SMYRNA TO-DAY

Shannon News, 27 November 1925, Page 4

SMYRNA TO-DAY

1 ' t ENCOURAGING PROGRESS. Out of the ashes of three years ago Smyrna begins to lifts its head (states a correspondent of the ‘Manchester Guardian’). No attempt has been made to clear away The . debris, to pull down the unsafe walls or to rebuild the European quarter. The ruin s still remain a ghastly reminder of the doom of the ill-fated city in 1922; they lie in confused masses, twisted iron, formless rubbish of stone and marble -and brick, trembling walls and empty windows, and roads block, ed by piles' of earth and wreckage. No one walks at night In the streets behind the quay, for only weird shad, ows, and sometimes more disturbing loiterers, are to be met. From time to time there are reports of some new project to rebuild the city, but noth, ing happens. The civic authorities have elaborate .plans for a splendid modern city to be built on the site of the present ruins, but these plans never pass The paper stage. Nevertheless, the city that is left begins to live again. The small Wes. tern community has been living very quietly in the subuibs of Boujab and Bournabat. and until recently the thread of social life which formerly held t'ho European and American residents together has remained bro. ken. Lately, however, the few remaining older residents, together with the newcomers, have been doing 'much to restore* il. At Cordelio, the seaside resort across the bay, a social club, chiefly for dar.eing, has been In. stituted. During last winter fashion, able private dances were given in the fine homes which still. stand unham. ed in their vast gardens. In the city of Smyrna itself a weekly soiree musicale was organised this year. Both in business and pleasure the use of automobiles is increasing rapidly, in spite of bad roads. There are now nearly COO cars in Smyrna, more than double the number of a year ago, mostly Fords or other American makes. Smyrna is on the road to recovering its pre.war economic activity. The hinterland is being restored rapidly in its productive resources. The progress accomplished during - the past two years by the Turkish farmers, and merchants gives a flat contradiction to itbo belief that the departure of the Greeks and Armen, ians of this region would strike a

fatal blow at the economic life of the country. The total trade in 1924 was double that of 1923. Exports of tobacco and figs progressed; those of raisins and of rugs and carpets more than doubled. The total trade In 1924 was only 8 per* cent, less than in 1913. It, is confidently expected that this year's commerce will show a further marked advance, and that by the end of the year the external trade of Smyrna will attain its pre. war level. In agriculture the prospects are equally encouraging. Tobacco cultivation has been increasing greatly In the'Smyrna region, which is now the ' most important tobacco.producing centre in Turkey. The 1924 crop ex.~ ceeded 15,000,000 kilogs. The production of cotton in the Smyrna. Aidin district has also been rapidly increasing since the cessation of hos. Qlitie3. The amount of land under cotton cultivation has been extended a s well as the yield per acre, largely through the forward-looking policy of the Government and of private companies (notably the British Aidin ' Railway Company). The cotton production in 1923.24 was approximately 11,000 bales; while in 1925.26 the experts forecast a production,of 60,000 bales. The olive trees last season were so laden with fruit that in many places they either broke down or had to be propped up until the fruit could be picked. Endless strings of camels carrying olives down from the interior enter Smyrna day after day; and from the islands and the coast enormous cargoes of olives were brought for crushing last season. The 1924 production of oil was 17,000,000 litres.