After reading in his obituary that Michel Berouti had published extensively in the newspaper Falastin as well as in English-language papers, I set out on a quest to find some of his writings. I discovered that he had not only contributed to Falastin but also to the Cairo newspaper Al-Muqattam. Unfortunately, I was unable to find Al-Muqattam archives online. As for Falastin, although it is available online, it has not been indexed. Nevertheless, I managed to find a few articles he wrote in Falastin as well as in other publications. Those are included below.

Source: Britain and the Holy Land 1838-1914, by Mordechai Eliav, pp. 289-290.

Source: Falastin Newspaper, 13 September 1911, p.1.

A benefit for both the government and the people

To the compassionate and most distinguished Commissioner of Jerusalem:

It has undoubtedly reached your exalted ears or graced your esteemed eyes what we have previously submitted to your predecessors, as well as your recent acts of compassion through intercessions by which we requested the imposition of a fixed tax on the yields of oranges grown on the princely lands of the villages of Jaffa. These oranges are watered from wells rather than by rain from the heavens, requiring machinery, human sweat, and the expenditure of thousands of liras to maintain them.

Such demands – intended to elevate the country, increase the treasury’s resources, prevent emigration, and preserve the lands for their owners – have, until now, resulted only in excessive deliberations between the military council and the judiciary with no notable outcome. Therefore, because the people frequently expressed their admiration for your diligent compassion and your splendid readiness to serve this district since assuming its management, we submitted this open letter to your office. After reviewing its contents, you commanded that the people’s demands be forwarded to the appropriate authorities prior to the delegates’ council being convened.

O compassionate one, we do not believe there exists any land in the world which yields annually a fixed rent of 30 piastres per dunam. We have voluntarily accepted and imposed this value upon ourselves in order to free ourselves from the control of the water brokers – who have accustomed themselves to valuing water at 400 – so that foreigners and reactionary detractors cannot ask, ‘What benefit have you derived from this decree? What difference is there between the two cases? What is this equality whereby the city orchards yield a modest rent while the village orchards are required to pay a rent of ten – amounting to one-third of the orchard’s revenue after deducting its expenses?’

Each year, the finest lands of the Ottoman domains yield for the treasury only the sums indicated in the following table in the case of fertile soil; if the land is of average quality, the treasury receives only half that amount.

Per annum, a dunam of land produces from cotton a tenth, not exceeding 11 piastres, from sesame 8 piastres, from fava beans 7.5 piastres, from wheat 7 piastres, from maize 5 piastres, from barley 4 piastres, from olives 10 piastres, and from figs or grapes 3 piastres. Yet we are offering the government 30 piastres for each dunam of land cultivated with oranges!

The village lands that we have planted – and wish to plant – with oranges are situated on dry, barren, sandy soils at high elevations. These lands are unsuitable for any of the crops we have mentioned; they are only fit for cultivating lupines. This is a crop that yields only 3 piastres from a dunam every two years – that is, one and a half piastres per year. However, we are now proposing 30 piastres per dunam per year for these same lands. Consider, O compassionate one, this great difference.

In addition to the aforementioned yield of 30 piastres, the government will receive, from the successful cultivation of 100,000 dunams of oranges, over 70 piastres per dunam in duties on wood, paper, nails, and other materials required for packing and shipping the oranges. Thus, the real profit for the treasury would be 100 piastres per dunam – compared to the one piastre it previously collected from these same lands.

As for the people, they will secure a considerable fortune and be able to retain their lands, thereby avoiding the need to sell them to immigrants, thus reducing emigration among their descendants. In fact, they will realise an annual profit of no less than half a million liras, which will be received by the orchardists, gardeners, carpenters, carriers, sailors, and various other members of the populace.

This is what, out of our national obligations, we have deemed necessary to present for your kind-hearted consideration, supporting our claims with figures and evidence. Be assured that if you help fulfil the people’s wishes and reinforce the trust they have placed in you, you will earn pride and an excellent reputation throughout our lands.

Nakhleh (Michel) Berouti

Ottoman Landowner and Grower 

Quarterly Commercial Bulletin of the National Chamber of Commerce, Jaffa, Volume I, April 1924, pp. 10-11.

