New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-12-31
The Flooding q tho Sahara.

The Flooding 81 tho Sahara.
The current number Of 6c,ib,,er CON
tains an article which comprises in .
comprehensive manner much of the in.
formation which 80 far is to be had on
this subject, and states tina: 6 across the
Sahara by steamer promises at no
distant day to be . possible thing. At
first sight, the proposal Of the English
and French engineers to food the great
desert with the waters Of the Atlantic
and Mediterranean seems visionary
and impracticable, but . thorough ex-
animation Of the subject will lead to .
different conclusion. The great rivers
OF Africa are blocked by cataracts, and
to this may be ascribed her almost
complete isolation from civilization.
Her harbors also are rare, for although
containing nearly one-quarter OF the
whole land area of the earth, few in.
dentations are observed on her coast
line, which is shorter than that of any
other continent. The great desert
has also proved a barrier through
which the civilizations Of the Mediter
ranean could not pass.
Undoubtedly the most plausible and
feasible plan of throwing Africa open
to commerce is that proposed by the
English engineer. Mr.. Donald Macken-
zie, and the French engineers, Captain
Roudaire and NJ. de Lesseps. The
former proposes to introduce the water
from TIM f0ont3r hA 1attn~ ho
Mediterranean. The desert of Sahara
covers an area of about three million
square miles, and extends from the
Atlas Mountains on the north to the
Niger, and from the Atlantic eastward
to the Nile valley. It has been sup
posed that the entire district was q
painless waste, but late researches
show that by far the larger part of this
region contains lofty mountains and
fertile valleys, watered by rivers, which
impart life to the vegetation near
them. The population Is large, living
on extensive plantations and in walled
cities. The climate in the more ele-
waited portions il healthy and pleasant
In the Western Sahara the state Of
things is different Between the paral-
lels eighteen and thirty degrees lies q
large tract of impossible desert sunk
two hundred feet below the Atlantic.
The length OF this depression is five
hundred miles, and it, width one hum
dred and twenty miles, with an area of
nesr]y sixty thousand square miles.
There is little doubt that at one time it
formed IN arm Of the Atlantic Ocean.
as tradition reports the former exist
ence of large lake in the vicinity of
Ell Juf, which was rapidly transformed
into a sandy waste. It is agreed by ex-
plorers that a channel once connected
the northwest extremity Of the desert
with the Atlantic Ocean at q point
near Cape JUDY, opposite the Canary
Islands. This channel terminates in .
sapd-bank which prevents the waters
OF the ocean from flowing into it's bed.
Its great mouth, the Boca Grande,
formed between perpendicular rocks
two hundred feet above the sea, is two
and one-han miles broad, and is
blocked by the sand-bank mentioned.
Thus Ell Juf could be easily hooded by
the simple excavation Of : ship canal
5 sisE i as %oas5 81 ths channel sg'
The torrent which would flow through
would rapidly clear away oil obstruc-
tions and make for itself = deep chan
bel.
Such an additional rainfall a. would
be the result of this large lake would
swell the volume of the rivers which
flow into Ell Juf, and it is put forward
as an objection to the plan, that the
evaporation from so large and shallow
body of water would deluge Northern
Europe with incessant rains, and re-.
duce materially the temperature of all
the countries north of the Alps. But
this fear originates from misunder.
standing as to the topography of the
Sahara and North Africa. The Atlas
Mountains on the north, twelve thou.
sand feet in height, supply sufficient
barrier for the protection of Europe
from any excessive humidity. The
conviction of M. de Lesseps, after q
careful examination, is that the climate
OF Europe would be improved, and
most undoubtedly that of Africa would
be entirely changed by the grateful
rains which would. in time, redeem
thousands OF miles from the desert.
Behring'S are being extensively made
by Captain koudaire over q length Of
one hundred leagues and circum.
ference of five hundred leagues to e.
tablish the cost of letting the sea flow
into the basins of Tunis and Algeria.
which would make other lakes entirely
different from that Of Ell Jul, and con.
Meeting with the Mediterranean. Every
possible assistance is being given BY
the Bey Of Tunis and the people gen.
orally, who feel that the opening Of
large lake must be for their CONNER
cial and social benefit.
Although the basin of Ell Juf has
been sufficiently examined to show
that its submergence will not work
harm to the residents of the desert,
but to the contrary bring untold
blessings to the vast regions which IN.
viron it, yet Mr.. Mackenzie deems it
necessary that thorough survey shall
be made before the sea 10 admitted.
But we may look before long for the
con- pletion Of his magnificent scheme,
and the consequent opening Of Africa
to commerce and Civilization. Nor do
we fear for the success of the French
expeditions; and the Two great nations,
eEngland and France, by thus solving
the mystery of the great continent,
will earn the gratitude Of the world Of
science, and ultimately secure q large
trade with the teeming thousands who
have been too long shut out from the
WQrldis markets by the dangerous and
almost traCk1ess Sahara Desert, ~
IVStAsss. -.
seheslhsy Bl.alsrl.
The Lyon County (Nsv.). 1s,,sss. writ.
inc az fka ltldiCr,oSsas