Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-05
sAHAB1'S GREEN MEAD0WS.
The Desert, Visited by Heavy Rains, Smiles
with yerdure In and Near Algeria.


with verdure In and Near Algeria.
The last winter has been remarkable on
account OF its dampness, the quantity OF
rain having been q"ite extraordinary. says
an Algerian letter to the New York Sun.
Even now, at the end Of spring, we have
frequent thunder-storms and copious rain.
But what struck all as being quite abnor-
NAL was the frequency OF heavy showers
in the desert Though it IL quite contrary
10 the general belief. the fact is that rain il
no uncommon visitor there in winter; yet
the persistency with which it rained
this year constituted a real phenomenon.
The oldest natives. whose recOllectiOns
reach Tar back into the times OF the
Turks. do not remember such wet season.
The farmers are in high gec, rs the crops
stand capitslly and promise rich harvest
II il only 10 be hoped that il will moi rain
when the corn j. 10 be reaped. Though
this uncommon wctness has been, on the
whole, attended with favorable results, 1t
bas not passed away without having done
some harm. The desert cities have suffered
much. The walls and houses are generally
built OF q kind OF raw, sun-dred brick,
which is in Arabic called atop. StrangetO
say, the same material is used in Spanish
American countries, and is there called
adobe. word which clearly denotes its
Arabic origin. This brick was unable to re-
sist the continued wetting. Whole towns
were dissolved into heaps OF mud by the
action OF the rain. The citizens being de-
prived Of their houses, and the soldiers OF
the French garriSonS having lost their bar
racks. were forced TO dwell under tents
until the wet season had passed away.
Though much property was destroyed,
there was happily little loss OF human lie.
The desert rivers, which, like nearly al
rivers in Algcri are winter rivers, swelled
TO an unwonted size, and, spreading over
their banks gave rise 10 foundations. Bilt
the greater damage was done by the water
breaking through the dams Of several OF
the great reservoirs constructed for irriga-
ting the soil in summer.
The extraordinary damyness OF last win
| ter had strange effects upon vegetation N
| the sahara, which has become remarkably
rich and luxuriant. Even in places where
| ordinarily not a blade OF grass Is to be seen,
| herbs and shrubs have sprung up. Our
Governor, who. in a journey through the
| colony, had visited the principal Gases OF
| the Algerian desert has, in speech de-
| ljycred on the occasion OF the opening OF a
local exhibition, declared that for this year
! the desert had ceased to exist. Where for.
| merry nothing but the arid soil was to be
| seen, rich meadows coveted the ground,
! which, to make the picture complete. lack
| ed, unfortunately, the cattle TO Craze upon
| them, the stock having been almost wholly
| DESTROYED by the scarcity Of fodder during
the preceding dry years.
| Tbi, /, certain, that those who have pre-
| Gictcd an increasing dryncsS In the climate
Of Algeria find themselves cOntradicted by
! th. rains OF last winter. \ succession OF
| dry wears gave rise to this prophecy. Many
| rtr<onS here, carried along by their i'm
agiration. saw the desert already advancing
| toward the sea-coast, leaving 10 The lnhaJ-
| itouts the alternative ONLY Of quitting the
country OF dying Of thirst. The probabil-
ity Of such dreadful event was deduccd
| from the fact Of the constant decrease OF the
Algerian forests. In confederation OF their
doctrine these theorists pCiuted to the many
ruins of former habilatiOns IN Tunis ana
TriuOli. in places where the desert now
rcigns supreme, and where not = trace of
vegetation is to be seen; but they forgott0 say
that those ancient dwellings were not de-
serted on account OF the ag'aucing desert,
but because Of the inya>iOns OF the lomld,c
Arabs. the inhabitants having either fled or
been killed. There was nobody TO keep
the wells from being filed with dry sand.
and thus was stopped the very source OF
vegetation. As to the wells, they still exist,
and il would require only a little labor to
remove the sand and make them servlcca-
bic again. Even in comparatively recent
| times such assertions took place. The
! DcOple were driven to despair when they
were unable TO satisfy the eXactiOns OF the
| tax-collectors. They abandoned their
| homes rather than be ground to powder.
| II f. to be hoped thai now, under French
| dominion. such occurrences will no longer
take place.
In the meanwhile the fear OF increasing
| dryHess has had one good effect. 1t has
| aroused the Government Is well a. public
| opinion from their indifference to the state
! OF the forests. Though il Is ridiculous to
assert that the colony would eyel assume
the character OF the desert. yet there Is
! ground for apprehensions, n the constant
decrease Of woodland could not fail to be
attended with consequences disadvantage
Gus TO all branches Of agriculture. The
destruction OF the forests was in "A great
measure due to the carelessness OF the no
madic or bslf-nomadic Arab tribes. Bu'
in will on their part was also frequently the
cause. During the instruction in 1881 an
enormous amount OF timber was destroyed
by the torches Of the Arabs. The Al
gerian wood.fres bear in this respect
close similarity to the prairie fires ID
North America, which likewise form
part q Indian warfare. Great vigilance
and collective responsibility Is the only
way in which 8 repetition OF such catas
trophe can be avoided. In Algeria they
understand by collective responsibility th'
obligation under which the native tribe
are 10 nav certain fine imposed by thf
Government in case q crime ha; been com
mitted by a member OF the tribe without
his being apprehended by the authorities
| Though the natives deserve the chlcI
! blame, il must in justice be remarked thai
the coIonists are not quite free OF gum
! An oyer.Zeal to plant vines has led then
TO clear the ground in places wher
the presence OF timber was absolutely re
quired.
An interesting book has appeared late ~
written by the British Consul-General a
Algiers, Lieutenant-C Colonel Playfair. Tn
Q der the title, 1.-THE Scourge Of Christen
DOM" the author gives faithful pictur
: OF The state OF Algiers under the 1lirhis
rule. and OF the relations OF the pirate stat
| with foreign Powers. Colonel Playialr h''
I some claim upon the attention OF American
: since be has frequently during the absenc
5 OF the United States representative take
i charge OF American interests, espec"ll
: when United States men-of'war nav
. come in port. His book, which Is writte
with great impartiality, and without 81
British bias, shows again how much Ia
worla Is indebted 10 the French for nav
: put an end 10 the political monstrosity cat
!. ed the regency OF Algiers. The Fren.
e have rendered great service to huilan''
a in not only taking, but keeping, Algeri
!. Though their colonial system is deiecti''
/. and though they have not failed TO implau
4 certain French peculiarities which are 90
n praiseworthy, every impartial obserNe
g must wish, In the interest OF ciyillzatlon
i tina. France may retain her trans. Medilc'
: ranean colony, at least until the Europe
: element has become strong enough 10 hoo
down the aborigines by Its own forces