Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-01-13

obelisk, and are badly mutilated. AL
the large claws are gone but one. On
the remaining claw which belongs to
| the crab. under the outh-southwest
corner, are found inscriptions in Greek
and Latin, which tell us that Bar
barus, the Project of Egypt, caused
the obelisk to be erected by the engi-
neer Pontius in the eighth year of the
reign of Augustus C@sar-that is, in
the year B. G. p.
A rough piece Of iron was found
wedged under a third corner, and the
fourth corner was not supported at all.
The two missing crabs must have been
taken away at some comparatively re-
cent date-within a few hundred years
for the marks of their claws in the
pedestal are deep and unmistakable.
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES.
During the excavations made by
Commander Gorringe an ancient Greek
coin, a Greek bust, the capital of a
small column and the head Of an asp
in marble have been found. These
are of no great value in themselves,
but their discovery, together with the
appearance of the pedestal and marble
slabs, has led to a lively controversy
among the Psychologists here 1t is
commended on one hand that when the
huge pedestal is removed many OBJ
jects of the greatest value will be
found and one savant is quite sanguine
that the remains Of Cleopatra or
of Cnsarion, her son by Caesar, will be
brought to light. This question will
receive a definite solution in a few
weeks by the removal of of the pc
destal and slabs. The Italian who
who owns the land has in the mean
time taken time by the forelock and
registered his claim to all relics that
may be found, a demand which Com
mander Gorringe denies, saying that
whatever may be under the pedestal
belongs to the obelisk, and must go
with it.
LOWERING THE sUAFT.
After completing the excavations
Commander Gorringe constructed two
solid masonry buttresses on two oppo-
site sides of the obelisk. Two enor-
nous steel trunnions were then firmly
bound by steel bands to the obelisk, at
a few feet below its centre of gravity.
These trunniocS were supported by
steel frames, which we're again sup
ported by the masonry buttresses.
The obelisk then resembled a gigantic
cannon elevated to such a degree as to
be perpendicular. 1t was feared that
the great weight of the ends might
break the obelisk in the middle when
swinging into a horizontal position.
To avoid this, steel ropes were fas-
tened to the two ends of the obelisk
and passed over props projecting at
right angles from the centre OF gravity
Of the obelisk. The keel Of a float or
case for the obelisk was constructed
on launching ways. This float is being
built in two separate sections, each
section under a point where the ends
would be when the obelisk should be
in a horizontal position. These Sec
tons will be joined together as soon
as the removal of masonry buttresses,
pedestal and slabs will allow Of this
being done. APPLE of timber was erect
ed on the section of the float further
est from the sea. The top of this pile
oftimber was a little above the level
of the trunions. Its object was to
catch the top end of the falling obelisk
and support it. The obelisk would
then rest upon the pile and its trun-
ions, and a similar wooden pile would
be quickly constructed on the ether
section of the float under the base end
of the Gbelisk, which would then point
toward the sea. AS o as this Sec
Ond pile should touch the end of the
Obelisk, the trunions and machin-
cry would be removed, leaving the
Obelisk supported by the two piles Of
wood built upon the two sections Of
the float. When the two sections are
Joined and the obelisk lowered still
further by means of pushing timbers
from the piles by hydraulic pressure
the obelisk on its float or case can be
safely launched. From its float the
needle is to be showed into a hole
made in the stern or bows of the
steamer Dessouk, which has been pur-
chased for the purpose, and after
taking on board the pedestal and slab:
the Dessouk will sail for New YorE
with her precious cargo.
A TRIAL OF STRENGTH.
On Thursday. afternoon, December
4, it was officially announced that the
Obelisk would be lowered. The gov.
ernor OF Alexandria, the admiral O
the Russian Pacific squadron, Consu
General Farman, all the Egyptian
notables and about FIVE hundred people
were assembled on the ground at tn,
hour appointed, half-past two. TIL,
last piece of stone or iron which coulC
be supposed to support the needle was
cleared away by FIVE o'clock. As sooI
as the needle was suspended solely b.
its trunnions, it was observed to NOV,
a few inches. 1t was at first supposed
that the needle was slipping through
the bands which bound the trunnionI
! to it. A closer examination PROVED
that the needle had heretofore no
been standing in an exactly perpendic
ular position. The needle, now sus
? pended, had swung naturally into the
! true perpendicular. The effect of thi
. was to lower the base of tn,
needle about three inches, which
brought its heel in contact will
a claw of a crab which
had not been removed. The .contrac
was so slight that it was not supposed
the friction would be sufficient to pre-
! vent the obelisk turning on its trun
. MONS. Rather than disappoint 81
= many visitors, who had long beel
S waiting, Commander Corringe decid