Harry Luke

“ The increase in the value of the Egyptian import trade is largely due to the removal of the prohibition on the importation of tobacco by the Tobacco Taxation Ordinance, 192 1. The Egyptian Government has removed the restrictions imposed upon the export of rice and Egyptian sugar, which, together with the abolition of the prohibition on the export of cereals from Palestine, has also provided an incentive to trade between the two countries. ”

“ The Roman Catholic community likewise conducts schools, mainly for children of its own faith, in many parts of the country.
To the Christian Missionary Schools, more especially to those conducted by Anglican and Presbyterian societies, Palestine owes a deep debt of gratitude. The English College in Jerusalem, which is under the direct auspices of the Anglican Bishop, is at present the only institution in the country which definitely prepares students up to English matriculation standard, and which will probably develop into a College of University type. ”

“ Similarly there shall be no discrimination in Palestine against goods originating in or destined for any of the said States, and there shall be freedom of transit under equitable conditions across the mandated area.
Subject as aforesaid and to the other provisions of this mandate, the Administration of Palestine may on the advice of the Mandatory impose such taxes and customs duties as it may consider necessary, and take such steps as it may think best to promote the development of the natural resources of the country and to safeguard the interests of the population. ”

“ The Zionist Schools are on the whole similar in pro- gramme and standard to corresponding schools in Europe, more especially those in Switzerland, the Hebrew language and Jewish literature and history taking the place of the national subjects taught in other countries. The same may be said of most of the non-Zionist schools other than the Orthodox, except that in some of them Hebrew is not the language of instruction. All schools in the colonies, and some in the cities, are mixed. ”

“ The majority of the Christian population in Palestine belong to the Orthodox Church. They have for many years had schools, conducted by the ecclesiastical authorities, in all parts of the country where members of that community are to be found. These schools have suffered severely owing to the financial difficulties of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, but are beginning to show signs of revival. ”

“ On the eastern side the Jordan Valley, extending to the south of the Dead Sea, forms the eastern frontier separating Palestine from Trans-jordania. In the south the boundary between Egypt and Palestine demarcated before the War runs from Rafa south-east to the Gulf of Akaba. From the earliest ages in history the people inhabiting Palestine have acted as the middlemen of the East. ”

“ The production of salt from the waters of the Medi- terranean at Athlit is a new Palestinian industry, which will in the near future not only meet the entire requirements of the country, but will add another article to the list of Palestine's exports.
There is a great need of Industrial and Mortgage Banks, who would be prepared to advance money to manufacturers on long terms at reasonable rates, and also to Import and Export Houses working on modern lines. ”

“ Such technical education as exists, in the true sense, is confined mainly to Jewish effort. In addition to the Bezalel Institution in Jerusalem, where craftsmanship in metal is the main feature, and a well-organized Technical School at Haifa, both under Jewish Administration, the Schneller Orphanage (a Protestant institution) in Jerusalem provides instruction in pottery, leather work, carpentry, etc.
The schools of ceramics and of weaving, both under the auspices of the Pro-Jerusalem Society, receive an annual grant from the Department with a special view to training apprentices. ”

“ There is no customs barrier between Palestine and Trans-jordania. All import duties and formalities on articles consigned to Trans-jordania from abroad are collected and carried out at the customs station of arrival in Palestine. Jerusalem and Nablus are the dis- tributing centres for the East of the Jordan, the principal imports being manufactured goods, such as cotton and woollen articles, and tobacco. In return there is a con- siderable export trade from Trans-jordania into Palestine, and if markets are available, to Europe, in the shape of wheat. ”

“ Smaller than Belgium or Wales in habitable area, without visible coal, oil, timber or minerals of com- mercial value, Palestine at present depends to a large extent economically and fiscally upon its rural industries. For this purpose not more than two million hectares of land are available within its boundaries, and of this area only half a million are at present under perennial cultivation, as a result of heavy mortality among working cattle during the war and a subsequent collapse of agricultural credit. ”

