Réglement du Payeur Général sur les Fabriques d'eau - de - vie.

Napoleon's tarifs on alcohol production in Egypt

Napoleon Bonaparte's Egypt Campaign in 1798 lead to the establishment of the first printing press on the African continent, preceding the well-known Egyptian Bulaq Press established by Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud by over two decades. The press was predominantly formed to print proclamations and official statements in French with Arabic translations, that were often poorly translated and rife with grammatical error, for use as political propaganda for Napoleon's campaign in Egypt. The single-sheet documents were meant to be wall mounted and therefore are ephemeral in nature, with very few copies surviving.

The present example is a rare proclamation, announcing the new tarifs and laws relating to the production of liquor in Egypt under Napoleonic rule. It was issued by Martin-Roch-Xavier Estève (1772-1852), the paymaster of Napoleon's Armée de l'Orient, and contains six articles regulating the production and introducing tarifs of liquor production in the region. The broadside notes that distilleries need to be registered and needed to clearly distinguish themselves with large 'Fabrique d'Eau de Vie' lettering, there is a stipulation that frequent inspections would be made and that the finished product needed to have a minimum of 18 percent alcohol content per volume. The raw materials listed in the proclamation include five qualities of fresh dates, dried dates, figs, and raisins.

Very scarce: No other copies located (not in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, or any records showing in OCLC).

Single broadside, printed in parallel French and Arabic text, 460 x 325 mm; type-set printed in dual French and Arabic presented in two columns, leaf with wide margins (uncut), a little creased at outer edges and with fold lines along central horizontal and vertical folds, light water-staining to lower edge, overall very good condition.