FOREIGN RELATIONS.


there remain $46,235,998 as the amount of internal taxes paid by the
people of Egypt, being an average of over nine dollars per head. At
the same rate per head the United Stateswould pay about $360,000,000
of internal taxes.
   Within the 'last few days, however, since the inclosed estimate was
 made, many additional taxes. have been imposed. Every beef is taxed
 $5 when slaughtered; every sheep, calf, or other small animal, $1; and
 all the local taxes usually collected at the city gates have been increased.
 The receipts, therefoe,ý forthe coming year will probably exceed
in
 amount the estimate of thebbudget.
   The virtual failure of -the-Egyptian- loan- of July last, together with
 the embarrassments caused by the financial crisis, which has, been seri-
 ously felt in Egypt, appears th oave awakened His Highness the Khedive
 to a realization of the critical condition of.the Egyptian fi .   There
 are visible signs of retrenchment in the public expend  and the
 rapid increase in price of every article of daily consumptio is an elo-
 quent proof of. additional taxation and of the' efficiency of the revenue
 officers.
   The financial panic, although at one time alarming at Alexandria,
 has now virtually passed, and the substantial-business houses of Egypt
 have been in noway affected.
   Many small speculators who had been operating largely in Egyptian
 and other securities, supported by short loans from the money-market,
 were unable to meet their engagements and suspended, but no serious
 disasters occurred, and trade is beginning to resume its customary ani-
 mated features.
       IJam, &c.,
                                                 R. BEARDSLEY.


                              No. 789.
                      Mr. Beardsley to ir. Fish.
 No. 150.]               AGENCY AND)CONSULATE-GENERAL
                             OF THE UNITED STATES IN EGYPT,
                  Cairo,. November 10, 1873. (Received December 9.)
   SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith an official copy, with a trans-
latio-n in English, Wof the. imperial firman granted, to His Highness the
Khedive by ,His-Majesty the Sultan, on the-9th of June, 1873.'
  This docu-ment has just bleeii officially issued- by the Egyptian govern-
ment for distribution to the foreign powers. Its principal features, some
of which render it of more interest and importance than any former firman
issued to the viceroys-of Egypt, are, 1st, it confirms the change in the
order of succession, fixes the rules which shall govern the succession,
and confirms all the privileges granted by former firmans; 2d, it pro.
vides for a, regency in-case of the minority of the new Khedive, and estab-
lishes the manner of electing the regent in case no regent has been ap-.
pointed by a will of the la6te Khedive; 3d, it invests the Khedive with
full and unlimited authority to make all internal laws and regulations
necessary for the government of the country; 4th, it authorizes him to
contract loans without the consent of the SUltan, and to enter into com-
mercial and other treaties with the agents of foreign powers not preju-
dicial to the political treaties of the Sublime Porte; 5th, it empowers
him to increase his army and navy to any extent, forbidding him only


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