Colonial Bridgehead STATE, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY IN ARAB NORm AFRICA Series Editors John P. Entelis, Fordham University Michael Suleiman, Kansas State University The states and societies of Arab North Africa have long been neglected in the scholarly literature dealing with the Arab world, the Middle East, and Islam, except in the context of dramatic international events. Yet this region has a rich historical and cultural tradition that offers important insights into the evolution of society, the complexity of cultural life, forms of social interaction, strategies of economic development, and patterns of state formation throughout the developing world. In addition, as the region has assumed more importance in geopolitical terms, both the United States and Europe have become more directly involved in its economics and politics. Few books of a scholarly or policy nature, however, analyze and interpret recent trends and changes in the constellation of relations between regional and global powers. This new series - the first in English to focus exclusively on North Africa - will address important conceptual and policy issues from an interdisciplinary perspective, giving special emphasis to questions of political culture and political economy. Books in This Series Colonial Bridgehead: Government and Society in Alexandria, 1807-1882, Michael J. Reimer Democratization and the Islamist Challenge in the Arab World, Najib Ghadbian Political Ascent: Contemporary Islamic Movements in North Africa, Emad Eldin Shahin The North African Environment at Risk, edited by Will D. Swearingen and Abdellatif Bencherifa Colonial Bridgehead Government and Society in Alexandria, 1807-1882 J. Michael Reimer First published 1977 by Westview Press Published 2019 by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business Copyright © 1977 Taylor & Francis All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Ubrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Reimer, Michael J. Colonial bridgehead: government and society in Alexandria, 1807-1882/ Michael]. Reimer p. em-(State, culture, and society in Arab North Africa; 168) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8133-2777-6 (he) 1. Alexandria (Egypt)-History-19th century. I. Title. II. Series. DT 154.A4R45 1997 %2'.1-dc21 97-25933 CIP ISBN 13: 978-0-367-01026-3 (hbk) For my mother and father, and my wife, Marty Contents List of Tables, Maps, and Illustrations xi Preface xiii Introduction 1 PART ONE The Geographical and Historical Inheritance 1 Between Egypt and the Sea 17 2 The Ottoman Town 25 PART TWO Muhammad Ali's City, 1807-1848 3 Engineering a Renaissance 53 4 Restructuring Urban Administration 65 5 A Demographic Profile at Mid-Century 89 PART THREE Bridgehead of Colonialism, 1848-1882 6 The Boom Years 107 7 Property and Privilege 123 8 Administration and Society after 1850 137 9 Mediterranean Magnet 159 10 The Crisis of 1882 171 11 Conclusion 183 Appendix: Census Documents 197 Notes 201 Bibliography 235 Index 245 ix