The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-07-09
A GREAT PROJECT.
ReclaIming the Greatest OF Sandy
Deserts Wonders OF the Sahara
The Mediterranean TO be Turned
into the Desert.

INTO tbe Desefts
Paris Correspondents of the London Iimcs.l
A railway between Algeria and Sene-
gal, via Timbuctoo, appears a startling
project, yet such was the scheme sug-
gested on Thursday. night in lecture
at the Sale des Conferences by M. Paul
Soleillet, who maintained that valuable
merchandise from America, destined for
Southern and Eastern Europe, would
adopt that route, and thus restore 70 the
Mediterranean the importance necessary
TO the influence Of the Latin races. M.
Soleillet started on an expedition from
Algiers in December, 1872, his intention
being TO reach st. Louis, Senegal, via
Timbuctoo, but owing TO the opposition
Of an insurgeant chief he was unable 20
penetrate further than Calan (about j.
600 kilometres from Algiers). The lat
ter portion Of the route bad never before
been trod by Europeans. He declares il
a mistake to imagine the Sahara long,
continuous tract Of sand. He found
along a great part Of the way a fertile
aoil, producing both an African and q
European fora, including cereals, which
are grown in gardens, but have to con
tend with a dry climate. Al one point,
however, he and his four companions
had to dismount to make track for
their animals, and at another the plain
was covered with stones ofdiherent col
ora, one tint succeeding another.
He bt lieves the dunes sre not formed
by the action of the wind, but are rocks
decomposed by atmospheric agencies.
This il shown by their variety Of height
and form, and by the undoubted dura-
biliiy for at least several centuries Of az
least one of these dunes. He was struck
in traversIng these sandy regions with
the sharp outline Of distant objects, and
with the colors Of certain stars, which
had the same tintR to the naked eye as
they present through a telescope.
He speaks sanguinely Of the intelli-
gence of the Berbers and their eapabil-
ity of being civilized. The Mussulman
clergy he describes as posseRsing great
power. They are the Eole judges Of ques-
tions of morality, and excommunition
is the severest Of punishment known,
while the most heinous offense il mar
riIpe wi h foreign women, a prejudice
he attributes TO Jewish tribe convert
ed TO Mohammedanism, which he thinks
probably settled there before the Christ
| ian era.
He found no dangerous animal in the
Sahara, the ostrich and the gazzelle be-
ing the largest Of the fauna. His expe-
dition was III timed on account Of an
Insnrrection against the Emper-
ior of Morocco having broken out, bnt
he proposes to make a second attempt 20
reach Senegal, and he suggests that
French consuls or residents should be
stationed along the route as toei Of COM
merce and civilization, for the inhabi-
tants are sedentary and have adopted di-
vision Of labor, and though slavery ex-
lists, this must be regarded as an initial
steT in advancement.
1t may he added that an Italian ex-
pedition, got up by private individuals,
has arrived at Tunis for the purpose Of
ascertaining the feasibility Of turning
the waters of the Mediterranean into
the Tunisian Sahara, a project advOcat-
ed by NJ. de Lesseps before the French
Academy of Sciences last autumn. The
question at issue is whether the lakes or
schouts were connected in classical times
by canal with the Gulf Of Gables,
from which they are now separated by
an isthmus twenty one kilometres broad.
The explorers will take the levels Of
these lakes and ascertain whether ca
nal is practicable. il would be a great
advantage to Algeria by opening up the
province Of Constantine TO trade.
The Bey of Tnnis has shown great
courtesy to the explorers, and placed an
escort at their service. IT may be re-
membered that an expedition assisted
by the French Government is about 70
cross Africa obliquely from Congo to
| Nubia.