The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-17
The Projected Inland Sea in the Sahara.

The Transformation OF n part OF tho Al
gerian Sahara into vast land-lockcd basin
fed by tho Mediterranean is now shown to
be entirely feasible. Such doubts as have
been cast upon the scheme by German gcog-
raphcrs and engineers ate no longer tcnublc
in view of tho researches at length com
plctcd by tho French Government ia tho ter
iitory Of Tuuis, and Of which an interesting
account has just boon published by Capt.
RoUpMBE, the officer employed in these sur
veys and the author of this notable pro-
jet.
1t had been previously demonstrated on
Typographical and geological grounds, as
well as 10y tho concurrent testimony OF an
Client authors and oral tradition that the so
called basin Of the chons once communicated
with the Mediterranean, and constituted an
interior gulf known as the Great Bay of
Triton, hut that this reservoir had dried M
toward the beginning Of the Christian era,
after the formation of an isthmus which cut
il or from the sea. Capt. RorrAuE had
suggested that 10y piercing hcduncs al this
point it would be possible TO lnundate anew
the immense plains now covered with saline
dcpo-its-thc so-called chotts-aud create
an inland lake some two hundred miles In
length, with an average breadth Of forty
miles and IA mean depth Of twenty-six yards.
4 gcomctrical survey OF the Algerian chotts
executed in 1874 and 1875, under the auspices
OF the Governor General confirmed, "a far
as they went, these calculations; but in
order to determine the practical value OF
scheme which provoked ycho discus
sion, it became necessary to push the iuvcs-
legations into Tunisian territory, and con-
meet the frarmentary studies.
Tho most wc'ghtv objection had been the
alleged existence Of hard rocks in the 18TH
mus of Gabcs which would render it ex-
tromely difficult aud costly to cut IT, Capt.
RorDARE, however, has discovered that,
while ridges Of limestone are encountered
along much Of the coast line, there is no
trace OF them in the deepest depression
which represents the old channel between
the gulf and the sea. Only this furrow
which forms the natural prolongation of the
existing saline basins Is not the Oued-Akarlt.
with which the French engineers had idcnt-
fled i on the faith of defective maps, but the
Oued-Melah, under which single name the
Arabs designate two rivulcts rising one 10
the east and the other 10 the west II the ra-
vines eliminating point, and flowing the
one into the Mediterranean, and the other
into the chott El-Djcrid These represent
the last yestigcs Of the strait which linked
the now extinct Bay OF Triton with its parent
sea.
The local traditions fix with singular pre-
cislon the boundaries Of the ancient gulf
II appears that vessels have been OCCASION
ally unearthed at the point where legend
81. I. a
plorers found several mon living who had
taken part In one Of these disinterments
and their description could only apply TO n
triremc. Old chronicles moreover. still
preserved In the great mosque of Meta, re-
late that the sea once bathcd the ramparts
Of the city OF Zaairan, which is now but an
oasis in the desert. Indeed, the aspect Of
the chott El-Djerd bears all the signs Of a
quondam lagoon, which has been severed
from the Gulf of Gabes by an isthmus due
probably 10 volcanic action. This cavity,
whose rim Is separated from the adjoining
chott ErRharsa 10y neck some six miles
broad, has an area Of some five thousand
| square kilometres. 1t contains a strange
| subterranean lake whose waters sleep be-
| heath crust more or less tenacious, com
posed OF saline and earthly material. This
crust Is not level, but rolled in distinctly
accented uudulations. and the bottom Of this
treachorOus oistevn, which has enguilcd
many careless traveller, II some thirty
! yards below the level Of the sea. Here and
ihore the envelope Is bumped a. il propped
| Icy more compact Internal partitions, and
along this curious scalio,ding runs the route
Of caravans, from which tits extremely dan
gerous to diverge. A. intervals, too, gaps
in the surface reveal the greenish waters OF
the =uLken pond
II is proposed TO turn 10 account tho pocu-
liar features Of the chOtt El-Djcrid, und it il
believed that by opening n trench through
the intervening tongue Of sand the waters
of this buried lake may be partially drained
~ into the chott Eharsa, which has depth
Of about forty yards below tho Mediterra-
mean. Innsmuch, however, as tho latter
basin has not capacity sufficient to receive
all the contents Of the Djerd IL will be con
nectod by another cutting with tho chott
Melrir, the largest Of the three, and possess
Ing superiicles Of nearly seven thousand
square kilometres. There is no doubt that
the brittle saline crust Will disintcgIate and
dissolve when the waters beneath 1t hay,
hNtAl Al h4A4cA away hiiA Aiitn 'li'AhNl'4l VIZ
be accelerated by the violent Eruption OF al
enormous mass through the bed of the Ouod
Melah, which, after tho piercing Of the 18TH
mus, will become the channel Of communi
cation with the sea.
This isthmus Of Gabcs, whose clcaving Is
the key Of tho undertaking, is only lively,
miles brond, and It's highest ridge is less
than hity yards above the Lowell OF the Medi
terranean SO far as it could be probed by
the Fronch engineers, it consists wholly o
sand, AM therefore offers, as We have said
no selious barrier 1t is estimated tina
only twenty millions OF cubic yards woul,
require to be displaced for the prelmlnar!
fssure, since the inhurst Of tho sea can b.
relied upon for the subsequent enlargement
To execute the initial trench and the supple
mental cuttings between the separate chptt
IL is computed Tint mn expenditure of five T.
ak million dollars will suffice The compet
filling Of the new bay will exact about hin
years but from the fourth year the seyera
basins will be covered with broad sheet
~ water navigabe by vessels Of smaI
4.