DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4995#0094
Labo
(30 LECTURE ON EGYPT.
features and the works of art of Egypt, and devote the
remainder of the time at my disposal to a few remarks
on forced labour, domestic slavery, and other general
matters.
Forced The question of forced labour in Egypt is one upon
which persons whose knowledge is limited to countries
where the free operation of the laws of supply and
demand is sufficient to meet every requirement, are apt
to get excited and unreasonable. The large irrigation
canals on which the existence of Egypt depends are
sometimes of great length, and it is a necessity of their
maintenance that they should be periodically and sys-
tematically cleared of accumulated deposit. This work
can only be done in sections, and must be performed at
each place in the shortest possible time, so as to limit
the period of interruption to the flow of water. Large
numbers of labourers are necessary, and it would be
impossible to procure them from the immediate locality.
The canal for which a man is required may in some
cases be several hundred miles from his home, yet his
own land may be entirely dependent on the efficiency
of that very canal. Egyptian fellahin would not object
to the system, compulsory though it is, provided they
were regularly paid and proper provision made for their
conveyance to and from their homes. To show the
enormous extent of the work and the necessity of syste-
matic organisation, I may mention that the total number
of cubic yards removed annually by the clearing out of
the main canals is 18,000,000 cubic yards, and the
number of men employed for the work is about 100,000.
(30 LECTURE ON EGYPT.
features and the works of art of Egypt, and devote the
remainder of the time at my disposal to a few remarks
on forced labour, domestic slavery, and other general
matters.
Forced The question of forced labour in Egypt is one upon
which persons whose knowledge is limited to countries
where the free operation of the laws of supply and
demand is sufficient to meet every requirement, are apt
to get excited and unreasonable. The large irrigation
canals on which the existence of Egypt depends are
sometimes of great length, and it is a necessity of their
maintenance that they should be periodically and sys-
tematically cleared of accumulated deposit. This work
can only be done in sections, and must be performed at
each place in the shortest possible time, so as to limit
the period of interruption to the flow of water. Large
numbers of labourers are necessary, and it would be
impossible to procure them from the immediate locality.
The canal for which a man is required may in some
cases be several hundred miles from his home, yet his
own land may be entirely dependent on the efficiency
of that very canal. Egyptian fellahin would not object
to the system, compulsory though it is, provided they
were regularly paid and proper provision made for their
conveyance to and from their homes. To show the
enormous extent of the work and the necessity of syste-
matic organisation, I may mention that the total number
of cubic yards removed annually by the clearing out of
the main canals is 18,000,000 cubic yards, and the
number of men employed for the work is about 100,000.