Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-06-07

spending month In Tunis to inspect
the course Of the proposed canal which
is to let in the waters of the Mediterra-
mean, and, by flooding the "Chotts," to
create an inland sea fourteen times as
large as the Lake OF Geneva. The re-
port on the scheme, which was drawn
up at Biskra by the commission of con-
tractors who accompanied him, is as
fellows: "In the course of the explora-
tions which we have just made in the
Tunisian and Algerian Cnotts stretch
ing from Gabes to Biskra, the under
signed, invited by M. M. Ferdinand de
Lesseps and Roudaire to visit the coun-
try, in order to be able to pronounce on
the project of the inland sea and the
prscticability of creating it, have ascer-
tanned the following facts: First, the
maritime question. The mouth of the
Oued Melah, the spot where the en-
trance to the canal which is to let in
the waters Of the sea upon the Chotts
capable Of being inundated, presents at
high water a sufficiently large surface
of water.
It can be easily deepened and made
to constitute q natural port sheltered
from all the winds from the northeast,
shifting to the south by west. The
winds from the northeast, veering to
the south by the east, cannot be danger
GUS when the port is protected against
them by a simple breakwater. The
roadstead in front of the entrance is,
moreover, precisely similar to that of
Gabes. The navigation of the canal
can offer no difficulty, its direction
being almost retilineal. With regard
to the safety of vessels In the inland
sea itself, it has been easy for the COM
mission to ascertain for certain that
there Will be q complete absence Of
rocks. The bottom Of the sea will be
everywhere either oOze or mari. The
average depth Of the water will be 90
metres, so that there will never be any
doubt about the safety of any vessel,
whatever may be its size. Second, con-
corning the agricultural results. All
the lands situate on what will be the
northern shore of the inland sea, and
the northern bank Of the canal from
Gabes to Biskra, for distance of 500
Kilometres, are generally of the same
nature as the most fertile lands of
Algeria and Tunis. All that they REQUIRE
to be transformed into most productive
districts, and to become an Immense
source of riches and prosperity for the
country, is q little water.
The modification of the climate which
will naturally result from the presence
of q very large sheet of water in the
basins of the Chotts, together with the
utilization # the subterranean waters,
whose pre- ence has been ascertained
both by rings and the existence of
natural lis, which supply the native
tribes wit water, and, again, the stor-
ing of surface water, will incOntestably
render it possible to restore to cultiva-
ton those vast tracts which now are
completely unproductive. In these
lands, as well as in the other sources
of revenue, such as fishery rights, the
right of navigation. ETC., will be found
q large remuneration for the capital
invested in the enterprise. Thirdly,
with regard to the levellng operations
made by Commandant Roudaise,it has
been unanimously acknowledged that
they were performed with the minutest
care and by an infallible method, and
that they are absolutely correct.
FOurthly, concerning the execution of
the works, it has been ascertained that
the soil which will be met with will be
very easily removed, and that mechan-
ical appliances will be able to be en-
ployed In its removal. The calcareOus
rocks met with by NJ. Roudaire in the
course of the borings he made in 1879
at the base of the hill close to Gabes,
and whose volume is relatively insig-
nlhcant, constitute at the entrance of
the canal an advantage rather than an
inconvenience.
They will, in fact, furnish the neces-
sary materials for the construction of
the breakwater and the port. They
may also prove useful, if it is found
necessary to establish q sluice at the
entrance of the canal by means of
which the introduction of the water
could be regulated during the filling of
the inland sea. The course of the
canal across the Djerid Chott follows
oozy ground of the central portion of
the ChOtt at the spot which separates
the Djerid Chott from the Rharsa
Chott. The new course at Tozeur, re-
Gently studied by Commandant Rou-
dalre, completely avoids the rocks at
Kriz, whose volume had been estimated
by the Superior Commission at twenty
five million cubic meters. The alti-
tude Of the new passage is, moreover,
twelve meters less than that Of Kriz.
The boripgs made at the highest point
OF the new course of the canal have
demonstrated that nothing but sand
will be met with. The nature of the
ground to be traversed by the canal
makes it evident that it will suffice to
cut a canal through the alluvial soil,
measuring on an average twenty-five
or thirty meters, which will be in
creased by the force of the current it
self. To cut that canal will require at
most five years, and its cost many be
estimated at about 150, 100000 francs"
Difficult to Understand.