The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-02

roy or Egypt.
We print in another column detailed
and interesting description of the Soudan
Railway conceived by His Highness the
Khedive 1t has seldom been the good fortune
Of the HERALD to announce the inception of
an enterprise of such vast Importance to the
Ave Continents. 1t is simply project to
bring unnumbered millions of negro savages
into close communion with civilization and to
annex vast cotton and sugar empire, lying
in the heart of Africa, to the fruitful fields of
Lower Egypt. When we in America broke
through the barriers of the Rocky Mountains
and pushed the rail to the Pacific, and when
the British bisected India, so that the iron
horse could speed from Bombay to Calcutta in
three days, two strong governments, rich in
money, material and labor gave these enter
prises their fullest patronage end support
But, single-handed, the Man of the East
striving to rescue an entire Continent
from its stagnation, is prepared to build
railway the starting point of which is one
thousand miles from the Mediterranean, in the
interior of Africa, and whose southern ter
I minus is within two days sail Of the White
Nile. From this distance we can hardly ap-
preciate the magnitude OF an undertaking in
volving an outlay of twenty million dollars in
gold the construction of eight hundred and
eighty-nine kilometres Of railway across the
hottest of desert wastes the building of a ship
incline to avoid the First Cataract, that
vessels may be drawn overland q distance Of
three miles, and the transportation Of sixty
six engines and eleven hundred carriages to
the heart Of Ethiopia. Well, indeed, may the
eyes of the world turn with wonder and adj
miration to tho illustrious Khedive, who in
his little bureau in Abdin Palace is perfecting
every detail respecting the earthworks, perma-
nent way, viaducts, arches stations, telegraph
lines, rolling stock and engineering. When
Ismail Pacha assembled the vice-regal throne
he found the finances disordered, the civil
service demoralized and the military strength
of Egypt in woful state Of inefficiency.
With his immense personal fortune, accumu-
lated as merchant and cultivator, added to
great business capacity he consolidated
the debt and paved the way to a rapid
liquidation. Soon recovering from the evil
effects Of the amazing prodigality of
Said Pacha, he gave vigor to all branches
of the administration, extended the railways
and telegraphs, laid down o network of irri-
eating canals throughout the Delta provinces,
reorganized the army and marine, and Egypt
began to enjoy of high degree Of pros
perity The costly wars of his predecessors
he avoided, and instead of rushing to
arms at every vexatious insult from Turkey
and the Western Powers, he employed fifty or
sixty lawyers in various parts of Europe to try
every issue on it's judicial merits. The Vice
roy was not long in learning that the aggres-
sions were not directed against himself and his
people, but against his wealth. A race of
cormorants grew up, and the INSCRIPTIONS
gold gourmands infested Alexandria and Cairo
and nearly every lingering stranger had his
''claim." The abuse became SO extensive that
it painfully embarrassed every enterprise pro-
jscted for the benefit of Egypt and the Eastern
and Western World An application was
therefore made to the Western Powers for
reconstruction Of the treaty stipulations by
which it was still possible for this loath-
some species Of scoundrelism to flourish.
Nubar Pacha, on the part Of the Khedive, in
which the majority of the judges should be
Europeans. 1t received the assent of many of
the Powers, but for the moment the argu-
ments Of the Levantine litigants have pre-
vailed. This shameful effect of the ex-terri-
torial jurisdiction paralyzed every project
of His Highness. He became in
respecting lands bordering the Suez Canal
he found that every foreigner was ready to
abandon contract when he could menace the
Treasury with the fiat of Consul General
and thenceforth His Highness resolved that all
improvements should be Egyptian, begun by
Egyptian capital and prosecuted by Egyptian
labor.
The Soudan Railway will be the first great
product OF this new line Of policy. Under the
direction of an engineer of experience we feel
| sure that the railway from Shendy to Wady
| Halfa will be completed within the three years
| time allotted for the work. It's features are
novel, and worthy of the attentive considera-
ton of the American engineers who have
constructed so many vast works, in order to
surmount natural obstacles of stream, noun
tain or valley.
Let us follow the tide of commerce as it will
ebb and flow when the passenger leaving the
shores of the blue Mediterranean will be able
to disembark at Khartoum, the capital of the
Soudan, after pleasant journey OF fifteen
days. Leaving Alexandria, a four hours ride
by rail brings us to Cairo, and, speeding along
the banks of the Nile, we leave the river at
Roda and continue our voyage by steamer for
six days, when we arrive at the foot Of the First
Cataract, thousand miles from the sea.
Our steamer then passes into a cradle,
| which moves IN the ipclinad shin