'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎74r] (138/211)

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for Government and farmers, the latter of whom are saved the trouble, worry, and
expenses entailed under the old regime when the tithe was levied by the Government
in kind. The gain to Government is also immense, as doing away with the necessity of
employing an army of employes, and the great abuses inseparately connected there
with. Under the old system, the Head Government Store-keeper at Adana paid 300/.
for his post, the salary of which was 20/. per month for the season from August to
February.
Silk and Mulberry Trees. —During the last three years efforts have been made to
introduce sericulture, and the cultivation of the mulberry tree is being largely extended
around Messina, Tarsous, and Adana, and with good results.
Vineyards. —A large increase is taking place, the produce being sent to France in
the shape of dried raisins. No wine is made, the grape being unsuited. About
16,000 acres are under cultivation.
Roads. —Good roads exist throughout the vilayet, and are kept in pretty good
order.
Trade and Commerce. —The Returns of trade during the past five years have been
as follows :—
Imports.
Exports.
£
£
1886 ..
662,600
788,620
1887 ..
392,600
470,712
1888 ..
365,800
329,273
1889 .. .. J
355,420
374,450
1890 ..
404,300
654,950
Exports. —As regards imports, little comes direct from Europe, the bulk being
sent from the depbts of Beyrout and Smyrna, where they are purchased by the agents
of local traders. Their places of origin is, therefore, often difficult to discover.
England sends nearly all the cotton goods, as well as metals, machinery, sacking,
earthenware, &c.
Imports. —France is the largest customer for the products of the province, taking
nearly two-thirds of the whole, owing to direct steam communication with Marseilles,
and to the credits given by French firms to local merchants at Messina and Adana.
Too much reliance cannot be placed, however, on the above Trade Returns as regards
exports; those from the smaller ports of Selefki, Caradash, Yamourtalik, &c., being
omitted for the years 1888-90, not being procurable.
Native Industries. —These are few in number and small in importance. The silk
reeling industry is still in its infancy. A cotton spinning mill established at Tarsous
by an enterprising Cypriote merchant three years ago, containing 2,700 spindles, is a
success, and the yarn, Nos. 4 to 18, commands a ready sale in this and other Turkish
provinces. Cotton ginning factories in abundance exist both at Adana and Tarsous.
Water is everywhere the motive power.
Schools. —As regards Moslem education, a high school exists in Adana and
Ruchdie schools in the smaller towns, but here as elsewhere education is desultory and
apathetic, and is far outstripped by the native Christians, Armenians, and Greeks, who
all strain their efforts to perfect as far as possible the education of their children,
many of whom are sent to Smyrna, Beyrout, and France for the purpose.
Foreign Missions. —These are American (Protestant) and Roman Catholics. In
Mersina the American Reformed Presbyterian Church, connected with the Irish
Church of the same denomination, have schools for Arabic-speaking boys and girls.
The Capucin Convent, aided by sisters, have also schools for children belonging to the
Latin community. In Tarsous exists St. Paul’s Institute (American), supported by
the charitable in*the United States and Canada, having a boarding school for boys,
chiefly destitute, of the Armenian and Greek Churches, coming from Ka'isseriah and
other towns of the interior.
A girls’ school is also shortly to be opened. The staff consists of two resident
clergymen and a physician, with their families.
In Adana the Central Turkey Mission (American) have a branch here with a
large school for girls, with two resident clergymen, with their wives and two lady
teachers. The Jesuits have also recently opened a school here.
The disinclination of the Turkish authorities to afford facilities for the opening of
foreign mission schools and chapels, on the plea that such serve as a focus ol p tic%l
[170] It i.