The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-05-31
THE INLAND SEA.
o,,s,,eps a.1d the Grandest Of his
GraAd Schemes.
"a, II be Delusise Dream, or h
frlit
Of Cold, Exae, Seieatiile Research

Ii IS now SUM- - cars sAhSS IL ptCale
natter of public talk that the indeiatiga.
Nam. De Lesseps had his attention d.
,;ssi between the cutting of the Panama
I,ihmus and another scheme, by which he
n,,ncsed to convert the famous Desert of
sahara into a great inland sea. When NJ.
IA Lssseps made known his plan for the
emitting of the Suez canal, Lord Palmerston,
hslisyed to be one of the most practical
statesmen of his day, set the French pro-
actor down as an impractical dreamer.
The improbable in the Suez canal became
,ho hopracticable in the Panama canal and
;nn'nossible in the proposed flooding of the
urpat African desert. Evil prophets did
ssot lrighten the plucky little French
man mS from the Egyptian enter
mise uj,e nor did they hinder its success.
Is mue have they hindered him
Eom facing the greater difficulties of the
Panama scheme; and now, according TO his
rsnort. the inland African sea project prom
sss an easier as well as more immediate
Sictory than the undertaking at Panama,
The inland sea scheme aid not, We be-
Have originate with NJ. de Lesseps, but
trith
made careful study OF the ground for
many wears. From the very first, however.
4 has found warm TREAD in the person of
The rrea, protector; and he has repeatedly
and In various ways brought it before the
nublic. In very particular manner he
has messed il on the attention of the Acad.
amy of Sciences. That he has been sue.
rsssiul in influencing public opinion in its
favor, We are tot permi ted 10 doubt; and
the conviction is very general that 1t had
something to do with the expedition TO
Tupis. As showing the interest which was
tsken in the scheme, a commission was an
nointed to investigate the matter. The re.
mort VAS favorable. IL concluded that the
feed canal could be surely made, and that
The sea, which would be in no danger of
eysporalug away, would do much by in.
dncipg rains, and by the water in the lake
or inland sea percolating the soil, as does
the Nile that of Egypt, to iertilize large
tracts of now barren country, and, in consc
ouence, to aid generally in the simpliiica-
ton of the political problem in that part of
the world. Some three months ago NJ. de
l.esseps, encouraged by the report
Octogenarian almost as he is
~t out to make personal
examination. lie took with him Com.
mandant Roudaire and committee of ex-
perts. He has come back perfectly salts.
lied, and convinced not only that the sea
can be made, but that it Can be made at a
cost which will be amply remunerative.
When the scheme was first mooted, some
ten years ago, it suggested all manner OF
evil TO some minds. Such sea-a new
southern sea beyond the Mediterranean
would completely change the climatic con-
ditions of Italy, Spain and Greece, and
probably strip the Alps of their
crown OF snow. 1t was there
tore, seriously proposed that
the carrying out of such plan should no,
be allowed without the general consent of
the European governments. 1t was a
serious IN after to enter upon an enterprise
which might greatly change the climate of
Europe, and hence it ought to be made an
International question. The proposal, how
ever. then was to flood the entire Sahara,
or the greater part of it-a vast inhospitable
region, some two thousand miles from east
to west, and about one thousand miles
from north to south. The present plan, 1t
appears, is not so gigantic, and therefore
less fitted to inspire alarm, rs we'll as more
feasible and likely OF success. A glance at
the map will show that the southern part
Algeria are interspersed with what are
called "Chotts," or large marshy lakes
which, Chain.like, reach from Gahes
on the Tunisan coast, almost to Biskrg
town OF some Importance, about 800 mile,
inland. These "Chotts," which ere con.
sderably below the level of the MeIiter.
ranean, 1t is proposed to food by means of
a canal starting from Tozer, in the near
neghborhood OF Gabes. The sea, thus adj
mitted, will form vast lake. The size is
not mentioned, but it will probably not be
less than 1000 or 5000 square miles, and
Ills to be deep enough to admit the largest
vessels. The caual will be straight, or
nearly so-a circumstance which will
greatly facilitate navigation.
IL Is calculated that the effect of the sea
on the adjoining lands will be great and
largely beneficial. The climate itself, NJ.
ae Lesseps says in his report, would be
greatly changed by a vast sheet of water in
the basin of the "Chotts.n 1t would be
rendered moist, and evaporation would be
Ralu oack IN more copious rain showers.
Inc Iahd TO the south of the inland sea is
oIsucn KIND as to offer little hope of i'm
proVement; hut TO the north, such is the
character OF the soil both in Tunis and AL
seia that water only is necessary to beget
sftillty. Fresh water wells, it appears, are
abundant and these would benefit by the
allOlhlng sea as well as by the increased
rams, The canal, NJ. de Lessen saws.
WI oe easily cut ns at the opening
awards the sea all the soil is
sn1 and some calcareous rocks found by
N; koudaire, at the base oil the Gabes bar.
VIII DC advantageous rather than the re.
verse as they will furnish material for the
uiesAwater piers and port buildings. They
wiz also allow OF the construction, il neces
Wy. az slight cost, of a lock regulating the
salnsslon OF water. In the inland sea
sucnoring ground will be abundant and
sue, lhere being not only no bottom ROCKIES
wv, NV mud to the depth of 20 metres. As to
mIe and cost, NJ, De LessEPs.giyes IL as his
O O,h That the necessary cutting and
Oe m;erworx may be executed in a maximum
pe,iol o. hve years, and a figure scarcely
'AITeeulng thirty millions of dollars.
mat Az may oe that the enthusiastic French
to a ,as UNv'ee'estimates the advantages likely
s ~iesul from the flooding of so much des-
,bs Ma,i m may be that he understands
lin ;.ais and cost; but the enterprise
aOn J 1seli attractive, and we have little
6r J', " tllat The plucky old engineer will
nssaO we necessary funds and all other
Itsrraaenconragement to begin the work.
Nv likely that Italy or Spain will offer
ni;,uSSolvc,ion, and on a work of such mag
viii AZ auu inll ofsuch possibilities England
somsmt Least LOOK with interest. 1t will be
upds,,aneeS singular If NJ. de Lesseps should
cons,, ,aae AZ one and the same time the
Susy oaunih OF the Panama canal, o second
Aiticsa nai and the creation of an inland
that Psr sea- one would naturally conclude
ambIt,ona h was enough for him. His
s saa ms energy and nanaciiv onnaar as