The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-23

was certain Arab Pacha would pursue,
and which IL was equally well believed the
British forces at Alexandria would en-
deayor TO prevent him from achieving. was
Che damming OF the Mahmoudich canal,
which hitherto has poured continuously q
eopious supply OF fresh water from the
Nile into Alexandria. The countryaround
Alexandria wears the appearance OF the
genuine desert. IL would certainly not
Impress a foreigner as one OF those regions
In which man had only to tickle with hoe
and nature would laugh with a straw.
Nearly half century ago Jane Ewing Coo
lev, an American, visited the East, and In
his volume entitled the "American in
Egypt" he made certain observations
about the exterior appearance OF Alexan-
dria which the effects OF time have moi
much obyiated. lie found AleXandria
practically surrounded by desert. In.
deed, IL appeared to him that no part Of
the Lybian or Arabian Desert was more
barren and desolate than the country which
stretched outward from beneath the walls
of Alexandria. In his time. rs now, there
was no depth OF soil. He also found no
signs OF vegetation. This latter observa-
ton would not apply at the present day to
the suburbs OF Alexandria; for in conse-
quence OF a
SERIES OF SMALL .tQUEDUCTS
well known to all Eastern nations, the soil
has been fertilized to such a degree that
many fruits and plants grow in abundance.
Within stones throw Of the Alexandrian
citadel walls there are excellent gardens,
wherein grew oranges, citrons, plantains
corresponding with the American banana),
figs, and cocoanuts; and as for flowers, no
dlIsk-haired maiden Of the city need have
gone without an ornament, for there grew
roses. red and white oleanders, and the
brilliant scarlet blossoms Of the pomegra-
nate in abundance within half hours walk
of herresidence. These gardens, from which
certain enterprising Arabs earned con-
siderable annual revenue, were due, as re-
CARDS their fertility, to tiny aqueducts, laid
between artificial embankments about three
feet high, from the Mahmoudieh canal to
the spots i'm which they were required.
The suburban population not only drank
from these aqueducts and used the waters
for domestic purpose, but the strictly urban
population were dependent upon the same
"sweet waters of the Nile" as they were
tapped from TIE great canal, for their do
nestle supplies.
STRATEGIC NECESSITY.
The ancient conquerors OF Egypt saw
the necessity OF feeding Alexandria with
Nile water. and they accordingly had SUI
perficial aqueducts constructed, which
served their purpose to certain extent.
The houses Of the ancient city were mostly
erected upon structure OF arched vaults,
and when the Nile waters had flowed into
these subterraneous structures, they were
given time to settle until vegetable matter
sank, and then ]hey were used by
being pulled up, by bucket and
pulley and wheel, into the domi-
Giles above; but this supply was pre-
carious, and il remained for Mehemet Ali
to put in practice the plan of the Pharaohs
in erecting or constructing great public
works. The remains OF the old public
aqueducts had almost disappeared, when
Mehemet resolved to give Alexandra once
for all thorough and constant connection
with the Nile. His project was the present
Mahmoudieh canal, which is now being
threatened by the Egyptian troops. He
summoned his subjects to the work OF
DIGGING THE CANAL
n such numbers that it is said to have been
navigable for passage and freight-boats
throughout its whole extent in the short
time Of six weeks from the period of the
commencement Of the works. This may
be SET down us one of those tales which the
populace love to believe because they are
impossible Of verging upon the utter out
skirts Of impossiblity. There are now only
two principal navigable channels in the
delta OF the Nile-namely, the Damietta and
Rosetta mouths. The Mabmoudieh canal was
connected with the Nile some distance below
Rosetta and its waters were conveyed into
Alexandria by an aqueduct which entered
the city near the present Rosetta Gate, and
had to be cut through the walls and base
ments Of ancient buildings at its junction
with Alexandria, almost due east and
west for several miles, and then takes up
an upward bend toward the Nile, but
before it leaves the city it is tapped at
various spots for the supply OF
SUBSTANTIALLY BUILT RESERVOIRS,
which cannot up to the present time have
been threatened by Arabis troops, so that
they must still contain considerable water
supply independent OF the supply con-
tanned in the sunken masonry wells which
exist beneath most Of the solidly-built
houses OF Alexandria. The canal was COM
menced by Mehemet Ali in 1919 and opened
i'm the beginning OF 1920, receiving its pre-
sent name in honor Of the then Sultan. 1t
cost 1900, 000f (about $l,600,0O0), and the
men employed upon it numbered 100000
continuously, under the direction OF
the Aga Hagee Osman, who was as
sisted by several Italian engineers.
Twenty thousand Of these laborers, who
were little else than the vericst bondsmen,
persisted from one cause or another, chiefly
from hunger and disease. As spectacle
the banks of the Mahmoudieh are curiously
uninteresting. 1t presents the appearance
OF a dead level Of silent flowing, sluggish
stream, between embankments which some
times are considerably higher than the sur
face Of the water and sometimes not much
above its level, its construction apparently
having depended for its levels on the
strength OF the miserable feIlaheen who
from day to day threw up its earthworks.
STREAM IN A DESERT.
The plain which stretches on each side is
yellow, glary, and apparently intermina-
BILE. Here and there camel plodding
with driver on silent foot, across the un
echoing sands breaks the monotony Of
the scene; but when the group passes
away in silence as 1t came, the Stygi,
waters Of the Mahmoudieh remain as dr6ary
and uninteresting as they did before. The
villages which exist along its banks at rare
intervals are small bamboo and palm-leaI
sheds, surrounded by cactus-bushes thai
IND footing In the inhospitable sand
Near Alexandria 1t Is adorned by villas
md farms, which flourish because of the
righteousness OF water. AT intervals alone
its banks an irregularity In the desert be-
trays the existence OF some ancient city
which has subsidized beneath the tide OF
conquest and the inevitable encroachments
OF the memorable desert. Here NAV have
stood the ancient Scheida, between Karioon
and Nishoo, with its stones and bricks. in
distinct tracings OF the great Rameses, and