JEWS COLONISING PALESTINE.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13649, 14 February 1913, Page 8

JEWS COLONISING PALESTINE.

A correspondent sends to the 'Osmaiu. ischer Lloyd' cf Constantinople an interesting review of the results of Jewish, colonisation in Palestine. Jewish colonists and other recent Jewish immigrants now form half of the entire Jewish population of Palestine, and are rapidly increasing. They are especially vstrong at Haifa, Jaha ; and Jerusalem.

The co'onists now own forty villages and about 100,000 scre-8 of land. Of thie land 75 per oent. is under cultivation ; 21,000 afres in Judea, with 15 coloiiiee; 15,000 ncres in Samaria, with 8 colonies, and <500 acres in tho transJordon country, with one colony.

Tho most important of these settle-rr.o-nte, w'ljicli were founded between 1378 and 1902 are Petaeh-Tikweh (1500 colonist*-.,) Rislion le Zion (1000 colonists') in Judea, Zikhron-Jacob (ifXX). colonists) in Samaria, and RoohPinnah (300 colonists) in Galilee.

The early progress of these s«ttlenicnts M-a-s sow, and at the end of the nineteenth century they were not eelfBUpportingj but relied to a great extent on iJhe genero&ity of Baron Edmond de Etothsc-hild. In 1899 the Jewish Colonisnton .Association of Paris took o?er tho management of tho colonies and the bulk of them arc now economically independent. Vineyards, oranges, oliveg and wheat form the chief industries. *

The correspondent of the "Oemanicher" Lloyd estimates tho number of .fe-ws resident in Palestine at 100,000. Cub others who Jiavo studied the subject think this below the mark. There are from 50,000 to 60,000 Jews ia Jerusalem alone.