20: Egyptian Commerce.«# LJWy

beguiled to certain ruin; does not all this prove the importance which they attach to driving us out of Egypt?

The ſituation of our Weſt-Indian poſſeſſions is diſaſtrous. We muſt have time, repoſe, and, above all, a wiſe, ſteady adminiſtration, to remedy- theſe evils. We want móre hands; unluckily too many uſeful men have periſhed in thoſe opulent colonies, neither can we replace them from Europe. The bloody conteſt we have been forced to ſuſtain for independence will render thoſe whom the war ſhall ſpare neceſſary to agricultuze. Beſides, Europeans are not fit for labour in the colonies; the climate ſoon thins their numbers. African negroes muſt be had, and how to govern men taken from a ſtate of nature into one of conſiderable civili- zation is no ſmall dificulty. Egypt is exempt from theſe diſadvantages; and, without loſing fight of the Weſt India pof- ſcſlions, and the care which may reftore their former conſequence, let us examine the advantages which this new colony ofers.

Firſt, then, we are not incommoded by the climate; the dreaded plague which was unknown in the Eaſt before Turkiſh fanaticiſm had carried it thither, appears at fixed periods, and proceeds from known cauſes; the precautions and care of a wiſe government will eaſily remove this deſtru@ive ſcourge.

The ſugar-cane is indigenous in Egypt*, and known from all antiqui'y; it grows to a prodigious ſize in the Delta of the Nile; in our weſtern colonies it ſeldom exceeds ſeven or eight feet.— The ſoil of Egypt ſuits it beyond any other, therefore, every thing may be expected from its culture. The tea tree of whoſe leaves there is ſuch a vaſt’ conſumption in Europe, will ſucceed well in Upper Egypt+.

Indigo grows naturally in Paleſtine, and requires little atten- tion; in Lgypt, it would be out of the reach of that uncertainty of climate, which renders the harveſt of it ſo precarious. Through all Syria, one finds the Opuntia, or Nopal, whence is produced Cochineal.—In our new Colony, it would not have to apprehend the rains and hurricanes of Mexico. Cotton grows throughout the Eaſt, and the cotton tree of India( Goſſipium arboreum) and the cotton plant of Perſia(Goſſipium herbaceum five annuum) might be cultivated with ſucceſs. The latter ſort eſpecially, which is ſown as corn, and cut‘tæœwice a year in Perſia, will exaQly ſuit Egypt, and will ſupply the wants of the mahufaQures of cottons and muſlins. Nor is there any doubt that we may naturalize the clove, the cinnamon tree, nut- meg, pepper, and other ſpices, which could not fail to ſucceed in fo fine a climate. The Moka-coffee, whoſe reputation is ſo

# Tt is more than 2.100 years fince Alexander's Admiral Nearchus men- tions ſugar.—Theophraſtus, Dioſcorides-and Arrian, mention it as a kind of honey extraQed from reeds.

+ The Tobacco of Latikia in Syria, is famous, throughout Europe; we mighrtcultivate that plant in Egypt with hopes of equal luccels,