The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-03-31
THE GREAT DESERT.
The AREA OF SAHARA NEARLY EQUAL.
TO THAT OF EUROPE.

''otutiOn OF tho African Problem.
we have but to look upon the map to
SEQ how largo space upon the worlds
surface this mighty desert takes to it
sell. 1t covers more square miles than
tho whole OF the Mediterranean. II it
wero Transported across that sea, it
would extinguish Europe. Tor it has
been computed that il Dl leave ont
scandinavia it would nearly cover tho
whole of it. If it were only sunk in tho
sea, the waves would roll over it, and
1t would bo remembered no moro fol-
ever.
But 1T insists on keeping its head
above water and above ground, crowd
ing out fertile portions of the earth.
whllo Its barrenncss renders it unfit tor
human habitation. There it lies on the
face of Africa, Il hugo black spot, de-
serted by man, as it seems to bo accursod
by God. No man passes by it or will
1ngly puts his foot thereon Even the
lonely caravan that skins it like a bird
leaves no track behind it any more than
the bird in the air or the ship on tho
sea. 1t passes and is gone, leaving nota
trace OF life i'll man or beast or bird or
any living thing. So far as We can see
the desert is an utterly worthless por-
ton of the globe.
With such an incubus covering full
half of northern Africa there would
seem to be little hope of making any
thing out of it, since tho cause which
renders its condition SO hopeless cannot
be removed. You cannot abolish the
desert any moro than you can abolish
the sea- There it is, and there it will
remain forever. Yes, but you can get
over the sea in ships or under it by tele-
graphs. SO that it is no longer bar to
tho intercourse of nations. Is there any
way Of tanning the desert or subduinyi it
so that it shall no longer he Il barrier to
the progress of civilization? This is the
most important question to be settled as
bearing upon tho future Of Africa.
or course if it were left to the native
inhabitants all things would continue
as they were from the beginning of crca-
ton. Nor has Europe at large any in
terest in it, But there is one Europcan
power that has an interest in it. France
has large possessions on this side of TIE
Mediterranean. Algeria and Tunis to-
gcthcr make Il country as large as one
OF tho Kingdoms of Europe, which
France has the ambition to enlarge still
further, so as to have Il great African
empire. as England has her Indian en-
pirc. AS part of the materials for this
she has another great dependency in
SeneSambia, on the western coast. Il
country covering 400, 600 square miles.
III this could i'll any way he united to
Algeria, if the two could be consolidated.
tho new "cmpro' would at once as
sumo vast proportions. But the desert
blocks the way. 1t splits the proposed
empire like Il wedge. 1t cannot he re-
moved, but is there not some way in
which it can be converted into a KEY
stone for the mighty arch that is to span
the continent from the Mediterranean
to the Atlantic: That is the problem
winch has long exercised the minds of
French statesmen, and which they in
turn have referred to their engineers.
who arc among the best in the world,
with what Jesuit may DO briefly indi-
Gated.
First of all, they have shown that it
Is possible to convert portions of the
desert into GASES by the sinking Of ar
tesian wells. y hundred and forty
miles south of Biskra is the oasis of
Tuggurt, which has long supported
thousands of Arabs, with their flCrks
and herds, but which was nearly de-
stroycd some years since by the wells
becoming so choked up as 10 no longer
furnish Il supply OF water. Vegetation
withcrcd until the wrctched people,
stripped of what Was TO them the very
water of life and too ignorant to he able
to renew the supply, were in despair
and began to leave the country.
Then the French engineers took thc
matter in hand and instead Of trying to
clear ont tho old wells commenced Dor
ing the solid earth and in five weeks
struck water to such ii good purpose
that river rushed forth that yielded
double the quantity furnished by tho
great well of Grcnello at Paris. To tho
Arabs 1t seemed Il miracle. and they be
gan to sing and dance in tho widest
manner to express their JOY. The mir
acle IS one that can be wrought wher-
ever men are willing to take tho labor
or to bear the expense. or course to ac-
colnpilsh large result in the way OF
pastuiagc or agriculture it would have
TO be repeated on tremendous scale.
But for the purpose of uniting the two
vast territories of Algeria and Senegam-
bia the first necessity is that of direct
communication. which can only be by "A
railroad across the desert of Sahara. Is
this within the bounds of possibility?
Nobodys opinion is of any value except
that of an engineer, and that / have
tried to obtain. In Algiers the Amer
lean consul took me to see Mr.. Brous-