Arizona silver belt., 1888-10-06
Artcsian Wells in Algeria.

During tho last few years an on tirely novel scheme of colonization has been introduced in one of the most unpromising localities imaginable the Sahara of the province of Csnstan tlne in Algeria, in tho region of Oued R,r' south of Biskara.
 Roland, inning engineer, is the apostle of this new regeneration oi life in ths desert, and he IS also the principal agitator of the werk of colo. nization. He has mado the subject known in France by q series of pub!i. cations and conferences, and his views have been echoed in every key by the press, tho most sympathetic support CTS recommending an active cam paign Tn favor of extending the net. work of Algerian railways southward of Biskara, toward Toug0urt and Gu argla, and explaining tho three-fold advantages of this line to the French possessions in Africa, colonial, politl- cal, strategical.
 Tho 0ued-Rir' is most richly en- dowsd with artesian wells than any country in Afrlca, and Nj. Roland in. gsnieusly compares it te little Egypt with a subterrans0us Nile. Remark. abIs feafs in boring have been accom- pDished since the French conquest, un. der the able and enthusiastic direction of M. Jus. and, thanks 10 the benefit Of a cepious irrigation, veritabls trans formation has been wrought in thIs country In thirty years the oases have qulntupled in value, and in con sequence eff the development of their agricultural resources, the ameliora- ton of the lot of the natives, and the complete pacifieation of thls portion of the South of Algeria, the popula- ton of 0ued- Rir' has more than doubled.
 Beyond the indigenous cases and far from them, in the middle of vast stsppes, are located the new boring plants, where the intrusive steam-drill is at wsrk, like the rod of Moses, mak-  ing fresh waters springs rise in places where they are wholly lacking, and uyifyips, by irrigation, soil until new reputed sterile. This Is the work un- undertaken by the entsrprising Frenchmen whc are not afraid ts at tempt agriculture ln these distant and dessIate places, and who, at their own risk and peril, have set about making the sahara a favorable field frr asrl- culture and colonization.
 To create these oases and make the dosert "blossom as the rose, at first blush seems impossible; but il must bs remembered that the date palm is indigenous to tha soil and may always be adyantageously cultivated. even by Europeans. The French colonies oi 0ued- Rir may already vlew with just pride the work accomplished. Some have purchased large oases already in existence, and extended them. 9th CTS have created new cases in all quarters and proceeded te lay cut i'm mcnse plantations in the very wilds oi the desert. Five new cases have been thus created: Tala-em Mouidi by Captain Bep-Driss; Cria- -Saiah. by the oued-Rir' Company; and the three others, Ourir, Sidi-Yahia, and Ayata by tue Batna and South Algerian So ciety. This later society alone, foun' ded m 1881 by Messieurs Roland and De Courcival, has set out the ener. nous number of fifty thousand palm trees, constructed large institutions etc.; and the Society of CommereiaI Geography, at Paris wishing to suit. ably reesgnizs the importance of these works. as well as to manifest an inter. est in the future of South Algeria has bestowed on M. Relland its African medal, the Calle prize, recently found sd.--Demores't Monthly Magazine fol Nnfnhnr