ALGERIA AS A COLONY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1611, 19 April 1879, Page 4

ALGERIA AS A COLONY.

Referring to the efforts which are at the present time being made to tempt French colonists to migrate to Algeria, the “ Cologne Gazette” remarks that the present condition of the latter country, when compared with the existing state of things in New Zealand, Australia, and other foreign possessions of Great Britain, proves that England understands far better than France how to develop the resources of her colonies. When Algeria was first colonised by the French it was intended that it should rival India and Egypt. Cotton growing was undertaken, and much money was expended in encouraging it; but in 1876 seventeen Europeans only wore engaged in it, 360 acres only were under cultivaand the harvest amounted to but little more than 100,0001 b, Cattle breeding, corn growing, and the cultivation of vines promise apparently to bo more successful; but the development of all these industries is impeded by the prevailing system of military government. In 1877, 50,000 acres were planted as vineyards, and the total produce amounted to 15,750,000 gallons. Fortunately, also, the dreaded phylloxera has not yet appeared on the Algerian vines. As Algeria is so close to France, cattle-breeding would be a far more profitable pursuit than it is were it not for the unfriendly relations which exist between the European cattle owners and the Arabs. As it is, the former can never be certain that their flocks and herds are safe. Neither has horse breeding made any great progress, although under the dominion of the Turks, Algeria possessed an abundance of excellent riding horses. Once, also, Algeria was a well wooded country, but now, in consequence of the reckless destruction of trees, this is no longer the case.