“ There are twenty-two municipalities in Palestine, namely. Acre, Beersheba, Beisan, Beit-Jala, Bethlehem, Gaza, Haifa, Hebron, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Jenin, Khan Yunis, Ludd, Mejdel, Nazareth, Nablus, Ramallah, Ramleh, Safed, Shefa 'Amr, Tiberias and Tulkeram.
The municipal councils possess extensive powers as regards local taxation, but, as with the State system of taxation, there is a multiplicity of small and often oppressive taxes and fees, which in the aggregate yield a small return. ”

“ The first requirement of the industry having been definitely established as safe harbourage for fishing craft, the coast- line was examined in detail, sites selected which lent them- selves to economic development, and plans prepared for works at Gaza, Jaffa and Haifa. An endeavour was then made to interest foreign capital in the manifest opening for profitable investment. ”

“ Measures are being taken to regenerate the forests in the Carmel mountains, as it has been observed that the oaks which compose these forests produce larger trees than the Kermes oak of the Hebron forests, and the timber is equal in quality to that of the Kermes oak. Many of the trees which have been cut down are producing new growth from the base, and, if the young shoots are pro- tected from goats, etc., the forest will soon re-establish itself.
Forest nurseries have been organized in Jerusalem, Hebron, Nablus, Acre and Nazareth. ”

“ There are at present no Govern- ment schools devoted entirely to secondary education. In Jerusalem, Nablus, Nazareth and Acre secondary classes have been opened : these are attached to the elementary schools, and are being developed as necessity arises. It is hoped to attach hostels for boarders to these schools. A number of non-Government secondary schools exist in Palestine, but none of these use Arabic as the medium of instruction, and almost all have primary classes attached to them. ”

“ EGYPT &• PALESTINE
An experience of over fifty years in Egypt and Palestine has placed Thos. Cook & Son in an unrivalled position with regard to travel in these countries.
On the Nile their fleet of First-Class Passenger Steamers make frequent voyages between Cairo, Assuan and the second Cataract, and it may be asserted with some confidence that on no other river of the world can a voyage be made with greater or more studied luxury. ”

“ Land is cropped without manure until exhausted and then abandoned until a measure of fertility has been recovered. Increasing pres- sure of population, and the upward trend in the values of agricultural holdings and produce, the partition of common lands, improved communications and the practical demon- strations of better methods by new settlers are, however, having their effect. Manuring and a rotation of crops for the maintenance of fertility are becoming recognized practices, and, based on a system of mixed farming, should solve the problem of closer settlement and financial stability. ”

“ As regards female education, one of the best Girls' Schools in Palestine is the British High School in Jerusalem, conducted by Miss Warburton, M.B.E., and staffed by a competent body of English and Palestinian ladies. The Church Missionary Society has smaller schools for girls in various centres. More than one American Society has shown great educational activity, and one has done specially valuable work in the villages round Ramallah. ”

“ Field crops, with few exceptions, are still sown by hand and hand-cleaned, cut with the sickle and trodden out by cattle on the village threshing-floor.
The standard of dairy and beef cattle, woolled sheep, horses, mules and donkeys is not high. Protracted maturity and poor fattening qualities render the Arab steer an un- profitable subject for fattening and finishing. The sheep produce wool which is at present only fit for carpet making, and local horses and mules are few. Donkeys have had to be imported from Cyprus and Syria. ”

“ Palestine is not rich in metallic minerals, as the following notes indicate :
Copper : Copper ores were worked by the ancients in the older Palaeozoic rocks south of the Dead Sea in the neighbourhood of Fenan. The metal was also ex- tracted or smelted on the spot. The present state of deposits is unknown. Copper ores are also said to exist in the vicinity of Mt. Carmel. Iron Ores are known to occur in small quantities in many localities throughout Palestine, but there is no information of deposits of any considerable extent. ”

“ It is interesting to note that in Cretaceous times the conditions in Palestine and in England were similar. Both were deeply under water, in both immense deposits of lime carbonate were laid down, in both the latest beds are chalks characterized by richness in flints.
The distribution of these rocks is easily understood v/hen the structure is noted. The hill-country is formed by the folding of the rocks into an arch or anticline. Off the highest part of the arch the soft Senonian beds have been removed by denudation, uncovering the harder Turonian limestones and marbles. ”

