The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-08-26
Plan for Extending the Ocean
Over the Desert of Sahara.

There is the element of physical mag
nitude, if not of mental power, says the
Philadelphia Press, in the proposal to
run the Atlantic ocean into the heart of
Africa, so that white winged commerce
may scatter her wealth, and also its at
tendant progress and civilization into the
desert of Sahara. If this can be done
and is done, so much the better. As to
the practicability-weh have seen the con-
Struction and success of the Suez canal :;
we know that, with patient toll, calcu.
lating science, and not unreasonable Pc
cuniary outlay, the Haarlemmer neer
was drained, and thereby converted into
fertile meadows. We know that even
in our own time what is called "the Bed
ford level was literally rescued from the
ocean in the east of England, and i; is
well known that even now practical
scientists are confident that great part
Of the Zuydeer Zee can be pumped Try,
so as to recover for North Holland the
large district which was submerged by
great foundations in the thirteenth CEN
fury.
At an Important public meeting held
in London the other day, and we'll at
tended by leading city men and others
interested In commerce, civilization and
science, it was shown by Mr.. Donald
Mackenzie, who has studied the subject
for years, with repeated personal exami-
nation of the ground, that nothing can be
much easier than to make cutting some
five or six miles long through the barrier
of sand at Cape JUDY. exactly opposite
the Canary Islands, so as to admit the
Atlantic into the great Sahara desert,
very considerable portion of which lies
below the level of the ocean, by which.
indeed, geographers, biologists and tradi-
tons tell US it was covered in some re-
mote period of the past. The new idea
is to make short ship canal, or rather
passage for the Astounding waters of the
Atlantic. We have assurance, from what
has been done by the cutting between
Port Said and Suez, whereby the Medit-
e.ranean and the Red Seas have been
connected by canal navigable for steam
ships and sailing vessels, of what may be
done at comparatively small expense and
triHing labor, for there are no engineer
ing diff ;ulties on the northwest coast of
Africa. The Suez Canal, deducting the
q miles ofthe Bitter Lake which NJ. de
SS1p> utlILeu lOT HIS pufp pose. CONSISTS
of 13 miles-the cutting from Cape JUDY
to the Desert of Sahara is calculated to
be only six miles in length.
Independent Of the aid which the flood
ing of Sahara would give to the promo
ton of civilization, religion. and the
suppression of slavery, it is believed that
large trade with the interior Of Africa
would be developed. Timbuct too for in
stance, city upon the Niger near the
border Of Sahara. is the entrepot for the
trade between the native, irench, and
British occupants of the Guinea coast,
Senegembia. and the native inhabitants
of North Africa. At present it is almost
but it would literally become
a seaport. if the proposed change took
place, easily reached by steam by the en-
terpriSe of Europe and America. AS far
as it has been possible to ascertain. the
natives favor the plan, which cannot go
for much, however, considering that their
conception oft must be vague and i'm
perfect.
1t has been asked, on the other side of