During the fifteen years previous to 1898, the population of Egypt had increased by about three million, or forty-three per cent.  It was then ten million; it is now nearly eleven million.  Within the boundaries of the irrigated land Egypt has always been a very populous country.  By the effort to expand this area of irrigation, the way was prepared for a considerable increase in the total population.  There are sections of this land where the density of the population averages from seven to eight hundred or even a thousand persons to the square mile.  In early times, the population was still greater, as the irrigation area was increased by the great reservoir of Lake Mceris.  When Omar made a census (A.D. 640), there were to be found six million Kopts, exclusive of the aged, the young, and the women, and three hundred thousand Greeks:  this would imply, even at that decadent period, a total population of fifteen million.

The increased prosperity shown by the railroads is most satisfactory.  Two hundred and twelve miles of new railroad have been constructed, and an enormous development of the railroad and telegraph business has resulted.  Since the year 1897 railroad development has been very rapid, and, with the line to the Sudan, amounted in 1904 to some two thousand miles.  From the Sudan railway it is intended ultimately to extend a railroad system through the heart of Africa, from Cairo to Capetown.

Great progress has been made in all departments of public works.  Hundreds of agricultural roads have been built, and the mileage of canals and drains has been largely increased to the very great benefit of the Egyptian peasant.

The quantity of salt sold was doubled between 1881 and 1897, while the price has been reduced nearly forty per cent.  The tonnage of the port of Alexandria increased from 1,250,000 pounds to 2,549,739 between 1881 and 1901.  This increase was paralleled by a like increase in Alexandria’s great rival, Port Said.

Sir Evelyn Baring (Viscount Cromer) was appointed consul-general and financial adviser to Egypt in January, 1884, succeeding in this position Sir Edward Malet.  Sir Evelyn was nominally the financial adviser, but practically the master of Egypt.  The khedive never ventured to oppose the carrying out of his wishes, since the British army of occupation was ever at his beck and call to lend its weight to the commands which he issued to the government under the appearance of friendly advice.

The most serious obstacle to the progress of Egypt has been the authority of the mixed administrations, the chief of which is the Caisse de la Dette.  The main object of these administrations is to secure for European bondholders payment of the debts incurred by Egypt chiefly under the incredibly profligate government of Ismail Pasha.  The Caisse de la Dette has commissions from six of the Powers.  It receives from the tax-gatherer all the taxes apportioned to the payment