THE SALE OF PALESTINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5628, 29 November 1879, Page 7

THE SALE OF PALESTINE.

When Baron Rothschild, many years ago, offered to buy the whole of Palestine from the late Sultan, tho latter desliued on. the plea that his people would never consent. But tho necessities of Turkey have uow reached such a pass that it would be not ac all difficult for the great powers of Europe to weld Egypt and Palestine into one largo semiindependent province under their joint protection. .European capital and European enterprise wonld effect in a few years what apathetic Tuiksy has not achieved in as many centuries. The blowing up of n> few rocks and tho erection of a substantial break-water-would turn the miserable roadstead of Jaffa, into a. ooiaino.Koua harbour. A very slight amo-ut of irrigation would work wondtw on tho Plain of Sharon, where tho corn even now growe as high as the knee of a man Bitting on horseback. Tho vineyarde along the hill sides around Jerusalem, still flourishing after ages of havoc, migbtrival those of tlte Guadalquivir in competent hands. Jewish traders and craftsmen would flock thither by thousands when once assured of safety to life and property; and the sharo of revenue which the Sultan would receive from the reconstructed province would far exceed the whole of what he drawe from it in its present state.