Here, however, his nationality has enabled him to dare
much that no mere native official of any rank could have
attempted. He has established a patrol service along the
coast, which, in concert with a couple of cruisers at sea,
has immensely increased the difficulties of the illicit trade,
and disregarding the letter of Capitulation law — as
abusively misread in Egypt — he has on several occasions
searched both fishing and shore boats suspected of hav-
ing contraband on board. Notwithstanding the recent
stagnation of trade, the result of these and other reforms*
has already been to greatly increase the revenue of the
department, with the certainty of still further augmenta-
tion as they are extended. Under the old system, it was
estimated that not more than 3 of the 8 per cent, receiv-
able on imports reached the Treasury : this has already
grown to 5 per cent., and there is every reason to hope

* Travellers arriving at or leaving Alexandria will gratefTilIy appreciate
the minor reforms that have been effected in the landing and clearance of
baggage. The rabble of Arab examiners who formerly passed anything
for backsheesh, or if it was refused turned the contents of trunks inside
out in a dirty open yard and left their owners to re-pack them as best they
could, has been replaced by a well-disciplined staff, mostly of Europeans,
who receive no fee ol any kind, and conduct the examination in a com-
fortable waiting-room, as civilly as our own Customs officers at Dover oi
Charing Cross.
108



EGYPT AS IT 18.
that before the present year is out nearly the whole will
be honestly encashed.
