THE FUTURE OF PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1918, Page 2

THE FUTURE OF PALESTINE.

The future of Palestine and the number of immigrants it may be expected to support were discussed recently by Viscount Bryce. In his opinion the country, which now has a population somewhat less than 650,000, can support by agriculturo an additional population of 300,001) under present conditions, and a second addition of 300,000, after irrigation dams and other construction works' have been built. It is a small country, he says, Palestine never has had any well-dffined bouuary except the sea on the west. But let us take it, as understood to-day, at about I0,t)00 square miles. Much of this area is too dry and rocky for tillage; large parts are too dry even for cattle or sheepSome large tracts might be irrigated, and would then yield rich crops, but to construct irrigation worTT would require considerable capital expenditure. There is no water power, except in the Jordan, \vliicU has a rapid fall from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, and it is also the only important stream from which water could be drawn for irrigation. So far a» is known, no minerals exist in quantities that would repay working. Its population must therefore depend on agriculture This was estimated before fli.' war at about 650,000. But as many have died of want, or been killed bv the Turks, within the last three years, the number must Ikmiow smaller. The present question is: For how many immigrants can- room be found? Taking the country as it stands, probably not more than' about .100,000. If. however, the. middle and lower Jordan Valley were irrigated, if reservoirs of water from tho winter and spring rains were provided, if the ancient cisterns were reniiirnd. if the terrace cultivation on the slopes of the hills were replanted with trees, it would be possible to provide work and sustenance for many more, perhaps for another 300,000, or an even larger number.