“ Arabic is the normal language of pleading in the Magistrates' Courts. Summonses and other legal processes are issued in English and Hebrew according to the character of the person to whom they are addressed. In certain areas, called " tri-lirigual areas," official documents are written, and oral pleadings are con- ducted, in any of the three official languages. The tri-lingual areas, in which, Hebrew and English may be used, comprise the three principal towns of Palestine, namely : Jerusalem, Haifa and Jaffa, and also the District of Jaffa and the sub-districts of Tiberias and Safed. ”

“ The Veterinary Hospital situated in Mamilla Street, Jerusalem, has been taken over by the Society on lease from the Municipality, and is now entirely under the Society's own management. Only those animals are de- tained which are suffering from serious causes. A minimum charge for forage is made and treatment is provided free to animals whose owners cannot afford to pay. The Hospital is under the inspection of the veterinary officials of the Government, and is open to visitors at all times by arrange- ment with the Secretary. ”

“ Any person who re-exports from Palestine any of the above articles, and proves to the satisfaction of the Customs Department that such articles were manufactured from imported tobacco or tombac, is entitled to a drawback of 80% of the import duty originally paid. ”

“ At Jebel Jish, 5 miles north-west of Safed, an extinct crater may be recognized.
In all these volcanic outpourings only basaltic rocks have been met with. It will be noted also that, except about Tiberias, volcanic activity has been confined to the east side of the Ghor.
Vulcanism extended over a considerable period and up to very recent, but not historical time (the nearest histori- cally active volcano is near Medina) . That it extended over a considerable period is shown by the successive lava flows and the erosion of an older before the outpouring of a succeeding one. ”

“ On the establishment of the Military Administration of Palestine a Customs Station was opened at Haifa, where import duties were collected on articles either consigned in transit to Damascus or for local distribution. The Customs facilities offered at the port make it a convenient route for importers of foreign consignments, and coupled with advan- tages of a railway to Damascus, have led to the develop- ment of a considerable transit trade with the East. ”

“ The privileges and immunities of foreigners, including the benefits of consular jurisdiction and protection as formerly enjoyed by Capitulation or usage in the Ottoman Empire, shall not be applicable to Palestine. ”

“ The Administration of Palestine shall be responsible for enacting a nationality law. There shall be included in this law provisions framed so as to facilitate the acquisition of Palestinian citizenship by Jews who take up their per- manent residence in Palestine. ”

“ The Department assumes responsibility for research and education, and, in the absence of text-books of local application and teachers of local origin, land has been secured in the neighbourhood of departmental headquarters in the hope that it will be possible to establish, in due course, a school, laboratories, experiment farm and veterin- ary hospital, where a junior staff may be afforded practical courses of training, which in turn they can pass on to the cultivators. ”

“ In 1920 was passed an Ordinance, under which the rights of villagers to the products of the neighbouring forests have been clearly recognized; firewood, timber for houses and ploughs, and the right of grazing on open land, have been allowed free of charge. In return, the villagers must assist to prevent and extinguish fires in the forests, and keep their animals away from places where young trees have been, and are being planted, or new growth is springing up from the stumps. ”

“ The mammalian fauna of Palestine is remarkable for the number of larger animals which are on the verge, or have recently passed the verge, of extinction, a result due in part to modern firearms, in part to the destruction of the forests. ”

“ On the death of the holder of any land, the Sharia Court is at present the only authority competent to issue a certificate of succession showing the heirs and the shares under which the property should devolve upon the surviving heirs. In mulk land the succession is in accord- ance with the Sharia Law, it being provided, however, that the deceased may bequeath one third by will. Other lands devolve according to the Law of Inheritance of 1331. Succession fees vary from i^% to 5% on the market value of the property according to the degree of heirship. ”

“ Thd territory of Trans-j ordania, which is included in the area of the Palestine Mandate and is administratively linked with Palestine through the High Commissioner, is bounded on the north by the French sphere of Syria, on the west by the Jordan and the Dead Sea, on the south by the territory of the Hejaz; its eastern boundary is undefined. Its population is approximately 350,000, Moslem and Christian, consisting partly of settled townspeople and agriculturists, partly of semi-nomadic and nomadic Beduin. ”