CONGRATULATIONS ON HIS RETURN TO ENGLAND—THE TESTIMONIAL FUND—PALESTINE COLONIZATION FUND—UNVEILING THE BUST OF MRS TAIT—BAD NEWS FROM EASTERN EUROPE—MUSURUS PASHA'S ASSURANCES.
THE Executive Committee of the Sir Moses Montefiore Testimonial, engaged since the beginning of 1876 in promoting the object in view, held frequent meetings to consider the best means of carrying out his wishes. They advertised in English, German, and Hebrew papers for qualified persons to act as their agents in the Holy Land, and succeeded in securing the services of a qualified gentleman anxious to help the good cause. It was decided that the fund should be devoted to the purchase of ground in the Holy Land, to the erection of houses, and generally to the encouragement of agriculture and of industrial pursuits.
Those of my readers who are subscribers to the Testimonial Fund will no doubt be glad to learn the progress which has been made up to the present year, 1887, and I will therefore at once give them the substance of all the information I have received on the subject before proceeding to record any incident of the year 1876.
A report of the said Committee, dated February 16th, 1883, states that, "After great consideration and careful investigation they acquired two plots of land in a very favourable situation, outside the walls of Jerusalem, at a cost of about £1000, and entered into contracts with two building societies for the erection of suitable dwellings on the site.
"The members of one of their societies, the 'Mishkenoth Israel,' belong to the German Hebrew community at Jerusalem, and those of the other, the 'Ohel-Moshe,' to the Portuguese Hebrew community.
"The basis of these contracts is, that as the work progresses, the Committee undertakes to make advances free of interest, in proportion to the progress, as certified by their local architect. Thus, the society, 'Mishkenoth Israel,' in consideration of sums amounting in all to £2600, to be advanced to them by the Committee, have undertaken to erect eighty single or forty double houses, as well as a synagogue, cisterns, baths, and such other buildings as may be considered necessary for the common use of the inhabitants of the houses. It has been agreed that this advance shall be repaid within fifteen years, and upon such repayment the houses are to become the absolute property of the Society, but that, on the other hand, the buildings for common use are always to remain the property of the Committee, and the name of Sir Moses Montefiore is to be inscribed on the group of buildings as a lasting tribute to his memory.
"As regards agricultural undertakings in the Holy Land, the Committee have not yet felt justified in entering upon or giving pecuniary support to enterprises of that character.
"With reference to industrial pursuits of a miscellaneous kind, the Committee, besides promoting, to some extent, wood carving and weaving at Jerusalem, have also expended various sums of money, and bestowed much attention on the manufacture of tiles and bricks in Jerusalem; and ultimately, in December 1884, they let the machinery and plant to the authorities of the Rothschild School in the Holy City, for the purpose of aiding deserving persons desirous of being taught the art of brick or tile making. They have reason to anticipate very satisfactory results from promoting in this manner the manufacture of articles likely to come into general use in the East.
"The Committee further state the important fact that, since May 1880, no expenses whatever of management have been incurred beyond the salary of their agent at Jerusalem."
In addition to the above particulars, I am enabled to state, by the information I received on February 21st, 1887, from the present treasurer, that in round numbers the Committee have spent £6200 on 160 houses and buildings, the best of the kind in the Holy Land, and that they have now a little over £2000 left.