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paid for the lands and the amount represented by such parcel of land in the valuation of the Cahier des Charges. In exchange for this payment a delegation should be given to the institution on the Province of Keneh, and when the advances had reached a certain amount the institution should be entitled to issue its own obligations, supplemented by a guarantee given to them out of the revenues of that province.
He has
Since writing the above I have seen M. Bouteron, who entirely approves the principle of the scheme, and is willing to assist in working out the details. suggested to me a great modification, which he says he will at any time give me in writing. There is nothing, he says, so tempting to Egyptians as the possession of land, and he thinks that an arrangement might be made between the Government and the pensioners which would require no extraneous intervention or assistance.
The success of the scheme depends entirely, of course, on the manner in which it will be received by the persons interested.
I bear that there are some authorities who place a higher value on the lands than that I have mentioned. This, if correct, will, of course, be to the benefit of the Government.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
H. DRUMMOND WOLFF.
No. 3.
Sir H. Drummond Wolff to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received January 12.)
(No. 5.) My Lord,
Cairo, January 4, 1886. WITH reference to my despatches Nos. 1 and 4 of the 1st and 2nd instant respecting a scheme for selling the lands of the Domains, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that I had a meeting this morning on the subject with Nubar Pashu, Blum Pasha, and Mr. Vincent.
After considerable discussion we all came to the conclusion that the sale of the lands somewhat on the method I had proposed was the best solution of the question.
The Crédit Foncier scheme is unworkable. Even that institution has found it was impossible. The project of farming suggested by Nubar Pasha meets with legal objections, which, if not insuperable, would create great difficulties.
Blum Pasha has undertaken to prepare a project, which I will send to your Lordship, together with that of M. Bouteron. His plan will contain the additional feature of selling land by annuities to private purchasers who are not pensioners. Neither project can be ready before next week.
A proposal was mentioned by Blum Pasha as having been submitted to him. It was this: that as the sale of the land in small parcels might give rise to difficulties, a native Company should he formed for the purchase of the land en bloe at the reduced price rendered possible by the action of the Government.
To such a scheme I see the gravest possible objections. The Company could be formed only with the prospect of making large profits by retailing the land to small investors. It would, as a first result, give to a body composed of Turkish Pashas and rich capitalists the dominion of a large territory to be worked not only for pecuniary profit, but with perhaps a political purpose. It would probably reproduce all the worst features of oppression and corruption, and it would be the Company, and not the people, who would profit by the facilities and sacrifices to be granted by the Government.
If the land is to be sold any advantage should be spread, as far as is feasible, over the whole population. M. Bouteron declares that he can easily divide the land into large or small allotments, according to requirements. Sales on such terms would interest large numbers in the development of the soil, and I have reason to believo that private agriculture produces results far more satisfactory than culture on a large scale. This morning I saw Khalil Pasha Yeghen, the Egyptian Director of the Daira. He told me that from his experience, while land cultivated by the Daïra itself produced only from 300 to 350 sugar canes per feddan, the same measurement in the hands of the fellahs yields 500 canes. He further informed me that the average revenue from land is from 7 to 8 per cent. A percentage of this kind will offer temptations to the pensioner to commute.
I think I may have placed at too low a figure in my former despatches the gross
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