The Cecil Whig., 1877-12-01
{CoNTINuED FROM FIRST PAGE.

remaining four, constructed by Thothmes
Ill, some l 600 years before the Christian
era, the pair known as Pharaoh $ Needles
now ornament the public squares of Con-
stantinopie and Rome, while the famous
Cleopatra's Needless after being conveyed,
twenty-three years before Christ, to Alex
andria to decorate the Temple of the
Casars have been bestowed by the khe-
dive of Egypt, with strange lack OF pa
triotic feeling, the one on England, and the
other on the United States.
The Egyptian government, indeed, never
seems to have set great value on its obe-
lisks, although the number has not been SO
great as to make them a drug, being, it is
said, less than fifty, great and small, and
only thirteen of these exceeding fifty feet
in height. The manner in which the latter
are distributed proves their peripatetic ma
ture, four being at Rome, two in France,
one at Constantinople, one at London, and
the remaining five in Egypt. OF these
lesser size six are at Rome, one at Constan-
tnople, four in England, two at Florence,
anu Two III ESypt, tne otueIS having al
been thrown down and destroyed.
Ever since the year 1901, the English
seem to have been bent on securing this
obelisk, which the Egyptians have been
equally willing to get off their hands, but
money has been lacking to defray the cost
of transportation; and it not until
private individual, Prof. Erasmus Wilson,
generously offered $40, 600 towards its re-
moyal that the matter assumed tangible
shape. y plan was devised by an ingeni-
GUS engineer, Mr. John Dixon, to enclose
the Needle in a cylindrical vessel, built OF
iron and rugged as a cutter, which was to
be towed TO England by another vessel.
This ship was built in segments around The
fallen obelisk, and when completed, was
forced into proper position by hydraulic
pressure, and rolled down an inclined road
way iuto the sea. Thus completed, and
equipped with crew of eight men, includ-
ing the captain, Mr.. H. Carter, the CIeopa-
ira left Alexandria in tow of the Olga,
small vessel of 1870 tons, commanded by
Captain Booth, ON the 2lst of September.
All "euI well uuII luc ulSut VI
October 14th, when after several hours
squally weather violent gale arose, the
two vessels then being in the Bay of Bis
cay. The ballast of the Cleopatra shifted,
and she was struck by heavy sea, which
threw her on her beam ends. Capt. Carter
tried to right her by replacing the ballast,
but had only partially succeeded when she
was again thrown over. A boat from the
Olga then went to her assistance, but the
six brave men who manned it were unable
to hold the rope thrown to them, and the
little craft drlfted away and was doubtless
soon swamped in that fearful sea. The life
boat of the Cleopatra was got out, but was
Immediately smashed under the rudder
yoke. The mast was then cut away, and
the ballast being again replaced, the vessel
nearly righted, but falling off with the
wind, was thrown over on her port beam
ends, and the tow rope connecting her with
the Olga was cast off. Very skilfuly aud
at great risk Captain Booth manTuvred
his vessel close enough to cast a line to the
Cleopatra, whose crew were then rescued
by hauling a small boat to and fro between
the vessels. After steaming about for some
time in the hope of picking up the lost
boats crew, the Olga gave up the search,
and as nothing was now to be seen of the
Cleopatra, Captain Booth made for Fal-
mouth, which he reached on the following
Wednesday. Meanwhile the Cleopatra was
on Tuesday, picked up about ninety miles
north of Ferrol Bay by the steamer Ftz
maurice, and she is now safely at anchor in
Ferrol Bay, where she must remain until
the difficult question of salvage is satsfac-
torily settled. AS an antiquarian relic the
Obelisk may be considered beyond all price;
but, on the other hand. the intrinsic value
of the stone is almost nil, SO that, unless
the owners of the FUzmaurice are liberal
minded, there will be some nice work for
the lawyers.