Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-06-22
Alexandra Letter to the Scotsman.
Clc0Datrn's Needle.

before many weeks eaIse Cleopatra 5
Needle will ne en route for England. The
monolith has been handed over to Mr..
Dixon's agent, whose men have commenced
the necessary work for its removal in
formed you on the Goth of April that Mr..
Carter, Mr.. Dixon's agent, had arrived
here, and had obtained from Mr.. Demctrio,
the owner of the ground on which the
obelsk lies buried in the sand, a promise of
permission to remove it, provided the Egypt
ian Government and the British Consul
General authorized Mr.. Carter to take pos
session. 4 document to this effect having
been obtained at Cairo, Mr.. Demetrio, al
though he considers he has a pecuniary
claim against the Egyptian Government in
respect Of the obelisk. has handed over alb
solute possession to Mr.. Carter on behalf Of
Mr. Dixon and the British nation. 1t is
only fair to Mr. Demetrio, who is himself an
eminent antiquarian, to explain why there
has been some little delay and diplomacy on
his part Many years ago the land on which
the Needle lies was sold by the Egyptian
Government to an Italian, who afterwards
sold it to Mr.. DemetIio. In the sale no
conditions wee made as to the Obelisk, but
wnen Mr.. Demetrio wished to build on the
the land in question, the Egyptian Govern
ment stepped in and said No; you must
not remove the Obelisk, which We have
given to the British Government As the
British Government did not remove it, the
land has been for years rendered valueless to
Mr. Demetro. Morally, therefore, Mr..
Demctrio seems to be entitled to compensa-
tion from some one but as he is unable to
establish legal claim against the Egyptian
Government (tor he has tried and ialled),
and does not pretend TO any against the
British Government, the monument has been
graciously given up. The Needle is 60
feet long and 5 feet square-nOt uniformity,
but at the base. 1t weighs about 800 tons,
and lies in the sand IL ieet above high-wa-
ter line. To get this mass safely into the
sea and across he sea, it is intended to build
up around it on shore a cylindrical iron case
or ship, and then to roll the entire mass,
nearly 300 tons, into the Mediterranean,
and when the necessary ballasting and addi-
tons have been made 10 the ship III dry
dock, to have her towed to England. The
iron vessel is now being made at the Thames
Iron Works, and when ready will be sent
out here pieces, to be built around the obe-
li>k, under tho superintendent OF MIR.
Waynman Dixon, brother to Mr.. John
Dixon the enterprising designer and coz
tractor The vessel must be considerably
longer than the obclisk because OF the shape
of the stone. 1t will be % feet long and
Is feet in diameter, with plates 3S inch
thick 1t will be divided into nine water
tight compartments by eight bulkheads
total weight OF iron seyenty-hye tons. To
1. ~ - L. .Inl,-l- IF
power will have to be sent from England,
and after the cylinder is built tremendous
tackle to roll it into the sea. 1t will float
in nine feet of water, and to reach this
depth it must be rolled 400 feet. Once
aiOat and in dock it will be fitted with bilgc
kecls, rudder and steering gear Ii will be
/ cutter rggcd, with one mast and two sails,
and will have a deck house for Mr.. Carter
who will have charge of it on the voyage
for, although it will be in tow Of steamer,
1t will be in every respect ship, and able
to take care for itself for a time in case Of
accident or breaking away from the tow
lines, which are to be Of steel wire. There
will be four or five men ON board to make
sail, pump bilgewater, trim lights and make
signals in ease Of need. In the opinion of
| eminent engineers the plan proposed is ac-
mirably adopted for the work to be done,
and Mr.. Dixon's confidence is shown in the
fact that should he fail to complete his work
he will receive nothing for outlay and
trouble. If, however, the undertaking is II
success, the entire expense will he horne by
| Mr. Erasmus Wilson, the eminent surgeon.
Immense care and nicely will have to be ex-
crcised in obtaining the necessary strength
and rigidlty the obcisk must be 80 packed,
forming with the iron cylinder one solid mass,
as to avoid any strain from the rolling into
the sea- OF from the working of the ship
afterwards. | presume the most anxious
part the work will be to get the vessel and
her precious into the sea. Once alloat other
difficulties will be mastered. Three
Thousand. five hundred years ago this ohc-
i-k formed one of the pillars in front oi the
great Temple Of Tum (the setting SUM Mt
ilcllopolis (ncar Carol, and was brought To
Alexandria during the reign of Cleopatra
No accounts exists. OF the appliances used
but if this and larger monuments could be
safely moved about some 600 years Il. G., II
is not possible to doubt our ability to do like
wise in the nineteenth century A u.