Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-25

telegraphs, 30 that II is no longer a bar to
| the intercourse of nstions Is there any
wsy of tanning the desert, or subduing ii.
SO that 10 shall no longer be barrier to
the progress of civilization This Is the
most Important question to be settled, as
bearing upon the future of Africa.
OF course, If II were left to the native in
habitants, all things would continue ss
they were from the beginning of creation.
Nor has Europe at large any interest In Il.
But there is one European power that has
an interest In Il. France has large posses-
sions on this side of the Mediteranean. Al
geria and Tunis together make a country
as large as one of the Kingdoms of Europe,
which France has the ambition to enlarge
still further, so as to have great African
empire, as England has her Indian empire.
As part of the materials for this she has
another great dependence in Senegambis,
on the western coast, a country covering
400, 600 square miles. If this could In any
way be united to Algeria, LIE the two could
be consolidated, the new "empire" would
at once assume vast proportions. But the
the desert blocks the way. 1t splits the
proposed empire like q wedge. 1t cannot
be removed, but Is there not some way
In which Ii can be converted into q key
stone for the mighty arch that Is to span
the continent from the Mediteranisn to the
All6utlCt AukN lt Ip8 prODi6n THAI has
long exercised the minds of the French
statesmen, and which they In turn have re-
ferred to their engineers, who are among
the best in the world with what result may
be briefly indicated.
First of ALL, they have shown that II is
possible to convert portions of the desert
| into oases by the sinking of artesian wells.
A hundred and forty miles south of Biekra
Is the oasis of Tusgurt, which has long
supported thousands of Arabs, with their
hoeks and herds, but which was nearly de-
stroyed some years since by the wells be
coming SO choked up as no longer to fur
nish supply of water. Vegetation with
cred, until the wretched psople, stripped
| OF what was to them the very water of life,
and to ignorant to bs able to renew the
supply, were in despair, and began to leave
the country. Then the French engineers
took the matter in hand, and instead of
trying to clear out the old wells, com
msnced boring in the solid earth, and in
| five weeks ctruck water to such good pur-
pose that river rushed forth that yielded
double the quantity furnished by the great
well of Grennelle of Paris. To the Arabs
it seembed like q miracle, and they began
to sing and dance in the widest manner to
express their joy. The miracle was one
which can be wrought whenever men are
willing to take the labor or to besr the ex-
pense. OF course, to accomplish large re-
suit, in the way of pastursge or sgricul-
ture, 1t would have 20 be repeated On g
tremendous scale
But for the purpose of uniting the two
vast territories of Algeria and SenegAm-
bis, the first necessity Is that of direct
communication which can only be by q
rail across the desert of Sahara Is this
within the bounds of possibility Nobody's
opinion lie of any value except that of an
engineer, and that have tried to obtain.
In Algiers the American counsel took me
to see Mr.. Brousssis, who has made spec
isl study of the subject, and taken long
journeys into the desert to survey the field
of battle. He did not conceal from him
self the enormous difficulties of travelling
], 800 with the want of water, the want of
wood for railroad ties, the want of every
thing. He looked In the face the possibil-
| ity of those said storms which might bury
q railroad train as they have buried q
thousand caravans. All this he had taken
into consideration, and yet, looking all OBJ
stacles and all dangers in the fscs, he did
not hesitate to assure ms that in his iudg
ment q railroad across the desert of Sahara
was quite within tie resources of modern
engineering But were the dream already
fulfilled, the desert crossed and the tide of
travel 10 full course, the whole African
problem would not be solved. This would
be one step towards it. 1t would pierce
| Africa at q vital point. 1t would overcome
| the greatest difficulty In her geography. II
would touch regions otherwise inaccessible.
i 1t would take the SoudAn In the rear. II
| would make direct connection with the
| western coast, to take the place of the long
| ocean voyage.