Oranges of Jaffa and Spain

Before 1890, Jaffa’s orange exports amounted to 300,000 boxes per annum, half of which were sent to Liverpool and London and half to Constantinople and the Egyptian port. In 1840, a worm disease afflicted the Jaffa oranges but soon disappeared for reasons unknown –perhaps due to climatic effects. At that time, Spain exported around two million large boxes to Liverpool, but later shifted its exports to London after noting that Jaffa oranges were becoming competitive in Liverpool. In 1900, our town’s exports increased to approximately 650,000 boxes, whilst Spain’s exports simultaneously rose to three and a half million large boxes, spreading throughout the markets of Britain and Europe. From 1900 to 1910, our exports grew to approximately 1.5 million boxes – half of which went to Liverpool and a slightly smaller portion to London. In 1913–1914, our exports reached about 1,750,000 boxes; Russia, Trieste, Turkey, and Egypt received 700,000 boxes of this quantity, with the remainder going to Liverpool. At that time, Spain’s exports amounted to 4.5 million large boxes. We have now learnt that Spain exports no less than about eight million boxes each year. However, these boxes are small, containing between 240 and 300 oranges, whereas before 1915, Spain’s large boxes contained between 420 and 714 oranges. From this it becomes clear that:

  1. The number of Spanish oranges being exported has not increased significantly.

  2. Jaffa oranges have begun to compete with Spanish oranges in the markets of Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, and Glasgow because the superior naturally prevails over the merely good.

  3. We have observed with pleasure and reassurance – following our inquiries – that there is no fear of an excessive increase in orange cultivation or of exporting one to two million boxes per annum.

  4. To achieve real and tangible aspirations, we must unite and ensure that the government takes its rightful share after we have secured our own rights and been compensated for our labour in building this homeland, as the government derives its revenue from our yields. This is essential as the happiness of the country is contingent upon the happiness of its people.

Michel Berouti

 

Source: L’asie française, 1924:

The Arab newspapers of Palestine and (according to them) the Beirut newspaper, L'Orient of October 31, 1924, published a letter addressed to Sir Gilbert Clayton, Acting High Commissioner in Palestine, by a notable of Jaffa, Mr. Michel Beirouti. This letter, which constitutes a "succinct overview of the situation" comparing Palestine and Greater Lebanon, is interesting on several levels. That is why we are dedicating this column to it, as a documentary feature.

After some introductory remarks, the notable from Jaffa expresses himself as follows:

"I have titled this note: There is a mandate and a mandate.

The second mandate to which I refer is the one applied in Syria. A new state has been created in former Syria, that of Greater Lebanon. This state includes the cities of Beirut, Tripoli, Tyre, Saida, Mount Lebanon, etc. The population of this state is close to one million. It includes more than twenty financiers whose wealth exceeds half a million Egyptian pounds. Thousands of others have fortunes ranging between 50,000 and 100,000 pounds. Their country is watered by five large rivers, and the rains that feed these rivers are far more abundant than those that fall on Palestine.

The commercial reach of the Lebanese extends from Gaza to Konya, and from Beirut to Baghdad. The interest rates charged by the banks of this country average only 6 to 7 percent.

Lebanon still has a large number of schools and universities. And life there is much less expensive than in this country.

I had the opportunity to read yesterday the official draft budget of this state for the year 1925. These expenses do not reach 500,000 Egyptian pounds, and as a result, the Lebanese taxpayer will have to pay less than 10 shillings to the State.

This comparison between our two countries does not sadden me, Your Excellency, because it is within your power to bring urgent reforms to Palestine. Nothing in our country can be advantageously compared to the benefits enjoyed by the Lebanese. Our country is deprived of rain. The wealthiest financier here can barely cover his living expenses. We are barely 700,000 souls in Palestine. And despite this, Your Excellency, our budget is nearly 3 million pounds, not counting the loans and debts that burden us.

How then could the poor Palestinian taxpayer bear charges that reach annually 80 shillings, without this burden, too heavy for such meager resources, ending up ruining him completely?

This is certainly not the future you wish for us, Your Excellency. We want to rely on your high conscience and the friendship you hold for us to keep away from us the specter of ruin that threatens us."

Source: Falastin Newspaper, 29 June, 1926:

Correspondence

Oil Well in Jaffa

To the esteemed owner of the distinguished Falastin newspaper.

Greetings,

Telegraphs and the press have been abuzz with the news of an oil spring on my property in the village of Saqiya. Having been raised with a commitment to personal freedom and hard work, avoiding fame and ostentation, I now seek refuge in God from the sudden notoriety brought upon me by those who believe that everything in Palestine is wonderful.

Honourable Sir,

The well is located 11 kilometres from the port of Jaffa and 2 kilometres northwest of the railway line. The original purpose of drilling was to obtain water to irrigate my orange and banana orchards. We used six-inch steel pipes with a steam-powered machine operated by the hired engineer, Mr. Petridis, a machine that was specifically designed for such artesian work.

We drilled 80 metres below the surface through dense black and crimson clay soil which prevented water from seeping through. We then continued for another 70 metres through ash-coloured soil – possibly containing the remnants of volcanic eruptions. Upon reaching a depth of 150 metres, we encountered a small amount of water rising intermittently to the surface. This was salty, bitter, and ignited when touched by the flame of a match.

In conclusion, I intend to continue drilling in the hope of finding a larger quantity of highly flammable, smokeless, and odourless gas. If the amount remains small, I will persist in digging to reach the oil spring in the Promised Land, God willing.

A thousand greetings,

Michel Berouti