Morning journal and courier., 1889-12-13
FOUR THOUSAND YEARS.
Tho Wonderful Endurance of . Great
 EngineerIng Work.

Inc W On06f1u1 6n0uI8nC0 O1 ~ SIE68b
 Engineering Work.
 How many of the engineering works of the Nineteenth century will there be in ex- istence in the year 6o00s Very few, it is feared, and still less those that will continue in the far of age to serve a useful purpose. Yet there is at least one great undertaking conceived and executed by an engineer, which, during the space of 4,0OO years, has never ceased it's office, on which the life of fertile province absolutely depends to day. We refer to the Bahr Joussuf-the canal of Joseph-built, according to tradition, by the the son of Jacob, and which constitutes not the least of the many blessings he conferred on Egypt during the years of his prosperous rule. This canal took it's rise, as given in Engineering, from the Nile at Asut, ard ran nearly parallel with it for nearly two hun- dred and fifty miles, creeping along under the western cliffs of the Niles valley, with many a bend and winding, until at length it gained an eminence, as compared with the riverbed, which enabled it to turn westward through narrow pass, and enter district which was otherwise shut of from the ferti- lizing floods on which all vegetation in Egypt depends. The northern end stood seventeen feet higher than low Nile, while at the south srn end it was at an equal elevation with the river. Through this cut ran perennial stream, which watered a province named the Fayoum, endowing it with fertility and sup porting large population.
 In the time of the annual flood great part of the canal was under water and then the river current would rush in more direct course into the pass, carrying with 1t the rinb cflk vphfah fQkea 10 n1aca n and keeps the soil in state of constant produc- tiveness. And this, with the exception of the tradition that Joseph built it, can be yer fled to day, and it is not mere supposition or rumor. Until eight years ago it was firmly believed that the design has always been linn. ited to an irrigation scheme, larger, no doubt, | than that now in operation, as shown by the traces of abandoned canals and by the slow aggregation of waste water which had accum- ulated in the Birkst el Queran, but still es- sentially the same in character.
 Many accounts have been written by Greek | and Roman historians, such as Herodotus, l Strabo, Mutianus and Pliny, and repeated in of the Middle Ages, which agreed with the
 folklore of the district. These tales explain
 ed that the canal dug by the ancient Isreal- | ites served to carry the surplus water of the
 Nile into an extensive lake lying south of the
 Fayoun, and 50 large that it not only modf-
 fled the climate, tenn pering the arid winds of
 the desert and converting them into the balmy airs which nourished the vines and
 olives into fullness of fragrancs unknown
 in any part of the country, but also added to
 the food supply of the land such immense quantities of fish that the royal prerogativea
 of the right of piscary at the great weir was
 valued at $25O, ,O00 annually. This lake wal
 said to be 45O miles round, and to be navi.
 gated by fleet of vessels, while the whole
 circumference was the scene of industry and prosperity.