Jerusalem's Boom

The British consul at Jerusalem in his last report gives some interesting details respeeting the state of the Holy City. It appeara that buildings of various kinds coutinue to be erected in the vicinity, and that the city is far outgrowing its former limits. Ou the western side houses have increased so rapidly within the last few years that quite a large snburb has arisen whére formerly there were fields and vineyards. Every available piece of land is now being bought up by private persons or by benevolent societies and missions, and already the name of Modern Jerusalein has been given to this new quai-tor. Last year the first public garden was j completed outside the Jaffa gate, and j the trade is generally increasing, especially that iu Jaffa oranges, olive wood work (now an important local industry) and olive oil. The export of coloeynth declined iu consequcnce of a tithe levied on it by the authorities. It is gathered by Arabs in the neighborhood of Gaza, where it grows wild. An interesting enterprise which has recently been commenced is the collection of the bitumen which rises to the surface and floats about on the Dead sea. Two sailing boats were taken by train from Jaffa to Jerusalem and then conveyed in carts to the Jordau, where they were floated down the river to the Dead sea, and they are now engaged in picking up the bitumen, which is in much request in Enrope. The consul thinks it would be advantageous to trade with the inland dietricts if a steam latmch and lighters were placed on the Dead sea to ferry across the produce of Moab, which is a country that is rich in cereal, fruit and cattle. At present it is conveyed by caravans round the uorth or south end of the Dead sea, entailing a journey of from four to five days. Kerak, the chief town of Moab, is now garrisoned with Ottoman troops, and authority is established there, so that if rapid communication were established the whole produce of Moab would fiiid its wav to leru and the coast