo the Egyptfaw growers. I|i R3 years the number of 1001b lots of lint cotton from Egypt increased from 228,000 to 7,000,000. From ISt.A onwards cotton has become more and move the life of Egypt. Once having found its market, its special qualities enabled it to hold its wu

Since Man "four Jumel's work in IS-Jfl. many different growths have been cultivated in Egypt, hut practically all the now seeds have been crossed with tlie old growths :iit<t may l>e said to be tl)e descen- * d:\nts of .Turners original work. Owing to the irrigation works carried out since British influence became strong in Egypt, the cultivable area of the land lias Wen rontiniuilly increasing and tlie population has increased in still greater proportion. The natural richness of the soil and the heavy population per square mile has led to the value oi the acre heinjr very hi-_'h. and each acre lias to support many lives. Though Egypt was onco the granary of the old world, under present conditions she can no longer compete with the corn lands of the Xew World, and to maintain her population the soil must he u-ed for a more highly rultivated. more, valuable crop. Cotton has hcen the answer. The proportion of cultivated land under cotton varies between a third and a half of the total. Apart from the fact that the cultivation of cotton requires .-onsideralile labour, many others pet their livelihood from the crop ere it is exported. The cotton must be picked, transported to the factory, •xinned (the process of separating the lint from the seed , shipped to Alexandria, classified, marketed, steam-pressed and shipped away, all of which processes require labour. In addition the (iovernment collect most of their land revenue from the cotton crop. If the European market failed, almost the whole life of the country would lie at a standstill. This is what almost happened a short time ago. Owing , to the war, practically all European markets were closed and shipping iif cotton for the moment was more or less suspended. It was a very gloomy prospect for the general population of jjgypt. It was then that the Itritish Government made its generous gesture. Normally England takes alxuit a third of the Egyptian crop, but now she lias undertaken to buy up. if necessary., the whole crop «t prices very considerably higher than the average for the last few years. Should the world situation change and tlie price for cotton rise above, the British .(Joverniuent's offer, the cultivator is free to liell elsewhere find benefit from this letter price. Should the British (ioyeriiineut eventually make a profit from the resale of the cotton bought b.y them, half ihe profits will l« passed on the Egyptian Onviiriiment for the hc.nc.flt of the cultivator. As -an lw imagined, the effect of this offer was to put new heart in the Egyptian fellaheen, or labouring class, and return some sense of security to the largo population dependent upon the cotton crop. In the>e days when thought * of New Zea hinders turn most often to Egypt, it is interesting to tliink o,f this eoijntry, not as a land of incredible history and undying romance, but as one which under modern conditions competes for her life in the great commercial markets of the world. The old Egypt of retrograde ideas and tradition-ridden ppople secnis to he gone forever. If Britain's might on'ce. rested on a woolsack, then the future industrial history of th* land of the Nile will be founded on a bale of cotton.