Comparative Table of Egyptian and English Money. One Egyptian pound, or 100 piastres, or 1,000 millièmes = = 27 13 10 28 14 42 29 14 10 7172∞ 2002∞393. 12345 OILS. = 15 7 15 16 17 ༠༠་ 9 ΙΟ II 12 13 14 8 17 8 18 9 == 19 9 9 = 20 IO 21 10 91 22 II 31/ 3 18 381 18 = O 8 21 22 = 23 II 47 3 7 48 4 I 49 4 72 50 51 Ardab=3 kanțârs=43'95 gallons = 5'49 bushels 198 litres = 300 pounds= 108 ukkah 19774770 cubic metre. A kîla ardab. The approximate weight of the ardab is as follows:-Wheat, 315 roṭl.; beans, 320 rotl.; barley, 250 roțl.; maize, 315 rotl.; cotton seed, 270 roțl. The Sâ'a (literally, hour) is any distance between 2 and 4 miles. Old measures of length are :-FITR, the space between the thumb and first finger when extended. SHIBR, the space between the thumb and little finger, when extended, i.e., a span. ĶABDAH, the measure of a man's fist with the thumb erect. (8) Official Time.-Official time is that of the 30th Meridian East of Greenwich (East European time), and is two hours fast of Greenwich or West European time, and one hour fast of Central European time. A gun is fired at the Citadel daily at noon (East European time) by an electric current sent by the Standard Clock from the Observatory at Helwân. The same current also gives an electric signal to Alexandria, Port Said, and Wâdî Ḥalfah. The day begins at sunset according to the Muḥammadans and Jews, and at sunrise according to the Copts. (9) Passports and Customs:-Passports are absolutely necessary, and they are useful in order to procure admission to certain places of interest, to obtain letters from the Poste Restante, and especially to establish identity whenever required. The traveller must hold a valid passport bearing visa(s) of a Consular Representative in the United Kingdom for the country. or countries to or through which he is proceeding. He must be careful to see that the endorsement and visas fully cover the period and route, as neglect of this may involve him in serious difficulties. Thos. Cook & Son will obtain passports with the necessary visas of foreign Ambassadors or Consuls. The Customs-house examination at Egyptian ports is carefully performed. There are Customs Houses at Alexandria, Port Sa‘îd, Cairo, Suez, Damietta, Kuşêr (Kosseir), Kanṭarah, Isma'iliyan, Rosetta, Al 'Arîsh, Abu Zanîmah, Safâgah, Sollûm, Burgadah, and Gamisah. An 8 per cent. ad valorem import duty plus half per cent. import Customs dues is charged on all goods entering the country, and at Alexandria an additional half per cent. is charged for quay and paving dues. The import duty and dues of 8 per cent. are charged on objects in tourists' accompanied baggage, if new, and the import dues of half per cent. are charged on all articles whether new or old arriving as unaccompanied baggage. The duty on tobacco is-leaf, 60 piastres per kilo, manufactured; and cigars, 70 piastres per kilo; an extra duty of 2 piastres per kilo is charged when not coming from countries having a Commercial Convention with Egypt. The export duty is 1 per cent. ad valorem on all products of Egypt and the Sûdân, and for all articles shipped as unaccompanied baggage or cargo, Export dues of 22 millièmes per E. are charged. Antiquities and modern copies of antiquities must be packed in a box separate from other articles and sealed at the Cairo Museum, paying a sealing fee of OFFICIAL TIME, PASSPORTS, CUSTOMS, POSTAGE, ETC. 6 piastres for each package and 2 per cent. ad valorem Export duty only. Thos. Cook & Son (Egypt), Ltd., have a special department in Cairo to arrange the above formalities. The importation of cartridges into Egypt by travellers is prohibited, but English cartridges of the very best make are procurable at reasonable prices in Cairo. As agents of the Nobels Explosives Company, Messrs. Thos. Cook & Son have always on hand a large stock of their sporting Ballistite and Empire Powder Cartridges, which are much in favour in Egypt. For Quail Shooting in the Gîzah Province a licence is required. It is obtainable from Messrs. Thos. Cook & Son, and must be renewed in February each year. On leaving the country luggage is liable to be examined, and no traveller should attempt to export Egyptian antiquities without a special authorization to do so. Antiquities should be submitted to the authorities of the Egyptian Museum, who will assess their value for export duty, and have them duly sealed with the official seal, and will give the owner a signed permit addressed to the Mûdir of the Customs, instructing him to allow the objects to leave the country. (10) Postage and Telegraphs.-Egypt is included in the General Postal Union, and its Postal and Telegraph Administrations are most ably worked. Every year increased facilities are given to correspondents, and printed statements of these, with the times of the despatch and arrival of mails from all parts of the world, can be seen at all the large Post Offices in Egypt, and at the Offices of Thos. Cook & Son, and at all hotels. The Cash-on-Delivery System has been introduced, and is working successfully; a service between Egypt and Great Britain was established in 1908. At present (1921) the postal rates in and from Egypt are as under : INLAND AND FOREIGN POSTAGE. I. For the Interior. Letters, 5 mills. for 30 grammes or fractions. Newspapers, I mill. per copy. Non-periodicals, 2 mills. per 50 grammes or fractions (up to 2,000 gr.); minimum, 2 mills. Samples, 2 mills per 50 grammes. Registration fee, 5 mills. II. Countries in Postal Union. Letters, 15 mills. (U.K. 5 mills.) for each 20 grammes. Commercial Papers and Printed Matter, 4 mills. for each 50 grammes. (Minimum, 15 mills. for first-named.) The use of Currency Notes is increasing in Egypt, but as yet they are not readily accepted in small towns and villages off the beaten roads. There is a Parcel Post to all the countries in the Postal Union, and Money Orders are issued for payment in Egypt on a small commission. Telegraphs in Egypt are worked by the Egyptian officials for the Egyptian Government, and telegrams may be sent in any European language, except from small local stations, where they must be written in Arabic. The submarine cables connecting Egypt with other countries are worked by English companies with speed, regularity, and success. Inland Telegrams. The charges are 10 mills. for every two words or fraction of two words with a minimum charge of 40 mills. Urgent Telegrams are charged triple rates. Egypt to Súdân. Ordinary telegrams at 20 mills. per 2 words, with a minimum charge of 80 mills. Urgent telegrams at 55 mills. per 2 words, with a minimum charge of 220 mills. Double rates are charged on Sundays and official holidays. Telephones.-Trunk telephone lines exist between Cairo, Alexandria and Port Sa'îd. The public call-offices for it are : for Cairo, at the Bourse; and for Alexandria, in the State Telegraph Office. The charges are: 75 mills. for three minutes' conversation (10 P.T. between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.). Urgent calls, triple rates. Several villages are connected telephonically with the nearest telegraph office. |